US President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, has been narrowly confirmed as the United States attorney general, the nation's top law enforcement official, following a 50-49 Senate vote on Saturday, August 8th, 2026.

Blanche, who had been serving as acting attorney general since April, faced opposition from two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who joined all Democrats in voting against his nomination. The deciding vote was cast by Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican known for his previous acrimony with Trump, including voting to convict the former president during his second impeachment in 2021 over the January 6 Capitol riot.

Concerns raised by some Republican senators during the confirmation process included Blanche's handling of the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents and his involvement in establishing a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund. This fund was intended to compensate individuals alleging government persecution, but critics, including Murkowski, feared it might benefit those prosecuted for participating in the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress. Blanche pledged to walk back the fund following pushback during hearings.

Senator Collins also expressed worries about Blanche's role in settling Trump's $10 billion lawsuit with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but ultimately trusted him to provide the president with candid legal advice.

After the confirmation vote, Blanche stated he was "deeply honoured by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me." The vote concludes a prolonged standoff between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration over Blanche's appointment.

Sources