Austin Knudsen

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Austin Knudsen
Knudsen in 2016
Austin Knudsen
BornAustin Miles Knudsen
Template:Circa
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 who has served as the 25th Attorney General of Montana since January 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Knudsen 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. Raised in northeastern Montana near Culbertson, Knudsen built a career in both ranching and law before entering politics, and his tenure as Attorney General has been marked by high-profile legal actions on issues including technology regulation, energy policy, and election law, as well as an ethics proceeding that drew national attention. He won the Attorney General race in 2020, succeeding fellow Republican Tim Fox, and has served under Governor Greg Gianforte.[1][2]

Early Life

Austin Miles Knudsen was born circa 1980 or 1981 in Montana.[3] He grew up in the Culbertson area of northeastern Montana, a rural community in Roosevelt County. The region is characterized by agricultural activity, particularly cattle ranching and grain farming, and Knudsen's upbringing reflected this way of life. His mother, Rhonda Knudsen, would later succeed him in the Montana House of Representatives, representing the same district after he was term-limited out of office in 2019.[2]

Knudsen has described himself as a fourth-generation rancher, and his background in agriculture has informed much of his political identity. Northeastern Montana's economy is heavily dependent on farming, ranching, and energy production, and Knudsen has frequently cited these industries as central to his policy positions throughout his political career.[4]

Education

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

Career

Montana House of Representatives (2011–2019)

Knudsen was first elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2010, representing House District 34 (which encompasses the Culbertson area in northeastern Montana). He took office on January 3, 2011, succeeding Julie French.[6][7]

During his time in the House, Knudsen established himself as a conservative Republican legislator with a focus on issues related to agriculture, gun rights, property rights, and limited government. He rose quickly through the Republican caucus, gaining the confidence of his colleagues.

Speaker of the House (2015–2019)

In January 2015, Knudsen was elected as the 53rd Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives, succeeding Mark Blasdel. At the time of his election as Speaker, Knudsen was one of the younger individuals to hold the position in Montana history.[2] As Speaker, he presided over the House during the 2015 and 2017 legislative sessions, which addressed issues including state budgeting, infrastructure spending, and Medicaid expansion.

Knudsen served as Speaker until January 7, 2019, when he was succeeded by Greg Hertz. Due to Montana's term limits for state legislators, Knudsen was unable to seek re-election to his House seat after serving four terms. His mother, Rhonda Knudsen, won election to succeed him in representing the district.[2][8]

2020 Attorney General Campaign

After leaving the Montana House, Knudsen announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Montana in the 2020 election. The race attracted significant attention as it represented a contest between two contrasting visions for the office. Knudsen ran on a platform emphasizing conservative legal priorities, including defending gun rights, opposing federal overreach, and protecting the state's energy and agricultural industries.[4]

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

Knudsen won the November 2020 general election, and his victory was part of a broader Republican sweep of statewide offices in Montana that year, which also saw Greg Gianforte elected as governor.[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 been characterized by an active engagement in multi-state litigation, coalition-building with other Republican attorneys general, and a willingness to challenge federal policies and technology companies.

TikTok Ban

One of the most nationally prominent actions during Knudsen's tenure involved Montana's effort to ban the social media application TikTok. Montana became the first state to enact legislation banning the app, citing concerns about data security and the Chinese government's potential access to user data through TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. The law was challenged in federal court, and in February 2025, Knudsen issued a statement regarding the dismissal of the lawsuit challenging the ban, noting the joint resolution of the case.[11]

Energy and Climate Policy

Knudsen has taken an active role in challenging what he has described as federal overreach in energy and environmental policy. In February 2026, he led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in requesting the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate approximately 150 climate advocacy groups that the coalition alleged were using foreign funding to influence U.S. energy policy.[12]

Around the same time, Knudsen led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in urging the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to remove what they characterized as a biased chapter on climate science from a judicial reference manual used by federal judges.[13]

Antitrust and Consumer Protection

In February 2026, Knudsen publicly weighed in on a proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Bros., arguing that the consolidation would be harmful to consumers, creativity, and competition. In an op-ed published in the Fairfield Sun Times, he warned that the merger would concentrate an unprecedented amount of content, distribution power, and market influence into the hands of a single entity.[14]

Ballot Language Controversy

In October 2025, Knudsen was sued by backers of two ballot initiatives that called for nonpartisan elections for Montana courts. The plaintiffs alleged that Knudsen had improperly edited the ballot language for the initiatives in a manner that would mislead voters. The lawsuit raised questions about the Attorney General's statutory role in reviewing and approving ballot language for citizen-initiated measures.[15]

2024 Campaign Finance Controversy

In the lead-up to the 2024 Republican primary, questions were raised regarding campaign finance practices associated with Knudsen's campaign. The Associated Press reported on a complaint related to Knudsen's dealings with a primary opponent, though Knudsen retained his position and continued serving as Attorney General.[16]

Highway Patrol Lawsuit

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

Ethics Proceeding and Law License

Perhaps the most consequential personal controversy of Knudsen's tenure involved a formal complaint alleging professional misconduct. In October 2024, the Montana Free Press reported that Knudsen faced potential suspension of his law license based on findings related to 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 a lengthy decision on the matter. The court declined a recommendation to suspend Knudsen's law license, allowing him to continue practicing law and serving as Attorney General. However, the court did admonish Knudsen for ethical violations, falling short of the suspension that had been recommended.[20][21]

The outcome was characterized differently by observers. Knudsen himself characterized the decision as a vindication, while critics, including the Daily Montanan's editorial board, noted 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 an outspoken proponent of stricter immigration enforcement. He has aligned with Governor Gianforte on immigration policy, supporting state-level efforts to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.[23]

Personal Life

Knudsen is married to Christie Knudsen, and the couple has three children.[2] The family resides 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 Austin was term-limited in 2019.[2]

Knudsen has described himself as a committed sportsman and outdoorsman, interests that are common in Montana's rural communities. He has 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 remains actively in formation. His tenure as Speaker of the Montana House and his service as Attorney General have established him as one of the more prominent conservative political figures in Montana in the early 21st century.

His time as Attorney General has been notable for the breadth of multi-state coalitions he has led or joined, particularly on issues related to technology regulation, energy policy, and federal-state relations. Montana's pioneering effort to ban TikTok, undertaken during his tenure, attracted national and international media coverage and placed the state at the center of a broader debate about data privacy, national security, and the regulation of social media platforms.[11]

At the same time, the ethics proceeding and the Montana Supreme Court's admonishment have introduced a more complicated dimension to his record. The fact that a sitting Attorney General was formally admonished for ethical violations by the state's highest court, even while avoiding license suspension, is without extensive precedent in Montana and has been the subject of considerable commentary in the state's media.[20][22]

Knudsen's political trajectory — from a rural northeastern Montana rancher and lawyer to Speaker of the House to Attorney General — reflects broader trends in Montana's Republican politics, including the increasing prominence of figures from the state's rural and agricultural communities in statewide office.

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.https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Knudsen.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Austin Miles Knudsen".Martindale.https://www.martindale.com/attorney/austin-miles-knudsen-300710712/.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.https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/120812/austin-knudsen.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Legislator Information – Austin Knudsen".Montana Legislature.http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/62nd/leg_info.asp?HouseID=0&SessionID=105&LAWSID=8078.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Legislator Roster – Austin Knudsen".Montana Legislature.https://leg.mt.gov/legislator-information/roster/individual/4485.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Legislator Roster – Austin Knudsen (archived)".Montana Legislature.https://web.archive.org/web/20190802010555/https://leg.mt.gov/legislator-information/roster/individual/4485.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.https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=STATE&map=CTY.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.https://dojmt.gov/attorney-general-knudsen-issues-statement-on-dismissal-of-tiktok-lawsuit/.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.https://dojmt.gov/attorney-general-knudsen-urges-usdoj-to-investigate-150-climate-groups-using-foreign-funding-to-influence-u-s-energy-policy/.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.https://dojmt.gov/attorney-general-knudsen-urges-national-academies-to-remove-biased-climate-chapter-from-judicial-manual/.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.https://www.mtpr.org/post/austin-knudsen-2020-election-questionnaire.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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