Senate confirms Todd Blanche, Trump's former defense lawyer, as attorney general

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche as Attorney General in 50-49 Vote

Washington — The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general early Saturday in a 50-49 vote. Blanche previously represented President Trump in several legal proceedings before joining the Justice Department.

Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted against the nomination along with all Democrats. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced support for Blanche on Friday, providing the decisive vote after Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was absent. The outcome followed standard procedures for a nomination requiring a simple majority.

Blanche thanked senators in a social media post after the vote and stated he was honored by the president's confidence in his ability to lead the department. He had served as deputy attorney general in the second Trump administration and later as acting attorney general after Pam Bondi left the position in April. President Trump selected Blanche for the permanent role in June.

During the confirmation process, senators examined Blanche's prior work as a lawyer. He represented President Trump in a New York state criminal case involving 34 counts of falsification of business records connected to a $130,000 payment made before the 2016 election. Blanche also served on the defense team in two federal cases brought by former special counsel Jack Smith, one concerning events after the 2020 election and another involving government documents. Both federal cases concluded after the 2024 election.

In his capacity as deputy attorney general, Blanche oversaw the release of more than 2 million files from the Justice Department's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. He met with Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex-trafficking offenses, last year. Maxwell was later transferred from a low-security facility in Florida to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas.

The department faced criticism after some released records included unredacted names and personal information of individuals connected to Epstein's activities. At his June confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blanche said mistakes occurred with certain documents. He also met with survivors of Epstein's crimes last month at the request of Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who had indicated he would withhold support until the meeting took place.

Some survivors described the meeting as insufficient and urged senators to oppose the nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche's nomination on a party-line vote after he secured support from Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina following negotiations. Sen. John Curtis of Utah also backed the nomination.

Blanche's confirmation required navigating opposition from Collins and Murkowski, who cited concerns over department actions during the confirmation period. With McConnell absent, the final tally depended on the support of Cassidy and Curtis to offset the two Republican votes against.

The process began with Blanche's nomination in June and included review by the Judiciary Committee. Committee members questioned Blanche on his prior legal work and his plans for the department. After the committee vote, the nomination moved to the full Senate for consideration.

Blanche's background includes private practice before entering government service. His representation of President Trump occurred in both state and federal courts prior to his appointment as deputy attorney general. The New York conviction resulted from the business records charges, while the federal matters did not reach trial before the election outcome.

The Epstein file release occurred under Blanche's oversight as deputy attorney general. Department records show the transfer of Maxwell followed the meeting between Blanche and Maxwell. Survivors who met with Blanche expressed dissatisfaction with the session's scope and outcome.

Collins announced her opposition days before the floor vote, referencing specific department decisions. Murkowski stated her position on Friday. These announcements came after earlier negotiations that produced agreements with Cornyn and Tillis.

The Senate conducted the vote in the early hours of Saturday. The 50-49 margin reflected the absence of one Republican and the split among the remaining members. Blanche now holds the position of attorney general following the confirmation.

Additional details on the department's operations under acting leadership were discussed during hearings, including management of ongoing investigations. Blanche addressed questions about file handling and prior cases without altering the core facts of those matters.

The confirmation marks the completion of the nomination process that started with the president's selection in June. Senators from both parties participated in the hearings and floor debate, with the final decision determined by the recorded vote.