Who is Todd Blanche? Bitter confirmation battle looms for Trump’s Attorney General pick

President Donald Trump has picked his former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, as Attorney General, and the confirmation war that follows could be the bitterest in his second term.

For Blanche, the nomination represents the culmination of an extraordinary rise. Just a few years ago, he was a successful Wall Street lawyer largely unknown outside legal circles. Today, he stands on the verge of becoming the most powerful law enforcement official in the United States, thanks largely to his close relationship with Trump.

Blanche is already serving as acting Attorney General after taking over in April following the abrupt dismissal of Pam Bondi. But winning Senate approval for the permanent post is likely to be a far tougher challenge. His short time at the Justice Department has already been marked by controversy, with critics accusing him of placing loyalty to the president above the department's longstanding tradition of independence.

Blanche became part of Trump's inner circle after he left a lucrative partnership at a prominent law firm to represent Trump. He served as Trump’s lawyer in multiple cases, including the New York hush-money trial and federal investigations involving classified documents and the 2020 election. It soon blossomed into a close political and personal alliance as Blanche became one of Trump’s most trusted advisers during a period when many others kept their distance. Admirers see that loyalty as proof of commitment and courage. Critics see something very different. They argue that Blanche has become so closely identified with Trump that it is difficult to separate the lawyer from the president he once represented.

That question is likely to dominate his Senate confirmation hearings.

Under Blanche’s leadership, the department has taken a number of steps that supporters describe as correcting past injustices, but opponents view as politically motivated.

Among the most controversial was the decision to overturn convictions of members of the Proud Boys linked to the January 6 Capitol riot. The department also removed public statements about some January 6 prosecutions and dismissed several career prosecutors. At the same time, it launched investigations into figures associated with previous Democratic administrations.

One case in particular drew national attention. Blanche approved charges against former FBI Director James Comey after Comey posted a photograph of seashells arranged to read "86-47" on social media. Blanche argued that the image could be interpreted as a threat against the 47th president. Critics dismissed the prosecution as a stretch and pointed to it as evidence that the Justice Department was being used to settle political scores.

Another controversy that continues to haunt Blanche involves a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for people who claimed they had been unfairly targeted by government investigations. The proposal emerged from a lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service and could have benefited several Trump allies, including some linked to the events of January 6.

The plan quickly triggered outrage in Washington. Lawmakers from both parties questioned why taxpayers should fund compensation for political allies of the president. Reports that Blanche had also approved protections shielding Trump, his family and his businesses from future IRS audits only added to the backlash.

Although the proposal was eventually abandoned, senators are expected to revisit the issue during confirmation hearings.

Blanche is also likely to face difficult questions about his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Pam Bondi has publicly blamed him for delays in releasing documents sought by Congress. Further controversy followed when Blanche personally interviewed Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Shortly after Maxwell reportedly told investigators that Trump had done nothing wrong, she was transferred to a minimum-security prison facility, raising fresh questions among critics.

Despite the growing criticism, Blanche retains strong support within the Republican Party. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is already in Blanche's corner, praising him as exactly the kind of lawyer America needs to bring order back to its justice system. With Republicans holding a narrow Senate majority, Blanche enters the confirmation process with a clear path to victory.

Yet support within the party is not unanimous. Several Republican senators have already signalled concerns about whether Blanche can act independently of the president. They are expected to press him on the abandoned compensation fund, his handling of January 6 cases and the broader question of whether the Justice Department under his leadership can remain politically neutral.

Democrats have left little doubt about where they stand. They argue that Blanche has repeatedly used prosecutorial power to advance Trump's political interests and has vowed to oppose his nomination.