On Saturday morning, August 8th, 2026, the US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, former personal attorney to Donald Trump, as attorney general by a vote of 50 to 49. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the confirmation, stating that Senate Republicans have "handed Trump an excuse on a silver platter" to continue what Schumer described as "pervasive, breathtaking misconduct."

Schumer emphasized that "if you want to wipe out misconduct, you can’t have the president’s personal attorney as the attorney general," adding that Blanche has no intention of stopping Trump’s alleged misconduct. He also affirmed 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 expressed skepticism about Blanche’s ability to act independently, stating in a radio interview, "I’ve got to be convinced that he is an attorney general who just happens to have once been President Trump’s personal attorney, as opposed to President Trump’s personal attorney who is now the attorney general. I think there’s a big difference between the two."

During his time 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 viewed by some experts as weak.

Separately, the government faces a potential shutdown after September 30th 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 significantly alter funding levels.

Sources