Todd Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, sworn in as US attorney general

In a narrow Senate vote on Saturday morning, Donald Trump's former personal attorney, Todd Blanche, was sworn in as the new US attorney general. Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since April. The 52-year-old is the second Senate-confirmed attorney general of Trump's second term, following Pam Bondi, who was removed earlier this year.

Prior to his appointment, Blanche was Trump's criminal defense lawyer, handling cases such as the New York hush-money case and other criminal matters. He then joined the administration as deputy attorney general in early 2025.

Following his confirmation, Blanche has overseen the departure of over 200 prosecutors and agents involved in Trump-related investigations, advocated for expansive theories of presidential power, and faced numerous courtroom setbacks, including a ruling that barred him from disciplinary action against him. He now assumes the role of US attorney general, succeeding Bondi, who was ousted by Trump due to her perceived lack of action against political opponents.

Bondi's time as attorney general was marked by controversy over the mishandling of Jeffrey Epstein files, which continues to impact the department. Lawmakers have pressed for the release of full records and accused Blanche of following Bondi's strategy of resisting both survivors and Congress. The Senate approved his nomination by a narrow margin of 50-49, with all Democrats opposing his confirmation and Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also voting against him.