On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed two judicial nominees from former President Donald Trump to lifetime federal judgeships, advancing his ongoing effort to shape the judiciary. The Senate voted 50-46 to confirm Brian Lea to the Western District of Tennessee and 50-47 to confirm Justin Olson to the Southern District of Indiana, with both votes strictly along party lines. These confirmations add to a broader strategy by Republican leadership to solidify conservative influence in federal courts for years to come.
With these appointments, Trump’s second-term confirmations reach 33 judges, building on the 234 federal judges he appointed during his first term, which included three Supreme Court justices and numerous appellate and district court judges. While fewer vacancies exist this term, Republican leaders continue to move quickly when opportunities arise, mindful that lifetime appointments can affect legal decisions on regulatory authority, civil rights, and religious liberty for decades.
Brian Lea brings experience from private practice and government service. He previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, worked as a partner at Jones Day, and served as deputy associate attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice. His tenure included involvement in high-profile disputes over federal research funding, drawing attention for litigation challenging reductions proposed for agencies such as the National Institutes of Health.
Justin Olson is a litigator with Kroger Gardis & Regas, notable for representing college athletes in cases challenging transgender participation in women’s sports. He advocated on behalf of female athletes, including University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, opposing NCAA policies that allowed transgender women to compete under sport-specific testosterone limits. Olson’s nomination sparked debate about the intersection of religious beliefs and judicial impartiality, highlighted during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Republican Sen. John Kennedy. Despite questions about sermons and personal views, Olson assured senators he would apply the law faithfully, and his nomination advanced.
These confirmations follow the recent approval of Edmund ‘Eddie’ LaCour Jr. to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, filling the vacancy left by Chief Judge L. Scott Coogler’s retirement. LaCour, who has served as Alabama Solicitor General under Attorney General Steve Marshall, argued high-profile appellate matters including the Supreme Court redistricting case Allen v. Milligan.
Collectively, these appointments underscore the Trump administration’s continued focus on reshaping the federal judiciary, reinforcing conservative jurisprudence across multiple circuits, and leaving a lasting imprint on the legal landscape.
