Todd Blanche has been sworn in as the 88th attorney general of the United States, formally taking control of the Justice Department after a narrow Senate confirmation and a contentious fight over his leadership of one of the federal government’s most powerful agencies.
The Senate confirmed Blanche 50–49 on Saturday, August 8, after two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — joined Democrats in opposing his nomination. Blanche took the oath of office at the White House on Monday, August 10, with federal appeals court judge Emil Bove, another former attorney for President Donald Trump, administering the oath.
Blanche had already been leading the Justice Department as acting attorney general since April, when Trump removed Pam Bondi from the position. Before entering the administration, Blanche worked as a federal prosecutor and later became one of Trump’s personal criminal-defense attorneys. He represented Trump in the New York criminal case that resulted in Trump’s 2024 conviction and also worked on his defense in federal criminal cases before joining the administration as deputy attorney general in 2025.
Blanche’s confirmation nearly collapsed over a proposed $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created as part of the settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. The fund was intended to compensate people who claimed they had been unfairly targeted by the federal government, potentially including Trump allies. Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis withheld their support for Blanche until he provided written assurances that the Justice Department would rescind the fund. Blanche ultimately issued an order ending it, helping clear the way for his confirmation.
Blanche now assumes the office with considerably more history inside the department than a typical incoming attorney general. During his months as acting attorney general, he established a National Fraud Enforcement Division, pursued antitrust investigations involving meatpacking operations and directed new Justice Department initiatives involving human trafficking, child exploitation and religious-liberty protections. His confirmation converts that temporary authority into a Senate-confirmed tenure at the helm of the Justice Department as the administration continues reshaping federal law-enforcement priorities.
