The Senate's confirmation of Todd Blanche as the 88th attorney general of the United States is a troubling milestone for the Department of Justice. President Trump celebrated the appointment with characteristic hyperbole, calling Blanche "a STAR"—but the reality of his record paints a far less flattering picture.
Blanche's confirmation, secured by a narrow vote, marks what many legal observers consider the most consequential and damaging appointment of the second Trump administration. It surpasses even the contentious confirmations of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, or Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—because Blanche's role directly undermines the principle that the attorney general serves the law, not the president's personal interests.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who cast the deciding vote, offered a defense that strained credulity: "He is not perfect ... but the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche," but rather between Blanche and an acting attorney general who "may not be as good." This reasoning ignores the overwhelming evidence of Blanche's unfitness for the role.
A record of politicized prosecutions
Blanche's tenure at the Justice Department has been marked by a series of missteps and controversies that have alienated career prosecutors and drawn sharp rebukes from the judiciary. More than 1,200 DOJ colleagues urged the Senate to reject his nomination, and 35 former federal judges argued he committed a fraud on the court. Incumbent judges have stated that the Justice Department under his leadership no longer deserves the presumption of regularity.
One notable incident involved a judge forcing Blanche's prosecutors to withdraw subpoenas served on New York Times reporters at their homes, citing serious irregularities. Under his watch, grand juries have refused to return indictments, including in a case against six Democratic lawmakers who encouraged military personnel to refuse illegal orders, and in another involving a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent.
Blanche also attempted to install Lindsey Halligan as U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia to pursue a vindictive case against former FBI Director James Comey. Judges dismissed that case and another against New York Attorney General Letitia James, finding Halligan had been improperly appointed. Even after the ruling, Halligan continued to use the title, and Blanche defended her with what a judge described as "a level of vitriol more appropriate for a cable news talk show."
Exodus of career attorneys
The politicization under Blanche has driven a significant number of experienced lawyers out of the Justice Department. Those who worked on Trump prosecutions have been fired or have resigned, finding that the department's focus has shifted from impartial justice to serving factional interests. This brain drain threatens the integrity of the institution for years to come.
The confirmation process nearly derailed when Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) threatened to vote no over a deal Blanche struck with the IRS to resolve Trump's legal claims. The deal included a proposed $1.8 billion fund for individuals like Jan. 6 insurrectionists who claimed they were victims of "politicized" prosecutions. Both senators said Blanche allayed their concerns with statements imposing limits on the deal, but those statements were widely seen as toothless. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) noted, "There is enough weasel room in these documents to drive a truck through."
Even if the anti-weaponization fund is not revived, Trump can still make payouts to allies through individual settlements. The deal also shields the president, his sons, and their businesses from past tax claims, a release reportedly worth $600 million.
The Epstein files and the rule of law
Blanche's handling of the Epstein files has drawn particular criticism. A New York Times report revealed that Blanche treated the case as a political matter, making key decisions in collaboration with the White House. The drip-feed of heavily redacted disclosures and the callous treatment of Epstein's victims have further eroded confidence in his leadership.
In 1940, Attorney General Robert Jackson articulated the prosecutor's creed: "The citizen's safety lies in the prosecutor who tempers zeal with human kindness, who seeks truth and not victims, who serves the law and not factional purposes, and who approaches his task with humility." Blanche's confirmation represents a stark departure from that ideal. He has been confirmed to serve "factional purposes," and if he is not "perfect," he should not have been confirmed at all.
