Senate Judiciary Committee advances Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination after he withdraws controversial $1.8 billion fund plan

On August 4, 2026, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to advance Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general. The vote succeeded after Blanche signed a written order on August 2, 2026, dismantling a controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund and narrowing tax audit immunity for Donald Trump and his family. Despite this concession, Blanche faces an uncertain path in the full Senate, where Republican Senator Susan Collins has announced her opposition and other GOP holdouts remain uncommitted.

Blanche attorney general nomination

• ▪The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12 to 10 along party lines on August 4, 2026, to advance Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general to the full Senate
• ▪Todd Blanche became acting attorney general in April 2026 after President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi

Compensation fund withdrawal

• ▪Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis agreed to support Todd Blanche's nomination after receiving written confirmation that the anti-weaponization fund was terminated
• ▪Todd Blanche formally rescinded the proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund in a written order signed on August 2, 2026

Trump IRS settlement terms

• ▪The $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund was created in May 2026 as part of a settlement resolving Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax records
• ▪The Justice Department clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only retroactively to the named plaintiffs—Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization

Republican Senate vote uncertainty

• ▪Republican Senator Susan Collins announced on August 4, 2026, that she will oppose Todd Blanche's confirmation on the Senate floor
• ▪Senate Republicans hold 53 seats but can afford to lose only two votes to confirm Todd Blanche if all Democrats oppose him, due to the ongoing absence of hospitalized Senator Mitch McConnell
• ▪Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy have not committed to supporting Todd Blanche's confirmation

Justice Department independence concerns

• ▪Democratic Senator Dick Durbin and other critics argued that Todd Blanche's written order is unenforceable and that the anti-weaponization fund could be easily revived after his confirmation
• ▪Todd Blanche faced questioning from senators regarding his independence from Donald Trump, whom he previously represented as a personal criminal defense attorney

Trump opponent prosecutions

• ▪The Justice Department indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of threatening Donald Trump's life by posting a social media photo of seashells arranged to spell '86 47'
• ▪Todd Blanche appointed former Justice Department prosecutor Joseph diGenova to lead an investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired to undermine Donald Trump