Senate Republicans are finally standing up to Donald Trump

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley (R‑Iowa) responded sharply to calls by President Donald Trump to abandon the Senate’s long‑standing “blue‑slip” tradition, saying during a Wednesday hearing that he is "disappointed" in the president.

Grassley made the remark during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, directly challenging Trump’s demand to scrap the custom, according to Capitol Hill reporters.

On Tuesday night, Trump posted a message on his Truth Social platform urging Grassley to show “COURAGE” in eliminating the so-called “blue‑slip scam,” arguing it allowed Democratic senators to keep excellent Republican judges and U.S. attorneys from being confirmed.

READ MORE: (Opinion) The one man who has the strength to finish off Donald Trump

"Last night, I was surprised to see President Trump on Truth Social go after me and Senate Republicans over what we call the 'blue slip.' Now, to people in the Real America – not here in Washington, D.C., an island surrounded by reality – the people in Real America don’t care about what the 'blue slip' is, but, in fact, it impacts the district judges who serve their communities and the U.S. Attorneys who ensure law and order is enforced."

He continued: "I was offended by what the President said, and I’m disappointed that it would result in personal insults."

Grassley, who is 91 years old and who is the Senate’s longest‑serving Republican, defended the process as vital to bipartisan consultation and senatorial courtesy, pointing out that it has historically allowed home‑state senators from both parties to offer input on judicial and prosecutorial nominees.

He emphasized his commitment to maintaining the tradition, telling Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, that he intended for the blue slip process to continue in perpetuity.

READ MORE: 'Do it!' Trump orders top Republican to bulldoze obstacle stopping far-right prosecutors

This clash reflects broader tensions over the war over judicial confirmations. While Trump railed that the blue‑slip is outdated and potentially unconstitutional, Republicans remain wary of eliminating it — fearing Democrats could later exploit its absence when they hold sway in the Senate.

At stake is a pileup of roughly 250 pending judicial nominees — only a handful of whom have been confirmed so far in Trump’s second term, lagging behind the pace of confirmations in previous administrations, according to the Washington Post.