U.S. Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general

The U.S. Senate, in a 50-49 vote early Saturday morning, confirmed Todd Blanche to serve as the nation’s 88th attorney general.

Blanche, who was nominated to the post by President Donald Trump after he removed Pam Bondi, faced intense scrutiny over his tenure at the Justice Department.

Blanche was first confirmed as deputy attorney general in 2025. He began serving as acting attorney general in April.

Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voted against Blanche’s nomination. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., did not vote. Murkowski said she took issue with the Department of Justice’s nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, which was announced in May.

The fund, born out of a settlement between Trump and the IRS over his leaked tax returns, was meant to support victims of political persecution. Trump floated allowing individuals who assaulted police officers in the Jan. 6, 2021, at...