Todd Blanche was sworn in as attorney general following his confirmation by the Senate in a 50-49 vote early Saturday. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor in New York who previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney, took the oath of office at the White House, administered by Emil Bove, another former Trump attorney now serving as a federal appeals court judge. He subsequently arrived at Justice Department headquarters, where employees greeted him with cheers.
The confirmation process proved contentious, with two Republican senators voting against Blanche over what they characterized as increased politicization of the Justice Department under the Trump administration. His nomination faced significant obstacles related to the administration’s controversial settlement of a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. The nomination advanced only after Blanche confirmed in writing, under pressure from Republican senators, that the administration was abandoning plans to establish a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies who claimed they were wronged by the department.
Blanche has been leading the Justice Department in an acting capacity since April, following the firing of his predecessor, Pam Bondi. In his current role and as deputy attorney general, Blanche has overseen investigations into numerous Trump political opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey, who was indicted in April for a second time since Trump returned to office. Critics have raised concerns about what they describe as the weaponization of the Justice Department, though Blanche has strongly defended the administration against such accusations, characterizing the president’s interest in department matters as his constitutional right and duty.
Blanche entered Trump’s inner circle in 2023 when he left his law firm to defend the president against multiple criminal cases, including two prosecutions brought by the Justice Department under the Biden administration. He has contended that this experience gave him direct exposure to what he characterizes as the weaponization of the criminal justice system against Trump. Supporters of Blanche argue that his close working relationship with the president, developed during his tenure as Trump’s defense attorney, may enable him to resist presidential pressure more effectively than his predecessor.
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