Trump formally nominates ex-lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general, setting up a tense Senate confirmation fight

The nomination

President Donald Trump formally nominated acting attorney general Todd Blanche for a full term on Monday, sending his name to the Senate for confirmation. Blanche, Trump's former personal defense lawyer, has served as the interim head of the Justice Department since Trump fired former attorney general Pam Bondi in April. The nomination was disclosed in a notice on the White House website.

Most of our members are pretty deferential to who the president wants in some of those key positions. And he's obviously serving in the role already and clearly has experience in it. So, that'll serve him well. But this is an environment where nothing's a safe or sure bet.

A contentious path in the Senate

Blanche's confirmation is expected to face a difficult path. Republicans hold a narrow 53-seat majority in the 100-member chamber, meaning they can afford to lose only three votes if Democrats remain united in opposition, with Vice President JD Vance available to break a tie. Two prominent Republicans, Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas, have already said they still have questions they need answered before they would support Blanche. A recent closed-door meeting between Blanche and Senate Republicans was described as blistering, with dozens of lawmakers sharply criticizing him over a proposed $1.8 billion fund.

Donald Trump is running the most corrupt operation in the history of the American presidency. Todd Blanche apparently hasn't noticed.

The $1.8 billion fund controversy

Since taking over as acting attorney general, Blanche has moved aggressively to steer the Justice Department toward Trump's demands. He attempted to create a nearly $1.8 billion fund, presented by the Trump administration as a way to compensate those who were victims of politicized prosecutions under former President Joe Biden. Democrats denounced it as a "slush fund" meant to reward Trump supporters, including those convicted for the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. After facing bipartisan backlash and open revolt from some Republicans, Blanche returned to Capitol Hill last week to announce that plans for the fund were dead.

Blanche's record as acting attorney general

Blanche has also indicted former FBI director James Comey, a key target of the president, for "threatening the life" of Donald Trump. He has promoted an expansive view of executive power at the expense of the legislative branch. His path to permanent appointment is further complicated by lingering anger and unanswered questions related to his handling of the release of millions of pages of investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His predecessor, Pam Bondi, placed primary responsibility for the release of the Epstein files on Blanche during an interview with a House committee.

A wide range of former law enforcement officials have sharply criticized Mr. Blanche's brand of justice, saying he has deployed power in ways that are antithetical to the department's traditions.

From defense lawyer to attorney general

Blanche first became part of Trump's inner circle in 2023, when Trump faced a series of four criminal indictments. He was part of Trump's defense team during the hush-money trial involving former adult film star Stormy Daniels, in which Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents. Blanche was successfully confirmed as deputy attorney general on March 5 last year in a party-line vote of 52 to 46. As of Monday, he has served as acting attorney general for roughly 67 days. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act generally caps temporary leaders at 210 days, but naming a nominee could allow Trump to legally extend the interim period beyond that limit.