Todd Blanche has secured a narrow Senate victory that clears his path to permanently head the U.S. Justice Department, overcoming opposition from Democrats and two Republican senators in one of the most closely contested Cabinet confirmations of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The Senate voted 50–49 early Saturday, with Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting against the former Trump lawyer. Republican Bill Cassidy of Louisiana ultimately supplied the vote that allowed the nomination to pass.
Blanche had already been running the department in an acting capacity since April. His elevation now gives Trump a confirmed attorney general who has previously worked as his personal lawyer, a relationship that became one of the central issues during the confirmation debate.
Democrats questioned whether Blanche could maintain sufficient independence from the president after representing Trump in several legal matters. They also criticised his record at the Justice Department and raised concerns about the direction of the agency under the Trump administration.
Republican support for Blanche was not guaranteed throughout the process. Several senators demanded assurances concerning a proposed $1.8 billion fund connected to a Justice Department settlement involving Trump. Blanche subsequently provided written commitments that helped ease those concerns.
The controversy surrounding the fund became a major obstacle to the nomination. Critics argued that the arrangement could benefit Trump and his political allies, while Blanche’s supporters maintained that he had addressed the senators’ objections and could be trusted to manage the department.
The nominee also faced scrutiny over the handling of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and other decisions made while he was acting attorney general. Those disputes added to Democratic arguments that the Justice Department needed stronger safeguards against political influence.
Blanche’s route to the top Justice Department position followed his earlier appointment as deputy attorney general. The Senate confirmed him for that position in March 2025 before he later assumed the acting attorney general role after Pam Bondi’s departure.
His confirmation places him in charge of the federal government’s principal law-enforcement department at a time when its independence has become a major political issue. Critics have accused the administration of using the department for political purposes, allegations Trump and his allies reject.
Blanche’s supporters, meanwhile, have portrayed him as an experienced prosecutor and lawyer capable of carrying out Trump’s law-enforcement priorities while correcting what they regard as abuses committed under the previous administration.
The Senate result means Blanche can now lead the department without the temporary status he held as acting attorney general. His appointment also strengthens Trump’s control over an agency responsible for federal prosecutions, national security investigations and enforcement of federal law.
The confirmation nevertheless leaves unresolved the broader debate over how independent the Justice Department should remain from presidential politics. Blanche’s close relationship with Trump is likely to keep that question at the centre of scrutiny as he begins his tenure.
For Trump, the vote represents an important political win. For Blanche, it marks the transition from acting official and former presidential lawyer to the Senate-confirmed head of the U.S. Department of Justice.
