Roughly half of President Donald Trump’s 17 pending nominees to the federal bench have publicly opposed abortion, worked with anti-abortion groups or defended state abortion restrictions, according to an Associated Press review released on Aug. 10. One nominee described abortion as a “barbaric practice,” another called himself a “zealot” for the anti-abortion movement, and several have represented states in litigation over medication-induced abortions. Although Trump has lately argued that abortion policy should be decided by the states, the lifetime appointments would give the nominees authority to influence reproductive-rights jurisprudence nationwide for decades. Legal scholars warn the selections represent a less visible but potent method of tightening abortion access following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. The White House said the candidates reflect the President’s campaign promises and align with the high court’s ruling, adding that voters rejected Democrats’ abortion stance in last year’s election. Trump is pressing the Senate to act on the nominations; during his first term he reshaped the judiciary by seating 234 judges, including three Supreme Court justices who joined the majority in ending the federal constitutional right to abortion.