Emil Bove

Emil Joseph Bove III (; AY-mill BOH-vee; born 1981) is an American attorney who has served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since September 2025. Before that, he served at the Department of Justice as principal associate deputy attorney general from January to September 2025, including as acting deputy attorney general from January to March 2025. Bove studied public policy and economics at the University at Albany, SUNY and graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2008. He clerked for judges Richard J. Sullivan and Richard C. Wesley and became an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell before returning to federal employment as assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of New York in 2012. Bove was appointed co-chief of the office's terrorism and international narcotics unit in October 2019. He resigned in December 2021 and later joined Donald Trump's legal team in September 2023. On November 15, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced Bove would serve as principal associate deputy attorney general in his incoming administration. Bove was appointed acting deputy attorney general on January 20, 2025 and served in the position until Todd Blanche was confirmed in March. Bove has been involved in several controversies at the Department of Justice, including the dismissal of a criminal corruption case against Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, and multiple whistleblower allegations that he suggested ignoring a federal court order to lawyers in a case involving the deportation of Venezuelans to El Salvador. On May 28, 2025, President Trump announced the nomination of Bove to service on the United State Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. On July 29, 2025, Bove was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.