Senate Confirms Todd Blanche as Attorney General 50 to 49

The United States Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a 50 to 49 vote early Saturday, elevating President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer to permanent leadership of the Justice Department after a closely contested nomination process.

Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined every voting Democrat in opposing the nomination. The narrow result left Republican leaders with almost no margin for additional defections as the Senate completed its work before the August recess.

Blanche had already been directing the Justice Department as acting attorney general since April. His confirmation gives him the full authority of the office at a time when lawmakers remain sharply divided over the department's independence, enforcement priorities and relationship with the White House.

Senate vote followed days of uncertainty

The nomination appeared uncertain after Collins and Murkowski announced that they would vote against confirmation. Their opposition increased attention on Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, whose support became important to reaching the 50 votes needed for confirmation.

Cassidy announced on Friday that he would support Blanche. He argued that Blanche's experience working directly with Trump could help him manage the department and resist presidential demands when necessary. Critics disputed that conclusion and said the same relationship created a conflict between loyalty to the president and responsibility to the Justice Department.

Murkowski said the country needed an attorney general prepared to restrain the administration's most damaging impulses and expressed doubt that Blanche would do so. Collins also opposed the nomination, while the rest of the voting Republican conference supported it.

The final 50 to 49 tally reflected both the Senate's narrow partisan balance and the absence of a senator from the vote. It also demonstrated how a small number of undecided members could determine the outcome of a major executive branch nomination.

Blanche previously represented Trump

Blanche's route to the country's highest law enforcement position is unusual because he served as Trump's personal criminal defense lawyer before joining the administration.

Trump hired Blanche in 2023 to help defend him in criminal cases involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign, classified government documents and efforts to challenge the result of the 2020 election. That work made Blanche one of the president's most visible courtroom advocates.

After Trump returned to the White House, Blanche was nominated and confirmed as deputy attorney general in March 2025. He later became acting attorney general following Pamela Bondi's departure in April 2026.

Before representing Trump, Blanche worked as a federal prosecutor in New York and later entered private practice. Supporters cited that prosecutorial experience, his previous Justice Department service and his time managing the department as evidence that he was qualified to lead it permanently.

Independence dominated the confirmation debate

Blanche's relationship with Trump became the central issue during his confirmation hearing and the Senate debate that followed.

Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California argued that Blanche had not demonstrated enough separation from his former role as the president's defense attorney. Senator Alex Padilla of California raised similar concerns about whether Blanche would make decisions based on the public interest rather than the president's personal or political priorities.

The hearing also examined Justice Department settlements and policies adopted while Blanche served in an acting capacity. Senators questioned him about recusals, a settlement involving Trump's lawsuit over leaked tax information and the standards he would use when deciding whether to investigate political figures.

Blanche defended his record and said he understood the responsibilities of the office. Republican supporters pointed to endorsements from law enforcement organizations and former Justice Department officials, arguing that his background included substantial experience beyond his representation of Trump.

Blanche takes permanent control of the Justice Department

The attorney general oversees a department with more than 100,000 employees and responsibility for federal prosecutions, national security cases, civil rights enforcement, immigration courts, federal prisons and supervision of agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Blanche's confirmation will not end questions about the department's direction. Democrats and other critics have accused the administration of using federal law enforcement to target political opponents. The White House and Blanche's supporters reject that characterization and say the department is enforcing the law against fraud, violent crime, drug trafficking and other national priorities.

Those competing views are likely to shape congressional oversight. Lawmakers can question Justice Department officials, request records, examine spending and use confirmation hearings for other senior officials to test whether department policies are being applied consistently.

The department's career prosecutors and investigators will also look to Blanche for guidance on recusals, contacts with the White House and the handling of politically sensitive investigations. Decisions in those areas may determine whether he can build confidence beyond the senators who voted for him.

Confirmation completes a rapid transition

Following the vote, Blanche said he was honored by Trump's confidence and thanked senators for remaining in session to complete the confirmation. He also thanked Justice Department employees for their work enforcing federal law and protecting public safety.

His confirmation as the nation's 88th attorney general completes a rapid transition from private defense lawyer to deputy attorney general, acting department leader and now confirmed attorney general.

The vote settled the immediate question of who will lead the Justice Department, but the larger debate remains unresolved. Blanche will be judged by how he handles presidential pressure, politically sensitive cases and the department's obligation to apply federal law without favoritism. With the Senate divided almost evenly over his nomination, his decisions will receive close scrutiny from Congress, the courts and the public.