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Published Sept 22, 2026
updated Every Wednesday-
White House Sends 15 Nominations to Senate, Withdraws Arkansas Judicial Nomination
WASHINGTON REPORT | NOVEMBER 11, 2026
The White House has submitted 15 nominations to the U.S. Senate for consideration, covering positions across federal transportation, diplomacy, national security, financial oversight, defense, law enforcement, and the federal judiciary.
The nominations were transmitted on November 10, 2026, and include proposed ambassadors to several countries, senior Treasury Department officials, a director for the National Counterterrorism Center, and nominees for federal judicial appointments.
Among the nominations is Mark Aesch of Florida, selected to serve as Federal Transit Administrator, replacing Marcus Molinaro. The position oversees federal transportation programs and transit-related administration.
The administration also nominated several individuals for ambassadorial positions, including Mikhail Bogachek to Kosovo, John Burns to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pedro Cabrera to Guatemala, Matthew Millhollin to Oman, and William Stephens to Papua New Guinea. Stephens would also serve concurrently as ambassador to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu without additional compensation.
Several nominations involve federal financial and consumer protection agencies. Hugo Dante Jr. was nominated to serve as Director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research for a six-year term, while Rebekah Jurata was nominated to become an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
Peter A. Feldman received two nominations involving the Consumer Product Safety Commission: chairman of the commission and reappointment as a commissioner for a seven-year term beginning October 27, 2026.
In national security and defense, Joseph Weirsky was nominated to become Director of the National Counterterrorism Center within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, replacing Joseph Kent, who resigned. Daniel Zimmerman was nominated for a newly established Assistant Secretary of Defense position.
The nominations also include Julia Diaz-Rex for United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and Bernard Michael Desrosiers for a 15-year term as an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Two nominations involve the federal judiciary. James Cody Hiland of Arkansas was nominated to serve as a United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, filling the seat of retiring Judge Bobby E. Shepherd.
The White House also transmitted a withdrawal to the Senate involving Lee Philip Rudofsky, who had previously been nominated for that same Eighth Circuit judicial vacancy on September 14, 2026.
The nominations now move to the Senate for consideration as part of the federal confirmation process. The White House announcement does not establish a timeline for committee hearings or confirmation votes.
NOMINATIONS AND WITHDRAWALS
The following individuals were included in the November 10 White House submission:
Nominations
- Mark Aesch — Federal Transit Administrator.
- Mikhail Bogachek — Ambassador to Kosovo.
- Andreas Borgeas — Member of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission.
- John Burns — Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Pedro Cabrera — Ambassador to Guatemala.
- Hugo Dante Jr. — Director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research.
- Julia Diaz-Rex — U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
- Peter A. Feldman — Chairman and Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- Rebekah Jurata — Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
- Matthew Millhollin — Ambassador to Oman.
- William Stephens — Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
- Joseph Weirsky — Director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
- Daniel Zimmerman — Assistant Secretary of Defense.
- Bernard Michael Desrosiers — Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
- James Cody Hiland — U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit.
Withdrawal
- Lee Philip Rudofsky — Nomination for U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, previously submitted September 14, 2026.
Source: The White House, Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate, November 10, 2026.
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