Todd Blanche defended Donald Trump in some of the most consequential legal battles of his political career. Now, the president wants him to permanently lead the Justice Department, a decision that is expected to spark a fierce confirmation fight in Washington.
President Donald Trump has announced plans to nominate Todd Blanche as the next U.S. attorney general, elevating a longtime ally and former personal defense lawyer to one of the most powerful positions in the federal government.
Trump revealed the decision during a private White House dinner on Wednesday, saying Blanche would move from acting attorney general to the permanent role.
“We are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump said during the event, according to video shared by White House officials.
The announcement marks another major step in Blanche’s rapid rise inside the administration.
Just months ago, Blanche was serving as Trump’s personal attorney, helping defend him in several criminal cases that dominated headlines during and after the 2024 election cycle. After joining the administration, he was appointed deputy attorney general before being elevated to acting attorney general following the dismissal of former Attorney General Pam Bondi in April.
Since taking over the Justice Department, Blanche has become one of Trump’s most trusted officials.
The acting attorney general has overseen a series of investigations and legal actions that closely align with Trump’s political priorities. Those moves have won praise from the president and his supporters, who argue the Justice Department is correcting years of political bias.
Critics see the situation very differently.
Democrats and some legal experts have accused Blanche of operating more like Trump’s personal attorney than an independent law enforcement official. They point to investigations targeting some of Trump’s longtime critics as evidence that the Justice Department is becoming increasingly politicized.
One controversy in particular has followed Blanche in recent weeks.
The Justice Department recently abandoned a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund that would have provided payments to people who claimed they were unfairly targeted by the federal government. The proposal drew strong criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, with some lawmakers expressing concern that individuals connected to the January 6 Capitol riot could potentially benefit from the program. Following bipartisan backlash, the department dropped the plan.
Even with that setback, Trump has remained firmly behind Blanche.
During a recent interview, the president described him as a “very talented guy” and praised the work he has done at the Justice Department since taking office. Trump also said he was far more satisfied with the department’s direction now than earlier in his presidency.
Blanche has made little effort to hide his admiration for the president.
Shortly after becoming acting attorney general, he told reporters that serving in the administration was “the greatest honor of a lifetime.” He added that if Trump ever asked him to take on another role, he would gladly accept.
The nomination now heads to the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.
While many Republican lawmakers are expected to support Blanche, his confirmation may not be straightforward. Some members of Trump’s own party have already voiced concerns about recent Justice Department controversies, meaning the nominee could face difficult questions during confirmation hearings.
For Trump, however, the choice appears simple.
Few people inside his administration have demonstrated more loyalty than Blanche, a lawyer who once defended him in court and now stands on the verge of becoming the nation’s chief law enforcement officer. Whether senators agree remains the next major question in a nomination battle that is likely to attract national attention in the weeks ahead.
