The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general early on Saturday morning, August 8, 2026, by a vote of 50 to 49. Blanche, formerly Donald Trump’s personal attorney, has faced intense criticism from Senate Democrats who warn his confirmation enables continued misconduct within the Trump administration.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer accused Senate Republicans of handing Trump "an excuse on a silver platter" to continue what he described as "pervasive, breathtaking misconduct." Schumer emphasized that "if you want to wipe out corruption, 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 pledged that Senate Democrats will persist in resisting 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. Stansbury stated 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 Blanche’s tenure as deputy and acting attorney general, the department indicted former FBI director James Comey twice, New York attorney general Letitia James, and the non-profit Southern Poverty Law Center, though experts have described these cases as thin.

Meanwhile, 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 break.

Sources