Todd Blanche won Senate confirmation to lead the Justice Department in a 50-49 vote after Republican defections over Epstein files and an IRS deal.
Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general moved through the Senate on Saturday in a razor-thin vote, giving President Trump a permanent Justice Department leader after months of uncertainty. The Senate approved the Todd Blanche confirmation by a 50-49 margin, with two Republicans joining Democrats to oppose him.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine broke with their party and voted against Blanche, while Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa argued before the vote that Blanche was ready for the job. Grassley said Blanche had shown he was up to one of the nation’s most important offices and pointed to his background, his hearing performance and his record at the department. Grassley also said a vote for Blanche was a vote for public safety.
The path to confirmation was not smooth. Senators in both parties raised concerns about Blanche’s handling of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein and about a May 19 Justice Department order that created a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund and gave Trump, his family and business entities immunity from IRS audits as part of a settlement over a lawsuit Trump brought against the tax agency. Blanche, who was serving as acting attorney general when the order was signed, later told the Judiciary Committee that the fund was dead.
That answer did not end the fight. The vote was delayed after Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina pressed for a written statement confirming the fund would not move forward and clarifying whether the president and his family were protected from future IRS audits. Blanche’s nomination then advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier in the week on a 12-10 party-line vote.
“Todd Blanche won Senate confirmation to lead the Justice Department in a 50-49 vote after Republican defections over Epstein files and an IRS deal.”
With Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky absent because of ongoing health issues, Blanche could afford only two Republican defections on the floor. Once Murkowski and Collins said they would not back him, attention shifted to Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, whose vote became decisive. Cassidy said Blanche showed poor judgment in approving the anti-weaponization fund and exempting the president from IRS audits, and he also criticized the department’s pursuit of Trump’s political enemies. Even so, Cassidy said he would vote for Blanche.
Blanche, a 51-year-old Colorado native and Trump’s former personal lawyer, had already been leading the department in an acting role since April 2. Trump elevated him from deputy attorney general after firing Pam Bondi, putting Blanche in position to guide the Justice Department while his confirmation remained in doubt.
The Todd Blanche confirmation marks another major step in Trump’s effort to put his own team in charge of the federal law-enforcement apparatus. It also shows how narrow the political margin is in the current Senate, where a handful of defections can decide the fate of a president’s top nominees. For Americans watching the Justice Department, the next question is how Blanche will manage a department already under heavy scrutiny and how he will handle the disputes that shadowed his nomination from the start.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Senate vote on Todd Blanche?
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general by a 50-49 vote. Two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted no along with Democrats.
Why did some senators oppose Blanche?
Critics raised concerns about his handling of Epstein-related documents and a Justice Department order tied to a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund and Irs audit immunity for Trump and his family.
Who cast the deciding Republican vote?
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana became the key vote after Murkowski and Collins said they would oppose Blanche. Cassidy criticized parts of the deal but still voted for him.
What role had Blanche been serving in before the confirmation?
Blanche had been acting attorney general since April 2, when Trump elevated him from deputy attorney general after firing Pam Bondi.
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