Senate Confirms Trump Nominee Anne-Leigh Moe As U.S. District Judge

The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to confirm President Donald J. Trump’s nominee Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida, marking another major step in the President’s ongoing effort to restore integrity to America’s courts. The final vote was 53–46, with three Democrats crossing party lines to support the nomination.

President Trump celebrated Moe’s confirmation on Truth Social, hailing her as a strong defender of the rule of law.

“I am pleased to announce the nomination of Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida,” Trump wrote.

“Anne-Leigh has fiercely advocated for Sunshine State residents as a Judge on Florida’s Second District Court of Appeals, and as Trial Judge on Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court. Anne-Leigh will prioritize LAW AND ORDER unlike other activist Judges who put the safety of Illegal Criminals over the safety of AMERICANS. Congratulations Anne-Leigh!”

Moe’s record is one of judicial consistency and commitment to public safety. Before joining the Second District Court of Appeal in 2022, she served nearly a decade on Florida’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County and worked as an assistant state attorney in Tampa. Her confirmation is yet another example of President Trump’s determination to nominate constitutionalist judges who uphold the law as written — not as interpreted by activist courts.

The confirmation adds to the Trump administration’s growing list of federal judicial appointments, reshaping the judiciary with nominees who respect constitutional limits and prioritize the rights of law-abiding Americans.

Meanwhile, as the government shutdown continues into its fourth week, President Trump’s approval ratings remain strong — defying media predictions that the standoff would politically damage his administration.

Even CNN’s Harry Enten acknowledged the surprising strength of Trump’s numbers. Comparing the current standoff to the 2018–2019 shutdown, Enten noted that the President’s popularity has actually increased by one point this time around, whereas his ratings dipped several points during the first shutdown of his presidency.

“This shutdown hasn’t eaten into Donald Trump support at all. His net approval rating is actually up a point in terms of his popular support,” Enten said. “So the bottom line is this: the first shutdown during Trump’s first term, 2018-2019, was hurting Donald Trump. This one is not hurting him at all.”

Enten admitted the reason is simple: fewer Americans blame Trump this time. In 2019, 61% of voters held him responsible for the budget impasse. Now, only 48% do — a major shift that highlights how public perception has changed since Trump’s return to office.

“Again, it’s no real wonder that Donald Trump, at this point, looking at the shutdown, says, ‘You know what? It’s not actually harming me politically,’ in large part, because he’s getting less of the blame,” Enten conceded.

It’s also worth remembering that Congress — not the president — controls the federal purse strings. The Constitution gives the House and Senate responsibility for passing funding bills. Yet Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, continue to block GOP-backed measures that would reopen the government without adding new spending for expiring Obamacare subsidies.

Republicans, holding narrow majorities, would need support from several Senate Democrats to pass a stopgap funding measure — but Democrats have refused to cooperate, preferring political theater over fiscal responsibility.

In short, despite endless media spin, the facts remain clear: Democrats are holding up government funding, while President Trump’s popularity remains undented.