On Saturday, August 8th, 2026, the US Senate narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, marking a significant victory for President Donald Trump. Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal lawyer, will now lead the Department of Justice with full authority after acting in the role for several weeks.

The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 in favor of Blanche, with every Democrat opposing the nomination. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, also voted against him. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote in support of Blanche, stating on the Senate floor, “Mr Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this, but the choice is not between perfection and Mr Blanche. It is between Mr Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump and who indeed may not be as good as Mr Blanche.”

Blanche faced criticism over the Department of Justice’s creation of a $1.8 billion so-called "anti-weaponization fund" and a settlement granting tax immunity to President Trump, his sons, and his businesses. Under pressure, Blanche publicly promised to abandon the controversial compensation fund for the president's allies, including those involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, and to rein in the tax audit immunity provisions.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Senate Republicans of enabling Trump’s "pervasive, breathtaking misconduct" by confirming Blanche. Senator Collins expressed concerns about the politicization of the Department of Justice, saying, “While I believe Mr Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political. Mr Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation.”

During his tenure as deputy and acting attorney general, the department indicted former FBI director James Comey twice, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, cases some experts consider weak.

Blanche has defended Trump against criminal charges brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice and has argued that the criminal justice system was weaponized against the former president.

On social media, Blanche expressed gratitude, saying he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me” and thanked senators for their late-night work to confirm him.

The confirmation caps one of the most contentious cabinet fights of Trump's second term, highlighting bipartisan concerns about Blanche’s independence and the Justice Department’s direction under his leadership.

Sources