Trump Nominates Todd Blanche as Attorney General

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Washington. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will nominate Blanche to serve as the attorney general, selecting his former personal lawyer who has aggressively pushed the president’s agenda while serving in an acting capacity at the Justice Department.

Trump shared his plans at a White House dinner, stating that he intends to nominate Blanche formally on Thursday. “We are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump declared at a Rose Garden event. Blanche quickly moved to secure his position as the leading candidate for the permanent role following Pam Bondi’s dismissal in April. His efforts included accelerating investigations into Trump’s adversaries and proposing a nearly $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate the president’s allies for alleged political persecution.

This proposed fund led to a bipartisan backlash, compelling the Justice Department to abandon the idea in a significant turnaround. Blanche’s elevation to acting attorney general came after Bondi’s inability to prosecute Trump’s perceived political opponents, and he has repeatedly emphasized his loyalty to Trump through notable actions.

Blanche’s moves have sparked outrage among Democrats and critics who accuse him of acting as Trump’s personal attorney in pursuing a campaign of retribution. The proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund” also received criticism from Senate Republicans, whose support Blanche will need for confirmation as attorney general.

Though Blanche maintains he feels no pressure from Trump, the Justice Department under his leadership has intensified its focus on Trump’s longstanding adversaries. He has strongly denied claims of politicizing the Justice Department, insisting his actions aim to correct what he sees as past abuses by the Biden administration. Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted in April for a social media post deemed threatening by officials, a case Comey claims is politically motivated. Blanche has appointed Joseph diGenova, a former Reagan-era Justice Department prosecutor, to oversee a probe in Florida into whether past officials conspired to undermine Trump.

The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” proposal attracted scrutiny for the risk that participants in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot might be eligible for compensation, an assertion Blanche has not dismissed publicly. On Tuesday, Blanche informed lawmakers the Justice Department would not pursue the fund after political backlash stalled funding for Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies.

Before his current role, Blanche gained prominence as a federal prosecutor in New York and as a lead member of Trump’s defense team during the president’s hush money trial. He claims his experience provided insights into what he describes as the criminal justice system’s weaponization against Trump.