President Trump has taken a more personal and tightly controlled approach to picking judges in his second term, a process that is more focused on nominees with connections to him and the administration.
The president has complained that some of the judges recommended to him last time haven't served him well, and now he is taking a closer interest in the process.
Many of his nominees so far have some sort of connection to him and the administration, and the White House is placing a priority on nominees who have clear conservative records on social issues.
Of the 36 nominees who have been confirmed in Trump's second term, 29 have identified themselves as current or former members of the Federalist Society.
The White House approach provides clues to how Trump might handle a potential Supreme Court vacancy, and the president wants to do everything he can to ensure that judges he selects don't rule against him.
At least six of the nine people Trump has nominated to seats on powerful U.S. appeals courts have either worked for him or his administration.
