Trump Nominates Three Kansas Attorneys for U.S. District Court

Nominees include the KBI director, state solicitor general, and a private practice lawyer

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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President Donald Trump has nominated three Kansas attorneys to fill vacancies on the U.S. District Court in the state. The nominees are Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation; Anthony Powell, the state's solicitor general; and Jeffrey M. Kuhlman, a private practice lawyer from Great Bend.

Why it matters

These nominations continue Trump's efforts to reshape the federal judiciary with conservative-leaning judges. The three nominees would join the three other federal district court judges Trump previously appointed to the Kansas bench, potentially shifting the court's ideological balance.

The details

Mattivi is a former federal prosecutor with over 20 years of experience handling high-profile cases. Powell is a veteran state appellate lawyer who previously served on the Kansas Court of Appeals. Kuhlman is a private practice attorney who clerked for a current U.S. District Court judge in Kansas.

  • President Trump nominated the three attorneys on February 19, 2026.

The players

Tony Mattivi

Director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation since 2023 and a former federal prosecutor.

Anthony Powell

Kansas' solicitor general since 2023 and a former member of the Kansas Court of Appeals.

Jeffrey M. Kuhlman

A private practice lawyer from Great Bend, Kansas who previously clerked for a U.S. District Court judge.

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What they’re saying

“These nominees understand the Constitution, respect the law as written and have dedicated their careers to serving and protecting Kansans.”

— U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas (Kansas Reflector)

What’s next

The U.S. Senate will now consider the nominations and vote on whether to confirm the three attorneys to the federal district court.

The takeaway

President Trump's latest judicial nominations in Kansas continue his efforts to reshape the federal courts with conservative-leaning judges, potentially impacting the ideological balance of the state's U.S. District Court.