US President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, has been narrowly confirmed as the United States attorney general, the nation's top law enforcement official, following a closely contested Senate vote on Saturday, August 8th, 2026.

Blanche's confirmation ended a prolonged standoff between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration. The Senate vote was 50-49, with two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, joining all Democrats in opposing his nomination. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican known for his past acrimony with Trump, cast the deciding vote in favor of Blanche.

Concerns raised by some Republican senators included Blanche's handling of the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents and his involvement in establishing Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund. This fund was intended to compensate individuals alleging government persecution, but critics, including Murkowski, feared it might benefit those prosecuted for participating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Congress. Blanche pledged to retract the fund following criticism during his confirmation hearings.

Collins also expressed reservations about Blanche's role in settling Trump's $10 billion lawsuit with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), though she ultimately trusted him to provide candid legal advice to the president.

After the vote, Blanche stated he was "deeply honoured by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me."

This confirmation marks a significant moment in Washington, reflecting ongoing divisions within the Republican Party and the broader political landscape.

Sources