Trump Tells White House Gathering He Will Nominate Todd Blanche as Attorney General

Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday night that he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the AG position, which will require Senate confirmation.

Trump made the announcement at a Rose Garden event, where he told attendees he would make Blanche the “permanent attorney general.” Dan Scavino, assistant to the president, posted Trump’s announcement on X.

The president elevated Blanche to the acting AG role in April after removing Pam Bondi from the post. Blanche, who was previously deputy attorney general, served as the president’s personal attorney. He represented Trump in a 2024 New York case in which the then-former president was indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to cover up extramarital affairs. Trump was found guilty on all counts and was elected president again less than six months later.

On Tuesday, the president was asked whether Blanche would remain as attorney general and replied, “I think he will.”

In his remarks on Wednesday night, Trump said he would formally announce Blanche’s nomination on Thursday.

While Republicans control the Senate 53-47, Blanche’s nomination may not be a slam dunk. Sen. Thom Tillis (NC), who opted not to run for reelection this year, has been a frequent critic of the president. Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA), who voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment, was defeated by a Trump-backed GOP primary challenger last month. Sen. John Cornyn (TX) was also defeated by a Trump-supported challenger. Meanwhile, Sen. Susan Collins (ME) is currently in a tight race to defend her seat in a mostly blue state.

Last July, Blanche took the unusual step of interviewing Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who in 2021, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for child sex trafficking. Maxwell told Blanche that she had never witnessed Trump, a former friend of Epstein’s, engaging in illegal activity. After the interview, the Department of Justice transferred Maxwell to a lower security facility.

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