One of President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies in the Senate just threw him a curveball over one of his judicial nominees.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn is blocking Trump’s pick for a federal judgeship in Tennessee, an unusual break with the White House from a Republican who has consistently supported Trump’s nominees.
Blackburn, R-Tenn., has declined to return the “blue slip” needed for Samuel Adkisson’s nomination to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee to advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Adkisson had been expected to appear before the committee Wednesday but was absent from the hearing because Blackburn had not signed off on his nomination, according to multiple reports.
Blackburn has not publicly explained her decision.
Her office did not respond to requests for comment from Bloomberg Law and Reuters, leaving unclear whether she permanently opposes Adkisson or is withholding her approval while seeking additional information or concessions.
Blackburn serves on the Judiciary Committee and has reliably supported Trump’s judicial nominees up to now.
The Senate’s blue-slip tradition gives senators significant influence over district court nominations in their home states.
Under the practice, the Judiciary Committee sends a blue form to each home-state senator seeking their position on a nominee. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has continued requiring positive blue slips from both home-state senators before moving forward with district court nominees.
Trump formally nominated Adkisson on Sept. 14 to replace U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan, who is retiring. The nomination was referred to the Judiciary Committee but has not advanced further.
Adkisson currently serves as an associate counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office and as a special assistant to the president.
He graduated from Yale Law School in 2018 and has an extensive résumé in conservative legal circles.
Adkisson previously worked for Grassley during Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation battle before serving as a law clerk to Judge Gregory Katsas on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Judge Amul Thapar on the Sixth Circuit.
He later clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Adkisson also practiced law at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Cooper & Kirk before joining the Trump White House in 2025.
Trump highlighted Adkisson’s work for his administration when announcing the nomination, including his involvement in Trump v. Slaughter, a Supreme Court case concerning the president’s authority to remove members of independent federal agencies.
Tennessee’s other Republican senator, Bill Hagerty, publicly endorsed Adkisson after Trump selected him.
“He will bring Volunteer State values to the bench and uphold the high standards of our federal judiciary,” Hagerty said, promising to work toward his confirmation.
According to Adkisson’s Senate questionnaire, he interviewed with staff for both Hagerty and Blackburn and later interviewed personally with the two senators earlier this year before meeting with the White House Counsel’s Office.
That makes Blackburn’s refusal to return the blue slip particularly striking.
The White House is standing behind Adkisson.
“Sam Adkisson is one of the brightest young conservative lawyers in the country and has been a standout member of the White House Counsel’s Office,” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said. “He will make an outstanding judge on the Eastern District of Tennessee.”
Several prominent conservatives have also publicly pressured Blackburn to reverse course.
Mike Davis, a Trump ally and founder of the Article III Project, called Blackburn’s decision a “grave mistake,” describing Adkisson as a “brilliant, conservative, bold, and fearless pick for the federal bench.”
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, another former Judiciary Committee staffer, also urged Adkisson’s confirmation.
“Sam is a generational talent and should be swiftly confirmed,” Ferguson said.
Blackburn’s action stands apart from her broader record on Trump’s judicial nominees.
She supported Brian Lea, Trump’s nominee to the Western District of Tennessee, as well as Ben Flowers, who was confirmed to the Cincinnati-based Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Tennessee.
The timing could further complicate Adkisson’s nomination.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
