New Attorney General Nominated By Trump

President Trump announced he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Justice Department, formalizing the role for the former defense attorney who has become one of the administration’s most prominent legal figures.

The nomination paperwork is expected to be submitted Thursday.

Trump revealed the decision in a video shared late Wednesday, praising Blanche’s performance as acting attorney general and signaling his intention to keep him in the position long term.

“We are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump said, adding that the nomination process would begin immediately.

The White House also voiced strong support for Blanche, describing him as a trusted ally who has played a key role in advancing the administration’s legal priorities.

“Todd Blanche has done an excellent job as acting Attorney General and will continue doing so as Attorney General,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. She added that Trump is pleased with Blanche’s work and views him as a loyal supporter who defended the president during years of legal battles.

The nomination comes shortly after a setback for Blanche involving the Justice Department’s controversial “anti-weaponization” fund.

Blanche had spent weeks defending the nearly $1.8 billion program, which was created as part of a settlement tied to Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS. The fund was designed to compensate people who claimed they were unfairly targeted by government agencies.

However, opposition from Senate Republicans intensified after concerns emerged that some January 6 defendants could potentially qualify for payments. Facing growing criticism, Blanche moved to end the program earlier this week.

Despite shutting down the fund, Blanche has maintained other provisions connected to the settlement, including restrictions on future IRS audits of Trump’s previous tax returns.

Trump, meanwhile, has continued to praise the concept behind the fund, calling it “a beautiful thing” and suggesting he was uncertain whether it was truly finished.

Before entering the administration, Blanche served as Trump’s criminal defense attorney. He represented the president during his 2024 hush-money case and also defended him against federal prosecutions brought by former special counsel Jack Smith.

Blanche has been running the Justice Department on an acting basis since Trump replaced former Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year. Reports indicated Trump had grown frustrated with Bondi over what he viewed as a lack of progress in pursuing political opponents.

During his time at the department, Blanche has taken an aggressive approach toward critics, judges, and legal organizations, frequently defending the administration’s positions and pushing back against what he describes as politically motivated legal actions.

His path to confirmation may face renewed scrutiny. Blanche was previously confirmed as deputy attorney general by a narrow Senate vote, but that was before the controversy surrounding the anti-weaponization fund and the increasingly tense political battles within the Republican Party.

The Senate will now decide whether to approve Trump’s choice to permanently lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency.