Senators press Todd Blanche over Trump ties at attorney general hearing
The acting attorney general faced questions on Justice Department independence, Trump’s IRS settlement and prosecutions of the president’s critics.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15 for a confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department, according to Al Jazeera. The hearing put the department’s independence under scrutiny because Blanche previously served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer.
Al Jazeera reported that the committee planned two days of questioning on Wednesday and Thursday. Blanche used his opening statement to argue that he was repairing the department, saying, “We are restoring American trust.”
Before joining Trump’s second administration, Blanche represented Trump in several legal matters, according to Al Jazeera. Those cases included the New York state trial in which Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Blanche was confirmed as deputy attorney general in March 2025, Al Jazeera reported. He became acting attorney general after Pam Bondi resigned in April.
Democrats and some Republicans focused on whether Blanche would keep the Justice Department separate from Trump’s political interests, according to Al Jazeera. The hearing also served as a review of the department’s direction under Trump, amid concerns that the president has used federal law enforcement for political purposes.
Blanche is expected to face questions about prosecutions of Trump critics and rivals, including former FBI Director James Comey, Al Jazeera reported. He has also played a central role in the department’s handling of files tied to the federal investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.
Al Jazeera reported that critics have questioned whether Trump administration officials used excessive or inconsistent redactions in the Epstein files to protect powerful people. Trump had a previous relationship with Epstein, according to Al Jazeera.
Blanche said little about his personal ties to Trump in his opening remarks, aside from saying he was “exceedingly grateful” for the president’s support. He cited FBI data showing violent crime fell in 2025 and pointed to Justice Department work against cartels and drug trafficking.
“I’m proud of what we’ve done to help American families see safer streets and to have a fair shot at the life they’re working to build,” Blanche said. “None of this is a Republican or Democrat issue.”
Blanche also repeated Trump’s claim that the Justice Department had been used against the president and his allies before Trump returned to office, according to Al Jazeera. Trump had faced four criminal indictments, including two federal cases involving the 2020 election and classified documents; Al Jazeera reported that both federal cases were dropped after Trump returned to the White House.
The confirmation path remains uncertain, according to Al Jazeera. After the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, one Republican defection on the committee could halt Blanche’s nomination before a full Senate vote.
Al Jazeera identified Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn as possible opponents. Tillis is retiring at the end of his term, while Cornyn lost a primary race to a Trump-backed challenger.
Cornyn pressed Blanche over a civil settlement in Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, according to Al Jazeera. The settlement protected Trump and his family from future tax investigations and created a nearly $1.8bn “anti-weaponisation fund” for alleged victims of political prosecutions.
Blanche said the fund had been abandoned. “I’m under oath today, and I’ve said it’s dead repeatedly,” he told the committee, according to Al Jazeera.
A federal judge voided the settlement on Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported. The judge accused Blanche and others of bending court rules and norms to serve Trump’s interests, writing, “There was never a question as to who would prevail.”
Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat, accused Blanche of continuing to act like Trump’s personal attorney, according to Al Jazeera. Durbin cited Blanche’s earlier statement that he would “love” Trump regardless of the president’s personnel decisions and said Blanche’s tenure could be summed up by the words, “I love you, sir.”
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.