President Trump nominated Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, as attorney general on Monday, sending the nomination to the Senate and setting up a confirmation battle this summer. Blanche has served in an acting capacity since April, when Trump ousted Pam Bondi from the position.
Blanche, 51, graduated from Brooklyn Law School and worked for eight years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York’s violent-crimes division before becoming a partner at the law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in 2017. He represented Trump in three criminal cases brought against him in 2023 and 2024, including the Manhattan trial where Trump was convicted of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments.
The Senate must confirm Blanche for the position to become permanent. Democrats have made clear they will oppose the nomination, using the confirmation hearing to spotlight his role in the Justice Department. According to the Washington Post, Democrats plan to highlight Blanche’s involvement in creating a controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund for people who claim they were unfairly prosecuted.
The confirmation fight will test whether a handful of increasingly restive Republican senators are willing to defy Trump on a high-profile nominee. Top Senate Republicans and the Trump administration are aiming to confirm Blanche before June 19, according to reporting from Punchbowl News.
Blanche’s nomination comes after he spent more than two months as acting attorney general. When asked in April whether he would serve in the role permanently if asked, Blanche said he would be willing to do so. His prior confirmation as deputy attorney general in March 2025 by the Republican-led Senate suggests he has a path to confirmation, though Democratic opposition and potential Republican defections could complicate the process.
Sources
- The New York Times — Trump’s nomination of Blanche and background on his role as Trump’s former personal lawyer
- The Washington Post — Senate confirmation battle dynamics and Democratic opposition strategy
- CNBC — Confirmation that Blanche held the acting position for more than two months
- The White House — Official nomination announcement dated June 8, 2026
- Wikipedia — Blanche’s educational background and federal prosecutor experience
- Punchbowl News — Republican timeline for confirmation vote by June 19
