Trump will appoint 'dozens' of judges, experts say, despite Dems ramming through nominees in lame-duck session

The four vacancies would then be Trump's to fill. 

"I'm glad that Republican senators are starting to show up to vote because some of the worst nominees are still awaiting confirmation precisely because they didn't have adequate support," Carrie Severino, president of JCN, told Fox News Digital. 

When asked about the deal, Devon Ombres, senior director of courts and legal policy at CAPAction said, "Frankly, I'm at a loss as to why they would get here."

"It would be nice to see Democratic leadership and the White House try and push through and fill those vacancies where possible," Ombres said.

Schumer addressed the floor Thursday, saying they had confirmed six new judges this past week alone - one circuit court judge and five district court judges, bringing Biden's total number of confirmations to 220. Trump notably secured 234 confirmations during his first term. 

Despite the push, Ombres stated he predicts circuit judges appointed primarily by former president George W. Bush will take senior status, which would then give Trump additional vacancies to fill. Likewise, Ombres said those appointed by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will avoid taking senior status.

"[Trump will] still have a handful of vacancies that he'll be able to appoint," Ombres said. "But if the Senate Republicans maintain the blue slip process, it will be tougher sledding to appoint in those in blue states, but he will still have an opportunity to bolster where there is already strength, especially the 11th Circuit."

"When Trump comes into office, he's going to have dozens more vacancies to fill," Severino said. "And that's not even counting the judges who will take senior status over the next four years."

According to a Senate Democrat leadership aide familiar with the agreement reached, the deal allowed for the Senate to vote on cloture on nine district court judges this week and vote to confirm them when they return after Thanksgiving.

"I think certainly appellate judges are always going to be more important in our judicial system than district court judges," Ombres said. "But district court judges are still capable of instituting nationwide injunctions and striking down programs and issuing sweeping opinions."

Trump has previously been vocal about not wanting judicial confirmations during the lame-duck session, writing on Truth Social, "No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!" 

"He had a wonderful record last time around, and I hope he's going to have a similar track record this time of putting up principled and highly qualified nominees," Severino said.

Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson contributed to this report.