On Saturday, August 8th, 2026, the US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, as the country's attorney general by a narrow 50-49 vote. Blanche had been serving as the acting top US law enforcement officer after Trump dismissed another loyalist, Pam Bondi.

Blanche represented Trump in several criminal trials before joining the government. His confirmation marked the conclusion of one of the most contentious cabinet battles of Trump's second presidency. Trump praised Blanche as a "star" and sought to bring independent government agencies under his direct control.

Democrats opposed Blanche from the outset, accusing Trump of politicizing 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. Mr Blanche continues to operate as the president's personal lawyer, treating the Justice Department like a law firm serving one client – the president."

A major point of contention was Blanche's support for a proposed $1.8 billion fund aimed at what Trump calls victims of politicized prosecutions, likely including the January 6, 2021 Capitol rioters who attempted to prevent Joe Biden's certification as president following the 2020 election.

Blanche was also part of Trump's legal defense team in two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith—one concerning alleged mishandling of classified documents after Trump's White House tenure, and another related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Both cases were dropped after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.

Sources

France 24 English