President-elect Donald Trump announced his pick for the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York on Monday, nominating Joseph Nocella Jr., a highly regarded Nassau County judge with a long track record of upholding law and order. Trump’s Truth Social post lauded Nocella as a “proud graduate of Columbia Law School” with a “strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York.”
Nocella’s impressive resume includes serving as a Nassau County District Court and Family Court judge, over a decade in private practice, and a stint as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Lawrence M. McKenna in the Southern District of New York. He’s no stranger to the office he’s been tapped to lead—he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York from 1991 to 1995. If confirmed, Nocella will replace Breon Peace, Biden’s appointee, and oversee federal criminal and civil cases in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island’s Nassau and Suffolk counties, serving a population of more than 8 million people.
Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who appointed Nocella to the bench in 2022, celebrated the nomination, describing him as a “seasoned prosecutor with great integrity and a valuable asset in fighting crime and protecting the homeland.” Blakeman’s endorsement underscores the confidence Republicans have in Nocella’s ability to tackle the rising crime plaguing New York.
This nomination is yet another example of Trump’s America-first approach to governance. By choosing Nocella, a seasoned prosecutor with deep ties to the region, Trump is signaling that he’s serious about restoring law and order in a state ravaged by progressive policies that have emboldened criminals and disheartened law enforcement. While Democrats wring their hands and push “reforms” that let violent offenders roam free, Trump is putting capable, no-nonsense individuals like Nocella in positions to make a difference.
Predictably, the left will try to spin this appointment as part of their never-ending quest to demonize Trump, but the facts speak for themselves. Nocella’s qualifications and commitment to justice make him an obvious choice. Trump’s nomination is a win for New Yorkers and a stark reminder that real leadership means taking action to protect the American people, not pandering to woke ideologies that prioritize criminals over communities. With Nocella at the helm, the Eastern District of New York can look forward to a renewed focus on law, order, and justice.
