Trump nominates lawyer from his legal team for appeals court position

By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated a lawyer who was part of his legal team in a landmark presidential immunity case before the U.S. Supreme Court, to serve as a judge on the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Missouri.

The lawyer, Justin Smith also represented Trump in his case against writer E. Jean Carroll, where a jury found he was liable for sexually abusing and defaming her.

Smith has served in an array of legal roles in Missouri, including as the deputy counsel for the state’s governor and deputy attorney general for special litigation, according to his LinkedIn profile.

“Justin also played a BIG role in securing a Supreme Court Landmark Victory on Presidential Immunity. He is a true America First Fighter, who will continue to deliver strong results for the American People,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that then former president Trump, who facing for on charges for actions taken during his first term in office, could not be prosecuted for acts that were within his constitutional powers as president.

The Republican president on Wednesday also nominated Kansas Solicitor General Anthony Powell, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi and Jeffrey Kuhlman to serve as judges on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

Trump praised the men for their commitment to protecting the U.S. Constitution.

Smith, Kuhlman, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Kansas attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

Trump, who returned to the White House last year for a second term, has nominated more than 40 people to serve on district and appeals courts across the United States.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee and Edwina Gibbs)