For conservatives, Trump sends worrying signals on court picks

Conservatives are expressing doubts about President Trump’s ability to pick judges after Mr. Trump announced his first slate of appeals court nominees and then went on an epic social media rant about the Federalist Society, which furnished most of his first-term appointments.

Mr. Trump attacked Leonard Leo, a former executive vice president at the society, as a “sleazebag” and called the society’s recommendations for judgeships “bad advice.”

Mr. Trump launched his tirade a day after nominating Emil Bove, his former criminal defense attorney, to be a federal appeals court judge. Legal circles wondered whether Mr. Trump was signaling a new direction away from the “constitutionalist” picks of his first term and toward judges whose priority is Mr. Trump.