You can’t easily shake off the label of personal defense attorney when you’re trying to become the nation's chief law enforcement officer. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche learned this the hard way on July 15, 2026, during an exhausting Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Blanche stepped into the acting role in April after Pam Bondi's sudden exit. Now, he wants the job permanently. But what was supposed to be a routine defense of his record quickly devolved into a grueling cross-examination about his personal loyalty to Donald Trump, a scrapped $1.8 billion government slush fund, and a series of high-profile administration missteps.
For hours, Blanche tried to convince skeptical lawmakers that he serves the Constitution, not just the man who hired him.
It didn't go entirely to plan.
The Freudian Slip That Defined the Day
The central tension of the entire hearing came down to a single question: who does Todd Blanche actually work for?
Before entering public service as deputy attorney general, Blanche spent nearly two years defending Donald Trump in various high-stakes criminal cases. He isn't just a political ally; he was the guy whispering in Trump’s ear in courtroom hallways.
That history caught up with him during a sharp exchange with Republican Senator John Kennedy. When asked if he considered the president a personal friend, Blanche stumbled.
"I’m his lawyer—was his lawyer," Blanche blurted out, quickly correcting his tense. "And now I’m the deputy attorney general."
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff immediately pounced, calling it a telling Freudian slip.
To his credit, Blanche drew some firm red lines during the hearing. He promised he'd resign immediately if ever ordered to do something illegal or unethical. "That will never happen," he insisted when asked how he'd handle an unlawful directive from the Oval Office. He also flatly rejected the idea that Trump could run for a third term in 2028, pointing out the clear constitutional limits.
But promises are cheap in a Senate hearing room. Democrats made it clear they aren't looking at his promises—they're looking at his track record.
The Audits, the IRS, and a Dead $1.8 Billion Slush Fund
If you want to understand why some Republicans are hesitant to back Blanche, look no further than the bizarre saga of Trump's IRS settlement.
As deputy attorney general, Blanche helped orchestrate a settlement to resolve Trump’s massive $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns. The terms of that deal raised eyebrows across Washington. It granted Trump and his immediate family sweepingly broad immunity from federal tax audits.
Even worse, the settlement originally established a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund". The money was intended to compensate Trump's political allies who claimed they were targeted by the federal government.
Unsurprisingly, the fund caused immediate bipartisan outrage. Just days before the hearing, a federal judge excoriated the deal, calling the lawsuit "collusive" and accusing Trump’s legal team of misusing the court system.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who remains publicly undecided on Blanche’s nomination, grilled him on whether this fund could rise from the grave.
"I never started," Blanche said, trying to put the issue to bed. "No money went from the Treasury to any other account... It's not moving forward."
But Cornyn didn't look entirely convinced. Blanche conceded that there is no written agreement formally preventing the president from trying to revive the program through future litigation. It's a massive loophole that could cost Blanche the vital votes he needs to clear the committee.
Apologies Over the Jeffrey Epstein Files
It wasn't just financial deals under fire. The Justice Department’s handling of investigative files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein took center stage, sparking emotional testimony.
Blanche oversaw the public rollout of millions of pages of Epstein documents. But the release was widely criticized as chaotic, overly redacted, and incredibly damaging to the privacy of the survivors.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal demanded to know if Blanche would apologize to the victims.
"My heart breaks for every survivor," Blanche said. "I will absolutely say that any mistake that we made should not have been made. I very much apologize."
While the apology showed a rare moment of humility, his critics argue it's a pattern of systemic mismanagement. Over 1,200 former Department of Justice employees signed a letter ahead of the hearing, formally asking senators to reject Blanche’s nomination on the grounds that he has consistently failed to uphold his constitutional oath.
Where the Nomination Goes From Here
With a razor-thin Republican majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blanche doesn't have a safety net. He basically cannot afford to lose a single Republican vote.
While committee heavyweights like Senator Thom Tillis seemed generally supportive, others, including Cornyn, are still publicly weighing their options.
If you're watching this confirmation play out, the next step is the committee vote. For Blanche to secure a full Senate vote, he has to quiet the skepticism surrounding his dual identity as Trump’s loyal defender and the nation's chief lawyer. He claims his two years representing Trump don't define his long career as a prosecutor. Whether the Senate believes him is another story entirely.
