President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE has picked Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, a popular judge on Twitter who was on Trump's short list for the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, for a position on a federal appeals court.

Trump plans to nominate Willett and three other candidates for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the latest in a wave of judicial nominations. The conservative-leaning court has ruled against several Obama-era initiatives.

The White House announced that Trump would also nominate Louisiana attorney Kyle Duncan, U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt and Dallas attorney James Ho for the 5th Circuit, as part of the administration's eighth wave of judicial nominations.

Leonard Leo, who took leave from the conservative Federalist Society in order to advise Trump on possible replacements for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, praised the picks on Thursday.

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"Texas Justice Don Willett and Louisiana attorney and professor Kyle Duncan, in particular, embody President Trump's commitment to picking judges who have a record of excellence and a commitment to a judicial role that is impartial rather than committed to a particular personal or legal agenda," Leo said in a statement.

"They are held in very high regard by scholars and practicing lawyers across the country, and I am confident they will serve with distinction," he continued.

Willett was originally appointed to the state's Supreme Court by former Gov. Rick Perry Rick PerryOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Democrats push resolution to battle climate change, sluggish economy and racial injustice | Senators reach compromise on greenhouse gas amendment stalling energy bill | Trump courts Florida voters with offshore drilling moratorium OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump signs major conservation bill into law | Senate votes to confirm Energy's No. 2 official | Trump Jr. expresses opposition to Pebble Mine project Senate votes to confirm Energy's No. 2 official MORE (R) and was reelected to the post two more times.

Like Trump, Willett is an active Twitter user and has become known outside of Washington for his use of the social media platform.

Willett was selected for Trump's short list of potential Supreme Court nominees earlier this year despite past tweets in which he was critical of the president.

In one tweet from 2015, when Trump launched his White House bid, Willett suggested that Trump's Supreme Court nominee could make him "weep."

Donald Trump haiku—



Who would the Donald

Name to #SCOTUS? The mind reels.

*weeps—can't finish tweet* pic.twitter.com/a326AP0mN1 — Justice Don Willett (@JusticeWillett) June 16, 2015

However, Willett has called Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, whom Trump nominated earlier this year, a "superb jurist."

Meanwhile, Duncan gained notoriety after he represented the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in the 2014 Supreme Court case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which successfully challenged ObamaCare's contraceptive mandate for employers.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which currently has 17 active judges, handles cases from Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Judges on the court, who have mostly been nominated by Republican presidents, proved to be a roadblock to various Obama-era policies, including on immigration.

Other Trump nominees announced Thursday include Gregory Maggs for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, Barry Ashe to be District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Daniel Domenico to be District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Howard Nielson, Jr., to be District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah and Ryan Holte for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Updated: 3:56 p.m.