FACT CHECK: Has Donald Trump Appointed Zero Black Federal Judges?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A viral Facebook post shared over 16,000 times claims not a single one of President Donald Trump’s judicial appointees is black.

Verdict: False

At least eight federal judges nominated by Trump and confirmed by the Senate are black.

Fact Check:

Since Tuesday’s presidential debate, social media has been replete with misinformation regarding both presidential candidates. This particular Facebook post claims, “Donald Trump has appointed 198 judges in just 4 years. Not 1. Not 1 Black. VOTE PEOPLE!”

But that’s not correct. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has appointed 218 federal judges as of Sept. 24, according to the American Constitution Society. The Heritage Foundation’s judicial appointments tracker also reports that Trump has appointed 218 judges. Data from the Federal Judicial Center show that at least eight of Trump’s appointees to the U.S. District Court are black.

Most recently, the Senate on Sept. 24 confirmed in a 93-2 vote Roderick C. Young, a black man Trump nominated in May, to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch. (RELATED: Has Trump Appointed 1 In Every 8 Circuit Court Judges?)

While Trump has appointed several black judges to the district courts, none of Trump’s 53 appointees to the appellate courts are black, according to Bloomberg Law. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has criticized Trump for the lack of diversity among judges appointed to the appellate courts.

“Not nominating a single African American to the appellate courts is absolutely outrageous,” Hilary O. Shelton, the NAACP’s senior vice president for advocacy and policy, told Bloomberg Law.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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