Todd Blanche has officially taken the helm of the Department of Justice after a closely divided Senate confirmed him as the nation’s 88th attorney general. His confirmation brings permanence to a role he had filled on an acting basis since April and follows weeks of negotiations with Republican senators over controversial decisions at the department.
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From The Epoch Times:
Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, was sworn in Monday as U.S. attorney general and now formally takes the helm of the Justice Department.
Judge Emil Bove, a federal appeals court judge and former member of Trump’s legal defense team, administered the oath in a closed Oval Office ceremony that the president attended. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later shared a video of the event.
In a predawn vote Saturday, the Senate narrowly confirmed Blanche as the next attorney general of the United States.
The Senate confirmed Blanche 50–49, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining Democrats in opposition. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky did not vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee had advanced Blanche’s nomination days earlier by a 12–10 vote.
Blanche is no stranger to the Justice Department. A former federal prosecutor, he previously served as President Trump’s personal attorney before joining the administration as deputy attorney general in 2025. He was confirmed to that position by the Senate and later became acting attorney general after President Trump removed Pam Bondi in April. Senate Judiciary Committee records show that Trump formally nominated Blanche to succeed Bondi in June.
His path to permanent confirmation was complicated by concerns from senators on both sides of the aisle. Democrats had previously pressed Blanche over congressional oversight requests and questions about his independence from President Trump, whom he represented before entering the administration. During his 2025 confirmation process for deputy attorney general, Blanche told senators that the deputy attorney general “ultimately serves the American people” and pledged that he would uphold the Constitution and follow the law.
Republican concerns centered on other issues, including the Justice Department’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related records and a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. Blanche ultimately agreed to rescind the fund ahead of the confirmation vote, helping clear the way for enough Republican senators to support him. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, whose vote proved crucial, argued that Blanche was preferable to leaving the department under continued acting leadership.
The White House had publicly pushed for Blanche’s confirmation, highlighting endorsements from law-enforcement officials and calling on the Senate to approve him without delay. Now that the confirmation battle is over, Blanche will oversee one of the most powerful institutions in the federal government at a time of intense debate over political accountability, public corruption, government weaponization, and equal justice under the law.
Scripture reminds us that those entrusted with authority bear a serious responsibility to administer justice impartially. As Blanche begins his tenure as attorney general, let’s pray that the Department of Justice would pursue truth without fear or favor, that wrongdoing would be exposed and prosecuted, and that Blanche and every official serving under him would seek wisdom and uphold the rule of law.
Share your prayers and scriptures for Attorney General Blanche and the Department of Justice in the comments.
(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
