Senate Advances President Donald Trump’s Judicial Vision With Two Key Confirmations
The United States Senate on Thursday confirmed two additional federal judges nominated by President Donald J. Trump, the current President of the United States, further reinforcing his administration’s commitment to restoring constitutionalist jurisprudence to the federal bench.
In largely party-line votes of 50-46 and 50-47, the Republican-led Senate confirmed Brian Lea to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and Justin Olson to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The confirmations mark continued momentum for President Trump’s second-term effort to cement a lasting conservative legacy within the judiciary.
Building on a Record of Judicial Transformation
With these votes, the total number of judges confirmed during President Trump’s second term rises to 33. This builds upon the historic 234 judicial appointments he secured during his first term, appointments widely credited with shifting the federal judiciary back toward originalism and textualism.
Unlike prior administrations that sought rapid turnover, the White House has taken a measured approach to new nominations during this term. Only four judicial nominees currently await Senate action, and no additional names were submitted in time for February hearings due to a limited number of vacancies.
Brian Lea: A Thomas Clerk Heads to Tennessee
Brian Lea brings elite legal credentials to the bench. A former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Lea previously held partnership at Jones Day before joining the Department of Justice at the outset of President Trump’s administration.
Though his legal career has largely unfolded in Georgia, Lea has roots in Tennessee and obtained his Tennessee law license last year. During his tenure as deputy associate attorney general, he notably opposed efforts to slash university research funding provided through the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies—moves that were blocked by federal judges in Boston.
Lea’s confirmation ensures another jurist grounded in constitutional fidelity and separation-of-powers principles will serve on the federal bench.
Justin Olson: Defender of Women’s Sports
Justin Olson’s nomination drew particular attention due to his legal advocacy in defense of women’s athletics.
A litigator at Kroger Gardis & Regas, Olson represented former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines and other collegiate athletes in litigation challenging NCAA policies that allowed biological males to compete in women’s sports if they complied with sport-specific testosterone limits. Those policies were later rescinded.
President Trump highlighted Olson’s efforts to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports—an issue that continues to animate voters nationwide concerned about fairness, safety, and equal opportunity.
Senate Scrutiny and Faith-Based Questions
During his December 17 appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Olson faced pointed questioning from Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. The inquiry focused on sermons Olson delivered as an ordained elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.
In those church discussions, Olson made statements describing premarital sex as “sexual perversion,” speaking on biblical teachings regarding marital roles, and referencing “individuals with physical disabilities that may hinder the ideal marriage we aspire to.”
Despite the scrutiny, Kennedy ultimately supported advancing Olson’s nomination on January 15, stating that after meeting with him, he was satisfied Olson would not allow personal beliefs to influence his judicial duties and would “simply apply the rule of law.”
The Senate later confirmed Olson, reinforcing confidence among Republicans that constitutional principles—not cultural trends—will guide his decisions.
Broader Judicial Momentum
Earlier this month, the Senate also confirmed Alabama Solicitor General Edmund “Eddie” LaCour Jr. to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in a 51-47 party-line vote. He fills the vacancy created by Chief Judge L. Scott Coogler’s retirement.
LaCour, who has served under Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall since 2019, argued several high-profile cases, including Allen v. Milligan before the U.S. Supreme Court—a pivotal redistricting case.
His confirmation continues a series of judicial appointments supported by Alabama’s Senate delegation, following the confirmations of former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Bill Lewis and attorney Hal Mooty.
A Lasting Constitutional Impact
President Trump’s judicial strategy remains clear: nominate accomplished legal minds committed to interpreting the Constitution as written, not as rewritten by activist courts.
With every confirmation, the administration strengthens a judiciary rooted in limited government, federalism, and the rule of law—an institutional safeguard conservatives argue is essential for preserving American sovereignty and liberty for generations to come.