President Donald Trump on Monday formally nominated Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice, sending the nomination to the Senate for consideration after Blanche spent the last two months serving in the role on an interim basis.
Blanche, who previously served as Deputy Attorney General and was also one of Trump’s personal criminal defense attorneys before joining the administration, took over leadership of the Justice Department after Trump dismissed former Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year.
Trump publicly signaled his intention to make Blanche’s appointment permanent last week, telling reporters he planned to “make him permanent attorney general.”
According to The Hill, Blanche has overseen several high-profile actions during his brief tenure as acting attorney general, including indictments involving the Southern Poverty Law Center, former Cuban President Raul Castro, and a second criminal case against former FBI Director James Comey. The Comey case stems from allegations that a social media post featuring seashells arranged to read “86-47” constituted a threat against Trump, a characterization that has been disputed by Comey and his supporters.
The Hill also reported that Blanche approved the creation of a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund following the settlement of a lawsuit Trump brought against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax records.
Blanche previously secured Senate confirmation as deputy attorney general by a 52-46 vote that largely followed party lines. However, his nomination to the department’s top position could face increased scrutiny amid Republican concerns over the “anti-weaponization” fund and broader questions surrounding Justice Department operations.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) indicated last week that Blanche’s confirmation may not be automatic despite Republican control of the chamber.
“Most of our members are pretty deferential to who the president wants in some of these key positions,” Thune said, before adding that “nothing’s a safe or sure bet these days,” according to The Hill.
Democrats have already begun signaling opposition to the nomination. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has supported some Trump nominees, said he does not plan to support Blanche. Meanwhile, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sharply criticized the nomination, accusing the Trump administration of corruption and questioning Blanche’s willingness to challenge the president.
Republicans on the Judiciary Committee have rallied behind the nomination. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) called Blanche “well-qualified” and praised what he described as Blanche’s commitment to restoring law and order.
Blanche’s nomination now heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold hearings and vote on whether to advance his nomination to the full Senate for final confirmation.
