Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Republican senators Wednesday that he would take action to end the availability of abortion medication through the mail, signaling a sharp shift in federal enforcement on reproductive health policy.
During his confirmation hearing, Blanche committed to prioritizing action on mifepristone—the drug used in the most common method of pregnancy termination—but declined to detail specific steps. He said the Trump administration opposes a Biden-era rule that eliminated the in-person dispensing requirement for the pill, and suggested the Department of Justice could review the policy.
“You know, I’ve seen video myself of what appears to be pills coming even from overseas to young women, and doesn’t matter who applies for it, anybody can get it. There’s no instructions; they just come dumped out of a little plastic bag, and it’s wrong,” Blanche said. “And I very much commit our resources to stopping this.”
The pledge comes as anti-abortion lawmakers and advocates have grown frustrated with the wide availability of mifepristone, typically used with another drug for medication abortion. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the Biden administration permanently ended the in-person dispensing requirement in 2023, allowing mail-order pharmacies to distribute the pill. Combined with blue-state “shield laws” protecting clinicians, this has helped women in conservative states maintain access despite bans.
Blanche acknowledged the Trump administration has left those Biden-era regulations in place so far, keeping the issue from becoming a political flashpoint but angering anti-abortion groups. He also faced pressure from Republican senators to commit to settling an ongoing lawsuit filed by Louisiana against the Food and Drug Administration over mail-order mifepristone. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is set to hear arguments in September.
Anti-abortion organizations have mounted a campaign to stop the DOJ from defending the Biden policy. The department has previously asked courts to dismiss or pause state lawsuits, citing a safety review of mifepristone by the FDA. Blanche said, “We are not in any way defending what Biden and what his administration did.” He added, “For the first time in a decade, HHS and the FDA are actually taking a real look at what’s happening with some of these abortion pills and whether they’re actually safe or not.”
The status and timeline of the FDA review remain unclear. An administration official said it could take six months to complete, though initial results might come sooner. Blanche refused to comment on litigation strategy, stating, “We want to get to a good result, consistent with President Trump’s administrative directive and priorities, and we very much believe that the Biden rules were wrong.”
Blanche’s confirmation has been contentious, with critics pointing to his ties to Trump and his handling of the Epstein probe. His stumbles on Trump ties during the hearing have drawn scrutiny, and the NYC Bar Association has declared him unfit for the role. Meanwhile, Schumer and Durbin joined Epstein survivors to rally against his bid, adding to the political pressure.
