On Saturday, August 8, 2026, the US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, as the United States attorney general. The Senate vote was narrowly decided at 50 to 49, with Republican senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposition.

Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since April, following the dismissal of Pam Bondi, another Trump loyalist. Prior to his appointment, Blanche represented Trump as a private attorney in several criminal trials.

President Trump described Blanche as a "star," while Democrats expressed strong opposition, accusing Trump of politicising the Department of Justice. Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated, "The attorney general is supposed to be the people's lawyer," and criticized Blanche for operating as the president's personal lawyer, treating the Justice Department like a law firm serving one client.

A major point of contention during the confirmation was Blanche's attempt to establish a $1.8 billion fund for what Trump calls victims of politicised prosecutions. This fund likely includes the rioters involved in the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, an event aimed at preventing Joe Biden's certification as president after the 2020 election.

Blanche was also part of Trump's legal defense team in two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith, concerning alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Both cases were dropped following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election.

In his remarks, Blanche said he was "deeply honoured by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice." He also thanked the Senate for completing the confirmation process and expressed gratitude to the Department of Justice's public servants for their daily work to uphold the law and ensure national safety.

Sources