On Saturday, August 8, 2026, the US Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, as the United States attorney general. Blanche had been serving in an acting capacity after Trump dismissed another loyalist, Pam Bondi.

Blanche represented Trump in several criminal trials before joining the government and was part of the legal defense team in two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith. These cases involved allegations of mishandling classified documents after Trump's White House tenure and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Both cases were dropped following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election.

The confirmation was contentious, with Democrats opposing Blanche from the outset. Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized Blanche, stating, "The attorney general is supposed to be the people's lawyer," and accused him of operating as the president's personal lawyer, treating the Justice Department like a law firm serving one client—the president.

A significant point of contention was an attempt to establish a $1.8 billion fund for what Trump calls victims of politicized prosecutions, likely including the January 6, 2021 Capitol rioters.

Despite Democratic concerns over the politicization of the Justice Department, Senate Republicans, who narrowly control the chamber, confirmed Blanche. Trump has described Blanche as a "star" and has sought to bring independent government agencies under his direct control.

Sources