The U.S. Senate has narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general, placing President Donald Trump’s former personal defense lawyer permanently in charge of the Justice Department after a contentious confirmation fight that divided Republicans and Democrats.
Blanche won confirmation in a 50-49 vote, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining Democrats in opposition. Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy ultimately supported Blanche after publicly weighing whether to back the nomination.
The confirmation gives Blanche permanent control of a department he had already been leading on an acting basis since April. Before becoming acting attorney general, Blanche served as deputy attorney general, the Justice Department’s second-highest position. He previously represented Trump in several criminal cases before joining the administration.
His nomination became unusually difficult for a Republican-controlled Senate because concerns extended beyond Democratic opposition.
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One major point of controversy involved a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund associated with a settlement involving Trump and the Internal Revenue Service. Critics questioned whether the arrangement could eventually direct government money toward people who claimed they had been improperly targeted by federal agencies.
Blanche told senators during his confirmation process that the fund would not move forward, repeatedly describing it as dead. He later issued a written order formally rescinding the Justice Department action that had established it. Those assurances helped secure support from Republicans who had previously expressed reservations.
Murkowski nevertheless voted against Blanche, arguing that congressional pressure had been important in stopping the proposed fund and expressing concern about what could happen after the Senate lost the leverage created by the pending nomination.
Collins also opposed him, citing concerns about the Justice Department’s independence and decisions made during Blanche’s time in senior leadership.
Blanche’s supporters offered a sharply different assessment.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley praised his law-enforcement background and argued that Blanche was qualified to oversee the department. Supporters also pointed to backing from law-enforcement organizations, former Justice Department officials and former attorneys general.
Blanche spent years as a federal prosecutor before entering private practice. According to his official Justice Department biography, he served for nearly 15 years in various department roles, eventually becoming a federal prosecutor and supervisor in the Southern District of New York. He later became a defense attorney and represented Trump in criminal proceedings before being appointed deputy attorney general after Trump returned to office.
His confirmation hearing also brought renewed scrutiny of the Justice Department’s handling of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
Lawmakers questioned Blanche about the release process and his interactions with survivors. Epstein-related transparency has become a politically sensitive issue for the administration, adding another source of pressure during the confirmation process.
The larger question surrounding Blanche’s appointment, however, concerns the relationship between the White House and the Justice Department.
Attorneys general are nominated by presidents and are members of an administration, but the Justice Department has traditionally maintained norms intended to prevent criminal investigations and prosecutions from being directed primarily for political purposes.
Blanche’s previous role as Trump’s personal lawyer makes that question particularly significant.
Critics argue that his close relationship with the president creates potential conflicts when the department handles matters involving Trump, his political opponents or individuals connected to the administration. Supporters counter that previous legal representation does not prevent Blanche from administering the department professionally and point to his extensive experience as a federal prosecutor.
The confirmation therefore represents more than a personnel change. It gives Trump a Senate-confirmed attorney general who knows him personally, represented him in court and has already spent months directing federal law enforcement.
For ordinary Americans, the consequences will depend on how Blanche uses that authority. The attorney general oversees a department with more than 100,000 employees and agencies including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the federal prison system.
His decisions can influence federal approaches to violent crime, immigration enforcement, corporate investigations, civil rights, political corruption and national security.
There are still important unresolved questions. Blanche’s written commitments ended the immediate fight over the $1.8 billion fund, but senators who opposed him remain concerned about broader Justice Department independence. His handling of politically sensitive investigations will therefore receive substantial congressional and public scrutiny.
Why It Matters
Blanche’s confirmation places one of Trump’s former personal attorneys at the head of the most powerful federal law-enforcement department in the United States.
The narrow 50-49 vote also demonstrates that concerns about the Justice Department’s direction reached beyond the Democratic caucus, with two Republican senators ultimately opposing Trump’s nominee.
How Blanche separates his past role as Trump’s lawyer from his responsibility to enforce federal law will likely become one of the central tests of his tenure.
What Comes Next
Blanche can now continue leading the Justice Department without the temporary status attached to his acting appointment.
Congressional scrutiny is unlikely to disappear with his confirmation. Lawmakers are expected to closely watch whether commitments made during the nomination process are honored and how Blanche handles sensitive investigations involving political figures.
His first months as Senate-confirmed attorney general could therefore shape whether concerns over DOJ independence intensify or begin to ease.
