Austin Knudsen

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Austin Knudsen
Knudsen in 2016
Austin Knudsen
BornAustin Miles Knudsen
c. 1980–1981
BirthplaceMontana, United States
NationalityAmerican
OccupationLawyer, politician
EducationMontana State University (BA, BS)
University of Montana (JD)
Spouse(s)Christie Knudsen
Children3

Austin Miles Knudsen (born c. 1980–1981) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 25th Attorney General of Montana since January 2021. A Republican, he previously represented House District 34 in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019 and served as the 53rd Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. He grew up in northeastern Montana near Culbertson and built a career in both ranching and law before entering politics. His tenure as Attorney General has brought high-profile legal actions on technology regulation, energy policy, and election law, along with an ethics proceeding that drew national attention. In 2020, he won the Attorney General race, succeeding fellow Republican Tim Fox, and has served under Governor Greg Gianforte.[1][2]

Early Life

Knudsen was born around 1980 or 1981 in Montana.[3] He grew up in Culbertson, a rural community in Roosevelt County in northeastern Montana. Agriculture dominated the region, particularly cattle ranching and grain farming, and Knudsen's childhood reflected this way of life. His mother, Rhonda Knudsen, later succeeded him in the Montana House of Representatives, representing the same district after he hit term limits in 2019.[2]

He's described himself as a fourth-generation rancher, and that agricultural background has deeply informed his political identity. Farming, ranching, and energy production drive the economy of northeastern Montana, and Knudsen has consistently cited these industries as central to his policy positions throughout his career.[4]

Education

At Montana State University in Bozeman, Knudsen earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree. He then enrolled at the University of Montana School of Law in Missoula, where he earned his Juris Doctor (JD).[2][5] After getting his law degree, Knudsen was admitted to the Montana bar and practiced law while maintaining his ranching operations in Roosevelt County.[3]

Career

Montana House of Representatives (2011–2019)

Knudsen won election to the Montana House of Representatives in 2010, representing House District 34 in the Culbertson area of northeastern Montana. He took office on January 3, 2011, succeeding Julie French.[6][7]

In the House, he established himself as a conservative Republican with a focus on agriculture, gun rights, property rights, and limited government. His colleagues noticed. He rose quickly through the Republican caucus, earning their confidence.

Speaker of the House (2015–2019)

January 2015 brought Knudsen election as the 53rd Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives, replacing Mark Blasdel. He was one of the younger speakers in Montana history at that point.[2] During his tenure as Speaker, he presided over the 2015 and 2017 legislative sessions, which tackled state budgeting, infrastructure spending, and Medicaid expansion.

He stepped down on January 7, 2019, succeeded by Greg Hertz. Montana's term limits prevented him from running for his House seat again after four terms. His mother, Rhonda Knudsen, won election to the district instead.[2][8]

2020 Attorney General Campaign

After leaving the House, Knudsen announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Montana in 2020. The race drew significant attention as a contest between two very different visions for the office. His platform emphasized conservative legal priorities: defending gun rights, opposing federal overreach, and protecting the state's energy and agricultural industries.[4]

Knudsen faced Democrat Raph Graybill in the general election. Graybill had served as chief legal counsel to then-Governor Steve Bullock. The candidates offered starkly different approaches to the role of Attorney General. Graybill emphasized consumer protection and healthcare access while Knudsen focused on constitutional rights and limited government.[9]

He won in November 2020. His victory was part of a broader Republican sweep of statewide offices that year, which also brought Greg Gianforte to the governorship.[1][10]

Attorney General of Montana (2021–present)

Knudsen was sworn in as the 25th Attorney General of Montana on January 4, 2021, serving under Governor Greg Gianforte.[2] His tenure has involved active engagement in multi-state litigation, coalition-building with other Republican attorneys general, and willingness to challenge federal policies and technology companies.

TikTok Ban

One of Knudsen's most nationally prominent actions involved Montana's effort to ban TikTok. Montana became the first state to enact such legislation, citing data security concerns and worries about potential access to user data by the Chinese government through TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. Federal courts challenged the law, and in February 2025, Knudsen issued a statement regarding the lawsuit's dismissal and the joint resolution of the case.[11]

Energy and Climate Policy

Knudsen has actively challenged what he characterizes as federal overreach in energy and environmental policy. In February 2026, he led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice investigate approximately 150 climate advocacy groups, which the coalition claimed were using foreign funding to influence U.S. energy policy.[12]

He also led a coalition of 21 attorneys general urging the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to remove what they called a biased climate science chapter from a judicial reference manual used by federal judges.[13]

Antitrust and Consumer Protection

In February 2026, Knudsen publicly opposed a proposed Netflix and Warner Bros. merger, arguing it would harm consumers, creativity, and competition. In an op-ed for the Fairfield Sun Times, he warned that consolidating content, distribution power, and market influence into a single entity would be unprecedented and dangerous.[14]

Ballot Language Controversy

In October 2025, backers of two ballot initiatives sued Knudsen. The measures called for nonpartisan elections for Montana courts. Plaintiffs alleged he'd improperly edited the ballot language in ways designed to mislead voters. The lawsuit raised serious questions about the Attorney General's statutory role in reviewing and approving ballot language for citizen-initiated measures.[15]

2024 Campaign Finance Controversy

Campaign finance questions surfaced as the 2024 Republican primary approached. The Associated Press reported on a complaint related to Knudsen's dealings with a primary opponent. Still, he retained his position and continued serving as Attorney General.[16]

Highway Patrol Lawsuit

The former chief of the Montana Highway Patrol filed a lawsuit against Knudsen in October 2024. He alleged wrongful conduct during Knudsen's tenure as Attorney General, centering his claims on Knudsen's management of the Department of Justice and its subordinate agencies.[17]

Ethics Proceeding and Law License

The most serious personal controversy of Knudsen's tenure involved a formal complaint alleging professional misconduct. Montana Free Press reported in October 2024 that he faced potential suspension of his law license based on findings about his conduct as Attorney General.[18] The Billings Gazette also reported on the complaint, which detailed alleged misconduct during his service as the state's top legal officer.[19]

On December 31, 2025, the Montana Supreme Court issued its decision. The court rejected a recommendation to suspend Knudsen's law license, allowing him to continue practicing law and serving as Attorney General. However, the court did admonish him for ethical violations, stopping short of the suspension that had been recommended.[20][21]

Observers interpreted the outcome differently. Knudsen characterized the decision as vindication. Critics, including the Daily Montanan's editorial board, pointed out that the admonishment for ethical violations was itself a significant finding against a sitting Attorney General.[22]

Immigration

During his tenure as Attorney General, Knudsen has been outspoken in support of stricter immigration enforcement. He's aligned with Governor Gianforte on immigration policy, backing state-level cooperation with federal immigration authorities.[23]

Personal Life

Knudsen is married to Christie Knudsen, and they have three children.[2] The family lives in northeastern Montana, where Knudsen has maintained ties to the ranching community. His mother, Rhonda Knudsen, succeeded him in the Montana House of Representatives, representing the same district after he was term-limited in 2019.[2]

He describes himself as a committed sportsman and outdoorsman, interests that're common in Montana's rural communities. He's cited his upbringing on a ranch and his connection to the land as formative influences on his political philosophy.[24]

Legacy

As of early 2026, Knudsen's legacy continues to take shape. His work as Speaker of the Montana House and his service as Attorney General have made him one of the most prominent conservative political figures in Montana in the early 21st century.

His tenure as Attorney General stands out for the breadth of multi-state coalitions he's led or joined, particularly on technology regulation, energy policy, and federal-state relations. Montana's pioneering TikTok ban, enacted during his term, attracted national and international media coverage and placed the state at the center of a broader debate about data privacy, national security, and social media regulation.[11]

Yet the ethics proceeding adds complexity to his record. A sitting Attorney General formally admonished for ethical violations by the state's highest court, even without license suspension, lacks extensive precedent in Montana and has drawn considerable commentary in state media.[20][22]

His political rise from rural northeastern Montana rancher and lawyer to Speaker of the House to Attorney General reflects broader trends in Montana's Republican politics. Rural and agricultural communities have grown increasingly prominent in statewide offices.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Attorney General: Knudsen wins".Montana Free Press.2020-11-04.https://montanafreepress.org/2020/11/04/attorney-general-knudsen-wins/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "Austin Knudsen". 'Ballotpedia}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Austin Miles Knudsen". 'Martindale}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Graybill and Knudsen: Starkly different visions for attorney general".Montana Free Press.2020-06-05.https://montanafreepress.org/2020/06/05/graybill-and-knudsen-starkly-different-visions-for-attorney-general/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Austin Knudsen – Biography". 'Vote Smart}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Legislator Information – Austin Knudsen". 'Montana Legislature}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Legislator Roster – Austin Knudsen". 'Montana Legislature}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Legislator Roster – Austin Knudsen (archived)". 'Montana Legislature}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Attorney general candidates offer stark contrast".Great Falls Tribune.2020-10-31.https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/10/31/attorney-general-candidates-offer-stark-contrast-raph-graybill-austin-knudsen/6103281002/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Montana Election Results". 'Montana Secretary of State}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Attorney General Knudsen issues statement on dismissal of TikTok lawsuit". 'Montana Department of Justice}'. 2026-02-21. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Attorney General Knudsen urges USDOJ to investigate 150 climate groups using foreign funding to influence U.S. energy policy". 'Montana Department of Justice}'. 2026-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Attorney General Knudsen urges National Academies to remove biased climate chapter from judicial manual". 'Montana Department of Justice}'. 2026-02. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Austin Knudsen: Why Netflix-Warner Bros. merger Is bad for consumers, creativity, competition".Fairfield Sun Times.2026-02.https://www.fairfieldsuntimes.com/news/state/austin-knudsen-why-netflix-warner-bros-merger-is-bad-for-consumers-creativity-competition/article_b679d36f-9fc2-57f5-8001-470759a00e89.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Knudsen sued over ballot language edits".Montana Free Press.2025-10-17.https://montanafreepress.org/2025/10/17/knudsen-sued-over-ballot-language-edits/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Montana attorney general campaign finance primary opponent".Associated Press.https://apnews.com/article/montana-attorney-general-campaign-finance-primary-opponent-54b427bb9f71d51adadcf76ca244c8c6.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Former chief of Montana Highway Patrol sues Attorney General Austin Knudsen".Daily Montanan.2024-10-01.https://dailymontanan.com/2024/10/01/former-chief-of-montana-highway-patrol-sues-attorney-general-austin-knudsen/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Montana Attorney General Knudsen faces law license suspension".Montana Free Press.2024-10-23.https://montanafreepress.org/2024/10/23/montana-attorney-general-knudsen-faces-law-license-suspension/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "Austin Knudsen complaint: Montana alleged misconduct".Billings Gazette.https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/austin-knudsen-complaint-montana-alleged-misconduct/article_b991796d-693e-5232-b7ed-85f5404859f6.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Montana Supreme Court: Austin Knudsen can continue practicing law".Montana Free Press.2025-12-31.https://montanafreepress.org/2025/12/31/montana-supreme-court-austin-knudsen-can-continue-practicing-law/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Montana Supreme Court declines to suspend Attorney General Knudsen for misconduct".Daily Montanan.2025-12-31.https://dailymontanan.com/2025/12/31/montana-supreme-court-declines-to-suspend-attorney-general-knudsen-for-misconduct/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Knudsen declares victory after losing — a Montana tradition apparently".Daily Montanan.2026-01-08.https://dailymontanan.com/2026/01/08/knudsen-declares-victory-after-losing-a-montana-tradition-apparently/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Gianforte right on immigration".Missoulian.https://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/gianforte-right-on-immigration/article_ece2280d-6056-519b-8b27-b1f5cd58f0a8.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Austin Knudsen: 2020 election questionnaire". 'Montana Public Radio}'. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
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