Trump withdraws Eighth Circuit nominee, sends Hiland nomination to Senate
Where it stands
White House withdrew Rudofsky and nominated Hiland for the Eighth Circuit; Hiland has not been confirmed and no Senate vote was identified.
Sources reviewed: Nov 11, 2026 · 7:04 AM EST
President Donald Trump withdrew U.S. District Judge Lee Philip Rudofsky's nomination to the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and sent Arkansas Supreme Court Justice James Cody Hiland's nomination for the same seat to the Senate on November 10, the White House announced. Earlier that day, the Senate Judiciary Committee held Rudofsky's nomination under its rules rather than voting to report it.
Reuters reported that Arkansas Republican Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton preferred Hiland and that their opposition made Rudofsky's confirmation impractical.
The substitution is a nomination action, not a confirmation: Hiland must still go through the Senate process, and no committee or full-Senate vote on his nomination was identified during this review.
The response.
Rudofsky said that confirmation was not practical without his home-state senators' support, according to Reuters. Boozman said the Senate's advice-and-consent role and home-state senators' input should be protected. Reuters reported that Hiland did not respond to its request for comment. The White House announcement identifies the withdrawal and new nomination but gives no explanation for the change. The Eighth Circuit vacancy remains unfilled unless and until the Senate confirms a nominee and the appointment is completed.
Dates & scope
Source publication: Nov 10, 2026 · 8:36 PM EST · Source update: 2026-11-11
Event or conduct: 2026-11-10.
Full chronology and review notes
The Senate Judiciary Committee held Lee Philip Rudofsky's nomination during its November 10 executive business meeting. The White House later announced that it had withdrawn Rudofsky's nomination and nominated James Cody Hiland for the same Eighth Circuit vacancy. Reuters published its report at 8:36 p.m. EST November 10. The Ledger reviewed the White House announcement, the committee's agenda and results, and Reuters reporting at 7:04 a.m. EST November 11.
This is a dated report. The source-review time records when the linked sources were checked; it is not a live update.
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Open the original record.
- The White House: Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate ↗
Primary November 10 presidential action naming James Cody Hiland for the Eighth Circuit and withdrawing Lee Philip Rudofsky for the same vacancy
- U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Results of Executive Business Meeting, November 10, 2026 ↗
Primary committee results showing Rudofsky's nomination was held pursuant to Committee Rule I.3; it was not reported favorably
- U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Executive Business Meeting, November 10, 2026 ↗
Primary meeting page and revised agenda listing Rudofsky's Eighth Circuit nomination
- Reuters: Trump replaces judicial nominee in last-ditch bid to reshape US appeals court ↗
November 10 report published at 8:36 p.m. EST on the senators' opposition, the replacement and responses from Rudofsky and Boozman
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