President Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Todd Blanche, is facing opposition from Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins, who announced she will vote against his confirmation. Collins cited several reasons for her opposition, including Blanche’s promise to an anti-abortion organization to seek a nationwide prohibition on mailing abortion medication to women.

Collins’ statement followed reports that Blanche pledged to make the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — which overturned Roe v. Wade — permanent in every state. This commitment 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 GOP senators pressed him on abortion drugs. SBA Pro-Life America issued a press release expressing discomfort with the continuation of the Biden administration’s mail-order abortion drug policy and the Department of Justice’s opposition to pro-life states challenging it in court. SBA praised Blanche for stating, “We very much believe the Biden rules were wrong,” and urged him to settle a case with Louisiana and abortion drug coercion survivor Rosalie Markezich to halt mail delivery of abortion drugs while the FDA’s safety study continues.

In addition to abortion-related concerns, Collins opposed Blanche’s confirmation due to his approval of an order to shield President Trump and his family from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, the creation of an approximately $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, and 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.

Senator Collins stated, “I have carefully reviewed Todd Blanche’s qualifications to be Attorney General … I will vote against this nomination.”

Sources