Senate confirms Todd Blanche, Trump's former defense lawyer, as attorney general

Key Points:

• Todd Blanche was confirmed as U.S. attorney general in a narrow 50-49 Senate vote, with two Republicans joining all Democrats in opposition.
• Blanche, formerly President Trump's defense lawyer and deputy attorney general, faced criticism over a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund and a tax audit immunity deal for Trump and his family.
• After negotiations, Blanche rescinded the fund and limited the immunity provisions, gaining support from key Republicans John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, which helped secure his confirmation.
• Blanche’s tenure included oversight of the Justice Department’s release of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, which drew criticism for exposing survivors’ personal information; he acknowledged mistakes and met with survivors before confirmation.
• Opponents cited concerns about the erosion of the Justice Department’s independence and criticized Blanche’s handling of sensitive issues, but White House officials hailed his confirmation as a significant victory for law enforcement.