President Donald Trump is considering nominating Emil Bove, his former personal attorney who currently holds a senior role at the Justice Department, as a federal appeals judge, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.
Bove is under consideration for a vacancy on the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit based in New Jersey. He’s emerged as one of Trump’s most trusted aides at the Justice Department who, as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s main principal, has been tasked with carrying out some of the administration’s more controversial moves.
It’s not clear whether Trump has made a final decision. A White House spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. CNN has reached out to Bove.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bove would have a lifetime appointment. The New York Times first reported on Trump considering Bove for the judgeship.
Hours after Trump took office in January, Bove was tapped to assume one of the most powerful positions at the Justice Department — its No. 2 spot, the interim deputy attorney general. He stayed in the job for weeks before the permanent nominee, Blanche, who worked with Bove to defend Trump in his criminal cases, was confirmed by the Senate.
In that short time, Bove quickly earned a reputation as Trump’s hatchet man. His aggressive campaign began with immigration — he issued a memo just two days after Trump’s inauguration that threatened to prosecute state and local officials who resist the administrations federal immigration crackdown.
Bove then turned his attention to the FBI, ordering the firing of eight senior officials and demanding details on thousands of employees who worked on investigations related to the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
But his most controversial move was when he and others submitted a filing to dismiss the corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, sparking a wave of resignations from career prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section who said it amounted to a “quid pro quo.”
Bove eventually had to appear in court by himself to argue for the dismissal, which a judge granted.
Before joining Trump’s defense team when he was out of office, Bove worked in the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York.
As CNN has reported, Bove is also helping to lead a new Justice Department effort called the Weaponization Working Group, which is tasked with examining current and former prosecutors and FBI employees.
He’s often seen inside the West Wing and typically works closely alongside Trump’s top aides, including Stephen Miller, on immigration fights.
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