The United States Senate confirmed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the next attorney general on Saturday, August 8th, 2026, following a contentious nomination process marked by opposition from several Republican senators. The confirmation vote was 50-49, with all Democrats and two Republicans supporting Blanche.

Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis initially hesitated to back Blanche due to concerns over a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization package. They demanded that the Department of Justice (DOJ) provide written proof that the fund was rescinded and sought revisions to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) settlement to limit audit immunity for former President Donald Trump and his family strictly to the plaintiffs involved.

Although the DOJ sent a written proposal to Cornyn on July 27, Cornyn returned it, stating the demands had not been met. This disagreement led Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley to postpone a markup session scheduled for July 30 until a deal was reached. Eventually, Cornyn and Tillis reached an agreement with Blanche and voted to advance his nomination out of the committee.

Blanche became acting attorney general on April 2, 2026, after Trump fired former Attorney General Pam Bondi. His nomination faced criticism, with more than 1,200 former DOJ employees opposing it, arguing that Blanche had taken actions undermining the department's independence.

During Blanche's confirmation hearing on July 15, Cornyn questioned him about the possibility of reviving the anti-weaponization fund. Meanwhile, Representative Ruben Gallego announced he would miss several votes to attend to a family emergency.

The Senate's confirmation of Blanche concludes a fraught process that highlighted divisions within the GOP and concerns about the DOJ's direction under his leadership.

Sources