After months of political wrangling, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Todd Blanche has narrowly won Senate confirmation.
He is now the United States’ top law enforcement official.
Blanche secured the attorney general post in a 50-49 vote, with Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposition.
The decisive vote came from Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy, whose complicated history with Trump made his decision particularly closely watched.
Why the resistance? Several Republicans questioned Blanche’s handling of the release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.
They also questioned his involvement in Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponisation” fund.
Critics feared the fund could compensate people prosecuted over the January 2021 Capitol riot.
Confirmation Sparks DOJ Debate
Blanche eventually promised to abandon the proposal after facing pressure during his confirmation hearings.
Questions remain over whether Trump could revive a similar scheme later.
Murkowski said she lacked confidence in Blanche to “check the worst impulses of this administration”.
She warned about the politicisation of the Justice Department.
Cassidy, however, argued Blanche was the strongest candidate Trump was likely to nominate.
“This is not a referendum on President Trump,” he said, calling it a decision about Blanche himself.
The appointment gives Blanche permanent authority after serving as acting attorney general since April.
It also puts a former presidential lawyer at the helm of the department responsible for enforcing federal law, an arrangement certain to face intense scrutiny.
