President Trump revealed Wednesday evening that he intends to nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to become the permanent head of the Justice Department, cementing the role of his former personal attorney in the nation’s top law enforcement post.
Speaking during a dinner at the White House, Trump said he would instruct Dan Scavino, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, and other aides to formally submit Blanche’s nomination on Thursday. “We are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump stated, according to a video Scavino posted on X.
Blanche has served as acting attorney general for just over two months, following Trump’s dismissal of former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Before that, he was deputy attorney general and spent much of the 2024 presidential campaign as Trump’s personal lawyer. The nomination requires Senate confirmation, a process that could test the administration’s sway on Capitol Hill.
Since taking the reins, Blanche has moved swiftly on several fronts. He oversaw the DOJ’s second indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, alleging threats to Trump. Last month, he announced the creation of an “anti-weaponization fund” aimed at helping individuals who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government file and settle claims. However, a federal judge in Virginia blocked payments from the fund last Friday, putting the initiative on hold.
Blanche’s tenure has not been without controversy. During his time as Bondi’s deputy, he faced bipartisan criticism over the department’s delayed and incomplete release of files related to the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed Congress with near-unanimous support and was signed into law by Trump in November—after the president had dismissed the issue as a “hoax” for months—required the DOJ to release Epstein-related documents within 30 days.
After Bondi’s ouster, Blanche sought to distance himself from the Epstein files controversy, brushing aside concerns that the administration was ignoring victims. The issue has remained a flashpoint for lawmakers and advocacy groups, who continue to demand full transparency.
The nomination comes as Trump’s cabinet has increasingly taken center stage in White House briefings, with several key figures stepping into the spotlight. Meanwhile, the administration faces headwinds on multiple fronts, including a House rebuke over Ukraine aid and ongoing tensions with Iran. Blanche’s confirmation process will likely amplify scrutiny of the Justice Department’s handling of high-profile cases and its independence from political pressure.
