WASHINGTON D.C. — President Donald Trump has scored another massive victory in his mission to reshape the federal judiciary, as the U.S. Senate voted 51-45 on Tuesday to confirm Nicholas Ganjei to a lifetime federal judgeship in the Southern District of Texas.
The confirmation of Ganjei, who has served as the U.S. Attorney for the same district since early 2025, marks a critical win for the administration’s law-and-order agenda. The vote fell largely along party lines, underscoring the fierce battle for control over the nation's courts.
President Trump wasted no time praising the decision, hailing Ganjei as a "fearless proponent of immigration enforcement, strong borders, and law and order." The endorsement highlights the strategic importance of Ganjei's new role; the Southern District of Texas covers 43 counties stretching from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston and is one of the busiest federal court districts in the nation due to the high volume of border-related criminal cases.
Ganjei’s rise has been rapid. He was appointed U.S. Attorney for the district in January 2025 and quickly earned the respect of local judges, who appointed him to the permanent position in May. Now, he will serve alongside them on the federal bench.
Supported by Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz—for whom Ganjei served as chief counsel from 2022 to 2025—the new judge brings a wealth of experience as a federal prosecutor. His confirmation begins to plug the gaps in a district that currently has more vacancies than any other in the country.
Ganjei’s confirmation comes on the heels of another major judicial victory for the Trump administration. In January, the Senate voted 52-45 to confirm Eric Tung to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a court long considered a bastion of liberalism.
Tung, a former clerk for Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Antonin Scalia, is the first judge Trump has selected for the San Francisco-based court during his second term. His appointment further weakens the grip of Democratic appointees on the circuit, adding to the 10 judges Trump appointed there during his first term.
President Trump celebrated Tung’s confirmation by calling him a "Tough Patriot" who would preserve the Rule of Law in "radical" states like California, Oregon, and Washington.
With Ganjei securing the border courts in Texas and Tung taking a seat on the West Coast, the Trump administration is systematically fulfilling its promise to install conservative, constitutionalist judges across the federal system. For the White House, Tuesday wasn't just a vote; it was a vindication.
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