Trump Nominee For US Attorney Of Kansas Confirmed By Senate
The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to serve as the top federal law enforcement official in Kansas, marking another victory for the administration as it continues reshaping the Justice Department in Trump’s second term.
Ryan Kriegshauser was confirmed as U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas after the Senate approved a package of presidential nominees by a 53–43 vote. Kansas Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall both voted in favor of Kriegshauser’s confirmation.
“I am deeply honored with the special trust and confidence placed in me by the President of the United States, the United States Attorney General, and the judges in the District of Kansas,” Kriegshauser said in a statement. “Additionally, the support of Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall was pivotal in my selection and confirmation.
“I look forward to continuing my efforts to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Office and the Kansas justice system by extending more resources and support to our federal, state, and local partners. We want our partners to see us as accessible and approachable so that in working together, we can most effectively protect and serve our Kansas community,” he added.
Kriegshauser had been serving as interim U.S. attorney since July 28. Under federal law, interim appointments made by the attorney general are limited to 120 days. To prevent a leadership gap, the U.S. District Court of Kansas reappointed Kriegshauser effective November 25, pending Senate confirmation, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Sen. Moran praised Kriegshauser’s confirmation and highlighted his long record of public service.
“Throughout his career, Ryan has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service, the rule of law, and the pursuit of justice,” Moran said.
“He cares deeply about the safety and well-being of Kansans. As a former intern for me, I know him to be someone with the character and integrity needed to carry out the duties of this role. I look forward to working with him to support law enforcement and keep our communities safe,” Moran added.
Kriegshauser is well known in conservative legal circles across Kansas. His background includes private practice, service within state government agencies, time as a local prosecutor, and ongoing service as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas operates out of Topeka, Wichita, and Kansas City, Kansas, overseeing civil, criminal, and administrative matters across the state.
Kriegshauser’s confirmation comes as Senate Republicans accelerate approval of President Trump’s nominees at a historic pace. Lawmakers have now confirmed 97 Trump nominees this year, outpacing confirmation totals under previous administrations and even exceeding the pace of Trump’s first term.
Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pushed through confirmations after taking control of the chamber in January. During that time, the GOP also passed the president’s signature “one big, beautiful bill” and reopened the federal government following the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Fox News reported.
Confirmations were frequently slowed by Democratic resistance, as Senate Democrats imposed blanket objections to even routine nominations. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., described the tactics as unprecedented obstruction.
“We began the year by confirming President Trump’s Cabinet faster than any Senate in modern history,” Barrasso said per Fox. “And by week’s end, President Trump will have 417 nominees confirmed by the Senate this year. That’s far more than the 365 that Joe Biden had in his first year in office.”
In response to the gridlock, Republicans invoked the nuclear option in September, lowering the vote threshold for sub-Cabinet nominees. Since then, the Senate has confirmed 417 Trump nominees.
Thune accused Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of blocking standard fast-track procedures purely out of political spite.
“Democrats cannot deal with the fact that the American people elected President Trump, and so they’ve engaged in this pointless political obstruction in revenge,” Thune said.
With the latest confirmations, Republicans have nearly erased a nominations backlog that peaked at close to 150 pending nominees earlier this year. Only 15 nominees remain unconfirmed.