Todd Blanche sworn in as 88th U.S. attorney general

Todd Blanche was sworn in as U.S. attorney general on August 10, 2026, following a narrow 50-49 Senate confirmation vote. Blanche, Donald Trump's former personal defense lawyer, secured the position after agreeing to dismantle a controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund, winning over key Republican holdouts like Senator Bill Cassidy. Blanche takes formal command of a Justice Department facing low morale, high staff turnover, and intense scrutiny over its independence from the White House.

Senate confirmation vote

• ▪Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina dropped their opposition to Todd Blanche after he provided written assurances that a proposed $1.8 billion fund was dead.
• ▪Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined all Senate Democrats in voting against Todd Blanche's confirmation.
• ▪The United States Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a narrow 50-49 vote in the early hours of Saturday, August 8, 2026.
• ▪Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana secured Todd Blanche's confirmation by announcing his support on Friday, August 7, 2026, after previously remaining undecided.

Justice Department independence concerns

• ▪Todd Blanche's nomination was nearly derailed by his role in establishing a $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund to compensate Donald Trump's allies who claimed they were wronged by the federal government.
• ▪Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration against weaponization accusations, stating he feels no pressure to placate Donald Trump and views the president's interest in Justice Department matters as a right and duty.
• ▪Critics and opposing lawmakers expressed concern that Todd Blanche's confirmation would further erode the Justice Department's independence from President Donald Trump.

Blanche Trump defense work

• ▪Todd Blanche entered Donald Trump's orbit in 2023 when he left his law firm to represent Trump in multiple criminal cases, including the New York hush-money trial.
• ▪Todd Blanche served as deputy attorney general starting in early 2025 and became acting attorney general in April 2026 following the firing of Pam Bondi.

DOJ staff departures

• ▪The Justice Department under Todd Blanche has faced an agency hollowed out by resignations, firings, and voluntary departures.
• ▪Todd Blanche has presided over the departure of more than 200 prosecutors and agents who worked on investigations related to Donald Trump.

Court setbacks for Blanche

• ▪The state of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department and Todd Blanche, alleging they blocked the state's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.
• ▪Todd Blanche suffered a courtroom setback when a federal judge voided Donald Trump's settlement with the IRS and sent findings to bar authorities for potential disciplinary action against Blanche.

Swearing-in ceremony

• ▪Todd Blanche was sworn in as United States Attorney General on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a closed-door ceremony in the Oval Office.
• ▪Federal Appeals Court Judge Emil Bove, a former colleague on Donald Trump's legal defense team, administered the oath of office to Todd Blanche.