WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump has formally put forward former personal attorney Todd Blanche as his pick for permanent U.S. Attorney General, opening the door to what is widely expected to be a contentious confirmation battle with the U.S. Senate. The nomination, submitted to the upper chamber via the White House website Monday, follows weeks of Blanche serving in the role on an acting basis after Trump ousted former Attorney General Pam Bondi back in April.
At 51 years old, Blanche brings a long history of personal and political loyalty to Trump, most notably serving as a core member of the president’s legal team across three high-profile criminal cases. He defended Trump against charges connected to the alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during a New York state trial, and also represented the president in two federal investigations led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Those probes centered on claims of improper handling of classified national security documents and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Since taking over as acting Attorney General, Blanche has drawn sharp criticism from across the political aisle for pushing a controversial $1.8 billion fund that critics labeled a slush fund intended to compensate Trump allies who were prosecuted during the Biden administration. The proposal, branded the “anti-weaponization fund” by its backers, was ultimately pulled by the administration after facing bipartisan backlash. Blanche has also overseen multiple indictments targeting Trump’s political opponents, a move that has amplified claims that the Department of Justice is being politicized to serve the president’s personal interests.
Trump’s ousting of Bondi came after months of growing tension over her handling of public file releases connected to Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender with long-standing ties to powerful political and celebrity figures. Now, as Washington prepares for the confirmation process, major questions remain over whether Blanche can secure enough support to win Senate approval, which is required by law for all senior cabinet-level positions.
The nomination comes at a precarious moment for Trump, just five months ahead of critical midterm congressional elections, with sliding approval ratings driven by public discontent over the economy and ongoing tensions surrounding the Iran war. In recent weeks, congressional Republicans have already handed Trump a string of legislative and procedural setbacks, and many have openly voiced anger over Blanche’s now-abandoned compensation fund proposal. Democrats have meanwhile uniformly condemned the plan and the nomination itself.
Dick Durbin, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will oversee Blanche’s confirmation hearings, blasted the pick in a statement Monday. “Donald Trump has been engaged in the most corrupt enterprise in the history of the Presidency. Todd Blanche apparently has not noticed,” Durbin said. With bipartisan opposition already mobilized around Blanche’s past actions and policy proposals, the coming confirmation fight is set to become one of the highest-profile political clashes of the 2024 midterm cycle.