Trump Nominates Judges, Ambassadors, and Agency Heads
The White House sent a slate of federal judicial, ambassadorial, and agency nominations to the Senate for confirmation.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in People
President Trump sent nominations to the Senate for federal judges, an ambassador, and agency officials, including Philip Lawrence Aubart, Gregory Todd Butler, Jeffrey Colyer, Michael LoSapio, Christopher Mufarrige, and Matthew Zandi. The President also withdrew the nomination of David MacNeil for Federal Trade Commissioner.
Why it matters
Senate confirmation is required before these nominees can take office on the federal bench, at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, at the Federal Trade Commission, at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or as an ambassador. The withdrawal removes one pending FTC nomination from the Senate's docket.
The transmittals name seven nominees across federal courts, an ambassadorship, and three agencies, while the withdrawn MacNeil nomination was first sent January 13, 2026. Senate timing for confirmation votes has not been specified.
The players
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, who sent the nominations and withdrawal to the Senate.
Christopher Mufarrige
Christopher Mufarrige is an antitrust and consumer protection nominee for a seven-year Federal Trade Commission seat.
Michael LoSapio
Michael LoSapio is a cybersecurity nominee to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Jeffrey Colyer
Jeffrey Colyer is a former Kansas governor nominated to serve as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
The details
The nominations include Aubart for the Middle District of North Carolina, Butler for the Fifth Circuit, Colyer as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, LoSapio to lead CISA, Mufarrige and Zandi for the FTC and EEOC respectively, and MacNeil's FTC nomination was withdrawn.
Timeline
January 13, 2026: David MacNeil's FTC nomination was originally sent to the Senate.
September 26, 2026: Mufarrige's FTC term is scheduled to begin.
November 9, 2026: Nominations and the MacNeil withdrawal were transmitted to the Senate.
July 1, 2031: Zandi's EEOC term is set to expire.
Market Landscape
The batch follows the constitutional advice-and-consent process under Article II, which requires Senate approval before nominees take office. The withdrawal of the MacNeil nomination shows the process can also remove candidates before a vote.
Confirmation of these nominees would determine who decides federal court cases and sets policy at the FTC, EEOC, and CISA. Pending confirmations also affect the agencies' ability to act on consumer protection and workplace discrimination matters.
The takeaway
Senate action on these nominations will shape the composition of several federal agencies and courts. Readers can track confirmation votes as they occur.
Further reading
For more on the appointees and the agencies they would lead, see People coverage.
