President Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, Todd Blanche, faces opposition from Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins, who has announced she will vote against his confirmation. Collins cited Blanche’s promise to an anti-abortion organization to seek a nationwide prohibition on mailing abortion medication 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 permanent in every state. This pledge was 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, expressing discomfort with the continuation of the Biden administration’s mail-order abortion drug program and the Department of Justice’s legal opposition to pro-life states challenging this policy. SBA Pro-Life America stated in a press release that Blanche acknowledged the Biden rules were wrong and urged him to settle ongoing cases to remove abortion drugs from mail distribution while the FDA conducts safety studies.

In addition to abortion-related concerns, Collins opposed Blanche’s confirmation due to his approval of an order shielding President Trump and his family from Internal Revenue Service audits, the creation of a roughly $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 on Planned Parenthood on July 4, a provision that was part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.

Sources