Trump’s former lawyer narrowly confirmed as attorney general Blanche takes permanent control of Justice DepartmentThe US Senate has narrowly confirmed Todd Blanche as President Donald Trump's attorney general, placing Trump's former personal lawyer permanently in charge of a Justice Department that has already undergone a dramatic reshaping under the administration. Blanche was confirmed by 50 votes to 49 in an overnight vote, with every Democrat opposed and two Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — joining them. He had already been running the department in an acting capacity since Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. His confirmation gives Trump a trusted ally at the top of the nation's principal federal law enforcement agency at a time when the administration has pursued investigations into several of the president's perceived political opponents. Confirmation fight exposed Republican concernsThe vote was far from a straightforward Republican confirmation. Blanche's nomination was threatened by a controversial settlement involving Trump's lawsuit against the IRS, including a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies and provisions that would have protected Trump and members of his family from IRS tax audits. Under pressure from Republican senators, Blanche agreed in writing to abandon the compensation fund and scale back the tax provisions. The concessions eventually secured the support of Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, whose vote proved decisive. Cassidy argued that Blanche's previous relationship with Trump could actually make him more effective at resisting presidential demands because of the trust between the two men. But Murkowski said America needed an attorney general capable of checking what she called the administration's "worst impulses". From Trump’s defence team to the Justice DepartmentBlanche was a federal prosecutor before becoming one of Trump's leading defence lawyers. He represented Trump during his New York hush-money trial and defended him in the federal criminal cases brought by the Biden administration. He subsequently joined Trump's Justice Department as deputy attorney general and became its public face on several controversial issues. Democrats have accused Blanche of placing loyalty to Trump above the traditional independence of the Justice Department, particularly as investigations have been launched against former officials and other perceived Trump opponents. The department has also lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations and departures since Trump returned to office. Blanche's supporters argue that his prosecutorial background and close relationship with Trump make him uniquely qualified to explain the limits of presidential power while still pursuing the administration's priorities. A Justice Department transformedBlanche now inherits an agency that has been reshaped around Trump's demand for a more aggressive approach to immigration, violent crime, cartels and what the president describes as the weaponisation of the justice system. Under his leadership, the department has already pursued an indictment of former FBI Director James Comey and opened investigations into former law enforcement and intelligence officials accused of conspiring against Trump. Whether Blanche can deliver the president's demands for political retribution while maintaining the department's legal independence is likely to become one of the most closely watched tests of his tenure. His confirmation by a single Senate vote illustrates just how contentious that question has become. SOURCE
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