2026-08-13 · contested story

Todd Blanche is narrowly confirmed as Trump's attorney general in an overnight Senate vote

Todd Blanche, President Trump's former personal defense attorney, was narrowly confirmed by the Senate as attorney general in a 50-49 overnight vote, with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining all Democrats in opposition. The confirmation capped a bruising fight centered on his loyalty to Trump, a controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund, an IRS settlement giving Trump and his family tax immunity, and the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files. His July 15 confirmation hearing produced a defining moment when, asked by Sen. John Kennedy if he and Trump were friends, Blanche replied 'I'm his lawyer' before correcting himself to 'was his lawyer.'

How each side frames it

left
"Todd Blanche has shown himself unable or unwilling to stop prioritizing the interests of Donald Trump above all else"
"In casting off those formative lessons cultivated and practiced by generations of Department of Justice prosecutors... Blanche has emerged as something altogether unrecognizable."
"questioning whether the Justice Department would continue to exist as an entity that serves the American people... if it remains under Blanche's control"
"This nation deserves an attorney general who loves the constitution more than he loves the president... not satisfying the grifter-in-chief's personal grievances"
"the guy at the top of the DOJ, he loves signing off on investigations... He loves letting Judge Jeanine 'Boxwine' Pirro run roughshod"
center
"Blanche focused on staying calm and deflecting tough questions from Democrats and a few skeptical Republicans, emphasizing he could serve as attorney general without White House political interference"
"Blanche, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, deemed the planned fund 'dead,' but acknowledged the underlying settlement had not been formally rescinded."
"The fate of Blanche's nomination hinges on two Republican senators with nothing to lose: Cornyn and Tillis."
"'President Trump trusts me to give him counsel,' Blanche said at one point. 'Counsel does not mean I'm a yes man.'"
"The vote was 50-49."
right
"Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rhetorically duked it out with Senate Democrats and carefully worked to ease GOP concerns about him during a combative Senate Judiciary Committee hearing"
"Under his leadership, violent crime has fallen dramatically and hit record lows. Property crime is also down, as is cartel activity"
"That's an extraordinarily obnoxious question, senator"
"Good. Well, I think he absolutely should be investigated. I think he absolutely should be prosecuted, if at all possible."
"Cornyn and Tillis are just two disgruntled RINO's that can't accept the fact that people are tired of the same old same old"

What each side left out

The left left out — covered by the New York Post & Fox News & WSJ
The right left out — covered by the The Guardian & USA Today & Reuters
The right left out — covered by the Politico & Wonkette & NPR
The left left out — covered by the Reuters & Financial Times & The Guardian
The center left out — covered by the New York Post & Fox News

What's actually true?

[verified] The Senate confirmed Blanche as attorney general by a 50-49 vote, with Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski opposing him along with all Democrats.
[verified] When asked by Sen. John Kennedy if he and Trump were friends, Blanche replied 'I'm his lawyer' before correcting himself to 'was his lawyer.'
[verified] More than 1,200 former DOJ employees signed a letter opposing Blanche's confirmation.
[verified] A federal judge (Kathleen Williams) ruled the Trump-IRS settlement was collusive and referred attorneys, including Blanche, to state bar authorities for possible disciplinary action.
[verified] The $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund and IRS settlement gave Trump, his two oldest sons and his business immunity from tax audits of past returns.
[verified] Blanche declined to meet directly with Epstein survivors present at the hearing, saying he was prohibited from meeting them if they were represented by counsel, a claim Sen. Booker called 'utter nonsense.'
[verified] Blanche acknowledged mistakes in the Epstein files release, saying about 1% of documents required fixes for improper redactions of victims' information.
[verified] Durbin said Blanche told him in a private meeting the anti-weaponization fund was 'a mistake,' quoting Blanche as saying 'What more can I do? What more can I say? I made a mistake.'

The narrative clash

Whether the anti-weaponization fund is truly dead
Left: Blanche 'confirmed that it's not' dead; 'It can't be changed without written consent of the parties, according to the settlement agreement. There is no written consent of the parties, and he agreed that it could be enforced as a matter of contract.'
Right: Blanche stressed that the fund is 'not moving forward' but 'acknowledged that it's still an enforceable document because Trump never formally agreed to end it in writing.'
Blanche's qualifications and character
Left: 'Blanche has shown time and again that his guiding star is fealty to the president, not the constitution' — leading to 'the purge of thousands of experienced career employees.'
Right: 'He has the judgment, experience and character to serve as attorney general... Mr. Blanche listened, pressed for candor, challenged assumptions and demanded that recommendations be rooted in law and fact.'

33 sources analyzed

The New Republic CNN The Bulwark New York Magazine The Washington Post NPR Politico NBC News The Guardian PBS Los Angeles Times USA Today Deadline The Independent CNN wonkette.com WSJ Axios The Hill Reuters ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos Slate Magazine the-independent.com Financial Times Democracy Docket Lawfare Fortune Courthouse News Border Report WCBD 2 CBS 17 New York Post Fox News

Perspectivity reads the coverage — not just who published it.

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