The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, former personal attorney to Donald Trump, as attorney general by a narrow vote of 50 to 49 early on Saturday morning, August 8, 2026. The confirmation has drawn sharp criticism from Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who accused Senate Republicans of enabling Trump to continue what he described as "pervasive, breathtaking misconduct."

Schumer stated on X that "If you want to wipe out misconduct, you can’t have the president’s personal attorney as the attorney general. You don’t need a PhD in political science to know that." He added that Blanche has no intention of stopping Trump’s alleged misconduct and pledged that Senate Democrats will continue to resist what they call the Trump administration’s "assault on the rule of law and undermining of democratic values."

New Mexico Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury echoed these concerns, calling Blanche's confirmation a "dark moment" for the nation’s system of checks and balances. She emphasized the distinction between an attorney general who once happened to be Trump’s personal attorney and one who remains his personal attorney in office.

During his previous roles as deputy and acting attorney general, Blanche’s department indicted former FBI director James Comey twice, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, cases critics view as weak.

In related developments, the government faces a potential shutdown after September 30 if new funding is not approved. Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins described the continuing resolution as a "major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that only harms vital programs and federal workers," noting it does not change funding levels significantly.

Additionally, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Trump, and Senate conservatives agreed to postpone a vote on a budget resolution and defer action on a significant portion of the SAVE America Act until after the congressional recess.

Sources