Trump’s Former Lawyer Confirmed As US Attorney General

The United States Senate has narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as the country’s Attorney General, paving the way for the former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump to permanently lead the US Department of Justice.

Blanche, 52, was confirmed on Saturday by a 50-49 vote, with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposing his nomination.

His confirmation formally places Blanche at the helm of the nation’s top law enforcement agency under the leadership of his former client, Trump.

Blanche has played a central role in reshaping the Justice Department since Trump returned to the White House, shifting from defending the president in criminal cases to overseeing an administration that has pledged to address what Trump describes as the “weaponization” of the department.

During his time as acting attorney general and deputy attorney general, Blanche has been involved in major decisions affecting the Justice Department, including the dismissal of experienced prosecutors and officials, legal arguments concerning presidential powers and cases involving alleged political retaliation.

The department under his watch has also pursued cases involving prominent political figures, including former FBI Director James Comey, issued subpoenas seeking information about journalists’ sources and approved a tax-immunity agreement involving Trump and the Internal Revenue Service.

Blanche has also been closely involved in the administration’s handling of the controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Following a period in which former Attorney General Pam Bondi faced intense scrutiny over her public handling of the Epstein matter, Blanche took a more prominent role in managing the administration’s response.

Sources cited by CNN reported that Blanche is expected to continue pursuing cases that reinforce Trump’s claims that the Justice Department was previously used against him, his political allies and supporters.

He is also expected to advance the administration’s priorities on immigration enforcement and efforts to combat fraud involving government programmes.

Blanche spent years as a federal prosecutor before moving into private practice.

In 2023, he left the prestigious New York law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he was a partner, to represent Trump as the former president faced multiple criminal cases.

His decision to join Trump’s legal team reportedly surprised several of his former colleagues. Blanche had been registered as a Democrat and was known as a career prosecutor who generally kept his political views private.

However, he quickly became one of Trump’s most trusted lawyers and played a key role in defending him against three federal indictments.

Blanche was also among the lawyers who advised Trump during his New York hush-money criminal trial.

Although Trump was eventually convicted, Blanche’s legal strategy helped delay sentencing until after the 2024 presidential election, reducing the possibility that Trump would serve prison time.

In Trump’s federal election-interference case, Blanche and his legal team successfully argued before the US Supreme Court for expanded protections against criminal prosecution for presidents.

His team also secured the dismissal of charges in the federal classified-documents case against Trump, which was being handled by a Trump-appointed judge in Florida.

Despite reports that he initially had no interest in taking up a government position, Blanche was eventually nominated by Trump to become deputy attorney general.

At the time, Trump praised Blanche and said he would fix “what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long.”

After assuming office, Blanche reportedly became increasingly interested in taking over as attorney general.

His close relationship with Trump and his role in managing the Justice Department made him the administration’s preferred choice after Bondi’s departure.

Blanche subsequently assumed the attorney general’s responsibilities and moved into Bondi’s former office.

“This is exactly what he’s been waiting for,” a Justice Department official said of Blanche’s confirmation.

Blanche’s confirmation was not without opposition within the Republican Party.

He spent weeks courting senators whose support was considered crucial, including Murkowski, who remained unconvinced despite efforts by the administration to win her support.

During a two-day visit to Alaska, the administration reportedly reached two settlements and two lawsuits and awarded more than $6 million in grants.

Explaining her decision, she said: “The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy also raised concerns about what he described as the “weaponization of the Justice Department”, including an investigation involving Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide and prominent witness in the congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot.

It remains unclear whether the Justice Department will pursue an indictment against Hutchinson.

Blanche’s confirmation process was further complicated by concerns from Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis over the Justice Department’s controversial anti-weaponization fund and the tax-immunity agreement involving the IRS.

To secure sufficient support, Blanche signed a memorandum terminating the anti-weaponization fund and released a second, unsigned memorandum clarifying the terms of the tax-immunity agreement.

With his confirmation, Blanche now takes permanent control of the Justice Department, where he is expected to continue implementing Trump’s law-enforcement agenda while facing scrutiny from both Democrats and some members of his own party.