Trump Nominates One of His Own Legal Advisers to Appeals Court Bench The White House on Wednesday announced that President Donald Trump had nominated a bloc of six new federal judicial nominees, continuing the administration’s effort to reshape the federal courts with what observers are calling “conservative” jurists. The most notable appointment of Trump’s latest slate of judges is Steven J. Menashi of New York, who was nominated to serve as a Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. If confirmed by the Senate, Menashi would be Trump’s fourth appointment to the Second Circuit, and leave the court with an even split between active jurists appointed by presidents from each political party. Menashi, who is currently a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Associate Counsel to the President, previously served as Acting General Counsel at the Department of Education under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.