President Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Todd Blanche, faces opposition from Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins, who announced she will vote against his confirmation. Collins cited Blanche’s promise to an anti-abortion organization to seek prohibitions on mailing abortion medication nationwide as a key reason for her opposition.

Collins’ announcement followed reports that Blanche pledged to pursue policy solutions aimed at making the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — which overturned Roe v. Wade — permanent in every state. This pledge was reportedly made during a July 30 conference call with the White House Faith Office.

During Blanche’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on August 5, a majority of Republican senators pressed him on abortion drugs, expressing discomfort with the continuation of the Biden administration’s mail-order abortion drug program and the Department of Justice’s opposition to pro-life states challenging this policy in court, according to SBA Pro-Life America.

SBA Pro-Life America stated that Blanche acknowledged the Biden administration’s rules were wrong and urged him to settle ongoing litigation with Louisiana and abortion drug coercion survivor Rosalie Markezich to halt the mailing of abortion drugs while the FDA’s safety study continues.

In addition to abortion-related concerns, Collins opposed Blanche’s confirmation for approving an order to shield former President Trump and his family from Internal Revenue Service audits, for creating an approximately $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, and for the Department of Justice’s attempt under his leadership to indict a Democratic Arizona senator.

Separately, the Republican-controlled Congress failed to extend a funding freeze for Planned Parenthood on July 4, which was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.

Sources