WASHINGTON — 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 Senate Republicans supporting Blanche and Republican senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposition.

Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general prior to his confirmation. He represented Trump in multiple criminal trials before joining the government. Blanche expressed that he was "deeply honoured by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice" and thanked the Senate for completing the confirmation process.

Democrats opposed Blanche's nomination from the outset, 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."

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

Blanche was also part of Trump's legal defence 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 after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.

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