BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — President Donald Trump’s latest nominations for Alabama’s top federal prosecutors are drawing attention for their political ties and, in one case, an unresolved history of ethics concerns.
The administration this week announced the nominations of Phil Williams, a former Republican state senator and conservative talk radio host, and Thomas Govan, the Alabama Attorney General’s chief of criminal trials, to lead two of the state’s three U.S. Attorney districts. Williams was tapped for the Northern District, based in Birmingham, while Govan was nominated for the Middle District, seated in Montgomery.
Both men are loyal Republicans with longstanding ties to Trump’s base. Williams, who hosts the right-wing show Rightside Radio, has frequently defended the former president on air and campaigned vigorously for Trump’s re-election. His selection is seen by political analysts as a move to install trusted ideologues in key federal enforcement roles, even as critics note his lack of prosecutorial experience.
Williams’ past has not been free of scrutiny. During his time in the Alabama Senate, reports from the Alabama Political Reporter detailed how his consulting firm landed more than 40 clients shortly after his election, generating as much as $265,000 a year. In 2018, he was named in an active criminal investigation by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the state Attorney General’s Office, former Gov. Robert Bentley later testified. Williams denied wrongdoing and said the Alabama Ethics Commission cleared his work after reviewing his client list.
Govan’s record presents a contrast. A career prosecutor and U.S. Air Force veteran, he has built his reputation on courtrooms and law enforcement leadership rather than ideology. While Govan’s nomination aligns with Trump’s law-and-order messaging, his appointment is perceived as more professional than political.
Both nominations now await Senate confirmation, where they could face questions over qualifications, independence, and political influence in the Justice Department. Until then, acting U.S. Attorneys continue to lead federal prosecutions in their respective Alabama districts.
The appointments come as President Trump continues to reshape the Department of Justice with loyalists ahead of the 2026 midterms — a push that some observers warn risks further politicizing key federal offices traditionally insulated from partisan control.