Todd Blanche Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Trump Loyalty and Epstein Files

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15 and 16, 2026, to seek permanent confirmation. The hearings focused on Blanche's independence from President Donald Trump, his role in a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" designed to compensate Trump allies, and a settlement granting the president immunity from IRS audits. While Blanche testified under oath that the fund is "dead," Senator John Cornyn challenged this claim, suggesting the settlement remains enforceable and could be revived.

Blanche also faced intense criticism over the Justice Department's release of Jeffrey Epstein files. He admitted that "mistakes were made" regarding redaction errors that exposed victim identities. Survivors, including witness Dani Bensky, alleged that the process compromised their safety. Under pressure from Senator Thom Tillis, the Department of Justice announced that Blanche would meet with survivors within two weeks as a condition for Tillis's potential support.

Democrats and over 1,200 former Justice Department employees opposed the nomination, citing the politicization of the agency. They highlighted the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey and the firing of career prosecutors as evidence of a retribution campaign. Republicans, led by Chuck Grassley, defended Blanche as a necessary "course correction" against previous weaponization. With the recent death of Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican majority on the committee is narrow, making the undecided votes of Senators Tillis and Cornyn critical to the nomination's success.