Trump appoints Nashville-area attorney Whitney Hermandorfer to federal bench

Zoom in: Hermandorfer serves as director of the strategic litigation unit for the Tennessee Attorney General's Office.

• She played basketball at Princeton, where she earned her undergrad, before earning her law degree at George Washington University. She earned prestigious clerkships for Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett.
• Before that, Hermandorfer graduated from Harpeth Hall.

If confirmed, Hermandorfer would replace veteran appeals court Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch, who was appointed to the bench by former President Obama.

What they're saying: Trump called Hermandorfer "a staunch defender of girl's and women's sports." Hermandorfer argued the lawsuit over federal sexual discrimination rules related to gender identity.

• "Whitney Hermandorfer's unwavering commitment to the rule of law, her exacting analytical rigor, and her unshakeable optimism will serve our country well," Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement.
• U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn said Hermandorfer's career has been "nothing short of outstanding," and called her "a rising star in Tennessee."