Aug. 10, 2026:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, has been sworn in as attorney general after a bruising confirmation fight that exposed bipartisan concerns about the Justice Department’s direction under the Republican president. Another former Trump attorney administered the oath of office to Blanche on Monday (Aug. 10, 2026) at the White House following early Saturday’s Senate confirmation vote by the narrowest of margins. Shortly after, the newly sworn-in attorney general arrived at Justice Department headquarters to cheers from employees lined up along the entrance.
Aug. 4, 2026:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has cleared a critical hurdle in his bid to be confirmed to the post after swaying Republican holdouts on a Senate committee to advance his nomination for a floor vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines Tuesday (Aug. 4, 2026) in support of the nomination of President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney. Blanche has aggressively pushed the Trump administration’s priorities since taking the reins from Pam Bondi in April. The full Senate could vote later this week on Blanche’s nomination. If all Democrats oppose him, Blanche can only afford to lose two Republican votes if Sen. Mitch McConnell, who was hospitalized after a fall, does not return before then.
Aug. 3, 2026:
UNDATED-AP- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has put it in writing, issuing a formal order terminating President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies. The move follows weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who were blocking his nomination for the permanent job.
The order leaves in place a declaration — rejected by a judge as improper self-dealing — giving Trump and his family retroactive immunity for any tax audits.
July 15, 2026:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is confronting skeptical questioning at a Senate confirmation hearing about the creation of a fund to compensate allies of President Donald Trump and a tax immunity deal for the president. He’s aiming to lock down Republican support that he will need to advance his nomination. Blanche insisted at the hearing Wednesday that the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was “not moving forward.” But lawmakers, including Republican Sen. John Cornyn, raised concerns that the Trump administration has yet to commit in writing that the fund is dead and that it could therefore conceivably be resurrected.
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