Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general early Saturday morning, ending weeks of uncertainty and formally placing President Donald Trump’s former personal defense lawyer atop the U.S. Department of Justice. The Senate approved his nomination in a 50-49 vote that fell almost entirely along party lines.
Only two Republicans broke from their party to oppose him. The tight margin capped a bruising confirmation fight that stretched across several months and nearly derailed his path to the nation’s top law enforcement post.
A Narrow, Party-Line Vote
The vote took place after 4 a.m. on Saturday, as senators pushed through a late-night session ahead of a planned recess. Blanche, 52, secured just enough support to clear the chamber.
Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted against him, joining every Democrat in opposition. Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy, who had been considered a possible holdout, ultimately voted in favor, giving Blanche the votes he needed.
Blanche celebrated the outcome on social media shortly after the vote closed. He said he felt deeply honored by the trust President Trump placed in him to lead the department as the nation’s 88th attorney general, and he thanked senators for staying late to finish the process.
From Trump’s Personal Lawyer to Attorney General
Blanche’s rise to the top of the Justice Department followed an unusual path. Trump hired him in 2023 as personal defense counsel, tasking him with fighting criminal charges tied to hush money payments, the handling of classified documents, and efforts to challenge the 2020 election results.
When Trump returned to the White House, he rewarded that loyalty by nominating Blanche as deputy attorney general, a post he was confirmed to on March 5, 2025. Blanche stepped into the acting attorney general role on April 2, 2026, after Trump pushed out predecessor Pam Bondi.
Trump had grown frustrated with Bondi over what he viewed as insufficient action against his political opponents. Blanche quickly became the administration’s preferred face for running the department, and now he holds the job permanently rather than in an acting capacity.
Why the Confirmation Nearly Stalled
Blanche’s nomination hit repeated roadblocks before reaching the floor. At one point, Trump threatened to simply leave him in the acting role indefinitely after two Republican senators refused to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina eventually backed Blanche’s advancement, but only after he confirmed that a controversial $1.776 billion fund meant to compensate people who claimed they were targeted by DOJ “weaponization” had been scrapped.
Tillis had set an additional condition for his support: a face-to-face meeting between Blanche and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse. Blanche held that meeting, yet multiple survivors later described the exchange publicly as demoralizing and unproductive, keeping pressure on his nomination even after Tillis signed off.
Epstein Controversy Still Looms
The Epstein matter has followed Blanche closely throughout his tenure at the department. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi faced weeks of criticism over her handling of public statements on the Epstein case, and Blanche eventually took over managing that fallout himself.
Democrats used the confirmation process to hammer Blanche’s inability, in their view, to separate his current role from his years defending Trump personally. Senator Adam Schiff of California argued during committee proceedings that Blanche could never fully shed his identity as Trump’s criminal defense lawyer, warning that he would prioritize the president’s interests over the public’s.
Senator Alex Padilla of California echoed that criticism after the floor vote, saying Blanche continues to behave as though he still represents Trump personally rather than the American people as a whole.
What Changes Now That He Is Confirmed
In practical terms, little shifts inside the Justice Department now that “acting” has been dropped from Blanche’s title. He has already been running the agency’s day-to-day operations for months and has used that authority aggressively.
Blanche has overseen sweeping personnel changes since taking the reins. More than 16,000 Justice Department employees have left the agency during his leadership, including roughly a quarter of its attorneys, according to figures compiled by advocacy group Justice Connection.
He has also directed the termination of numerous agents, attorneys, and professional staff connected to January 6 prosecutions and to the work of former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Legal experts and career department veterans have criticized these moves as evidence of deepening politicization inside the agency.
Priorities for the Confirmed Attorney General
With Senate confirmation now finalized, Blanche is expected to keep pursuing the same agenda he pushed as acting attorney general. Sources familiar with his plans indicate the department will continue bringing cases framed around claims that prior administrations weaponized federal law enforcement against Trump, his allies, and his supporters.
Beyond that retribution-focused docket, Blanche has signaled the department will maintain its emphasis on:
- Aggressive immigration enforcement cases
- Crackdowns on fraud tied to federal government programs
- Continued restructuring of DOJ leadership and staffing
Legal observers say Blanche has already put forward arguments designed to expand presidential power and shield the presidency from certain legal challenges, a legal strategy that has drawn skepticism from judges in multiple jurisdictions.
A Department Reshaped in Trump’s Image
Blanche’s confirmation formalizes what many inside and outside the Justice Department already describe as a fundamental transformation of the agency. Under his leadership, the department has moved away from its traditional independence from the White House and toward closer alignment with the president’s personal and political priorities.
Supporters of Blanche argue that voters elected Trump with a clear mandate to reshape federal law enforcement and root out what they see as politically motivated prosecutions from earlier years. Critics counter that the attorney general’s office is meant to serve the country’s legal interests, not any single administration’s political goals.
That divide played out clearly in the floor debate leading up to Saturday’s vote, with Republicans largely framing Blanche as a loyal and effective leader and Democrats warning that his confirmation cements a dangerous erosion of DOJ independence.
Background on Todd Blanche
Before entering the political arena, Blanche spent years working as a federal prosecutor. He later moved into private practice roughly a decade ago, building a reputation within New York’s legal establishment.
That standing shifted dramatically when he agreed to represent Trump in 2023, a decision that required him to leave his prior law firm. The move ultimately set him on the path that led to Saturday’s confirmation vote, transforming him from a well-regarded defense attorney into one of the most consequential Justice Department leaders of the current administration.
Blanche now oversees an agency with more than 100,000 employees, making his confirmation one of the most closely watched cabinet-level decisions of Trump’s current term.
What to Watch Next
With confirmation secured, attention now turns to how aggressively Blanche moves on the priorities he outlined during his acting tenure. His handling of ongoing Epstein-related fallout, continued staffing changes at the department, and any new prosecutions tied to the administration’s political priorities are likely to remain under close scrutiny from lawmakers, legal experts, and the public alike.
Stay tuned for continued coverage as Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Justice Department moves forward with its next steps — share your thoughts on this confirmation below.