Deputy Iowa AG nominated to be next U.S. Attorney in Northern District of Iowa

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump nominated Chief Deputy Iowa Attorney General Leif A. Olson to be the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa.

Olson would replace Tim Duax, who was appointed by the U.S. Justice Department in 2022 after Sean Berry retired. The last U.S. Attorney in the district nominated by a president and confirmed by the Senate was Peter Deegan Jr., who retired in 2021.

Before joining the Iowa Attorney General’s Office in 2023, Olson oversaw the Attorney General of Texas’ Special Litigation Division, leading several lawsuits against President Joe Biden’s administration. Before that, he served as a senior policy adviser for the U.S. Department of Labor under the first Trump administration, and he gained courtroom experience as a trial and appellate lawyer.

Iowa U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst endorsed his nomination in the committee’s news release Tuesday.

“I wholeheartedly support Mr. Olson’s nomination to the U.S. Attorney position in Iowa’s Northern District,” Grassley said in a statement. “Having 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer, public servant and appellate lawyer, Mr. Olson is highly qualified to serve the people of Iowa. As Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I'll work to move his nomination forward swiftly.”

Ernst agreed with Grassley, saying she was “proud” to see the president nominate Olson.

“He has honorably served our state and nation, and I look forward to working with Sen. Grassley to move Mr. Olson’s nomination forward,” Ernst said in a statement.

Olson’s nomination has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for vetting and consideration. The full Senate will vote on the nomination after receiving the committee’s recommendation.

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