Trump’s Former Lawyer Is Now Attorney General

Todd Blanche, the man who once defended President Trump in criminal court, is now the nation’s top law enforcement officer.

Quick Take

Todd Blanche was sworn in Monday as U.S. attorney general after months serving in an acting role.
The Senate confirmed him Saturday by a razor-thin 50-49 vote.
Only two Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against him.
Blanche previously served as President Trump’s personal defense lawyer before joining the Justice Department.
Democrats warn the appointment shows deeper control over the Justice Department by the White House.

A Narrow Vote Ends a Bruising Fight

The Senate confirmed Blanche early Saturday morning in a 50-49 vote, capping weeks of tense debate. Every Democrat voted no, and two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, broke with their party to oppose him. The narrow margin reflected concerns raised during his confirmation hearing about his closeness to President Trump and questions about Justice Department independence.

President Trump held a ceremony Monday morning to formally swear Blanche in as attorney general, according to broadcast coverage that had flagged the event ahead of time. Blanche had already been running the Justice Department for months in an acting capacity, so the ceremony marked the official start of his permanent term rather than a change in his daily duties.

From Defense Lawyer to Department Head

Blanche spent years as a private defense attorney before he became known for representing President Trump in criminal cases. He joined the Justice Department as deputy attorney general in 2025, then stepped into the acting attorney general role in April 2026 when the position opened up. News outlets covering his rise consistently noted his personal ties to the president as they described his confirmation.

That background became the center of debate during his confirmation. Senators pressed him on whether he could act independently of the president who once relied on him for legal defense. Coverage from multiple outlets framed the vote as a test of whether the Justice Department would operate as a check on presidential power or as an extension of it.

Government Records Still Catching Up

As of the confirmation and swearing-in, the Justice Department’s own staff page still listed Blanche as “Acting Attorney General,” a title that had not yet been updated to reflect his new permanent status. This kind of lag between an announcement and an official website update is common during government transitions and does not change the fact that the Senate vote and swearing-in ceremony took place as reported.

Todd Blanche has been sworn in as US attorney general in a ceremony at the White House by fellow former Trump defense lawyer Emil Bovehttps://t.co/cDNcS2YzTX

— Shawn Griffin (@509ShawnG) August 11, 2026

The gap between the news reports and the official record matters for anyone trying to track exactly when Blanche’s title changed on paper. But it does not cast doubt on the core events: the Senate voted, and Blanche was sworn in days later. Government paperwork updating slower than news coverage is a bureaucratic quirk, not evidence that the events didn’t happen.

What This Means for Public Trust

For voters on both sides who already distrust Washington, this appointment lands differently depending on where they stand. Conservatives who want the Justice Department to move faster on their priorities may see a loyal ally now firmly in charge. Liberals who worry about a Justice Department that answers to the president personally see confirmation of their fears, especially given Blanche’s history as Trump’s own lawyer.

Both reactions point to the same underlying concern shared across the political spectrum: whether federal agencies serve the public or serve the people who run them. Senator Chuck Schumer said the confirmation lets “pervasive, breathtaking corruption” continue, a claim Republicans reject, but the sharpness of the reaction on both sides shows how little trust remains in the institution regardless of who leads it.