Senate Puts Trump’s Personal Defense Lawyer in Charge of the Justice Department
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General on August 8, 2026, in a 50-49 vote split entirely along party lines. Blanche served as Donald Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney before taking the role. No Republican crossed over. No Democrat voted yes.
The Justice Department is the federal government’s top law enforcement agency. It investigates public corruption, oversees federal prosecutors, and can open or close cases involving the president and his allies. Putting a president’s personal lawyer in charge of that department removes the institutional distance that has historically checked presidential influence over federal investigations.
“If you want to wipe out corruption, you can’t have the president’s personal attorney as the attorney general. You don’t need a PhD in political science to know that.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, post on X, August 8, 2026
Schumer went further, saying every senator who voted to confirm Blanche “has now branded themselves as an enabler.” Democrats had argued across committee hearings that Blanche advanced his career by enabling Trump and had no intention of acting as an independent check on executive power.
Blanche’s Confirmation Is Part of a Broader Pattern on August 8
The Senate did not stop with Blanche. On the same day, it confirmed a separate slate of Trump nominees, including a first-term aide who had refused to testify before a congressional impeachment inquiry. The chamber also passed a government funding bill to prevent a shutdown through the U.S. midterms.
The funding vote kept the government open, but the nomination votes are what reshape the institutions. A Justice Department led by the president’s former personal attorney changes what federal corruption cases get pursued and which ones get buried.
The 50-49 margin shows how thin the Republican majority is. A single senator switching votes would have blocked Blanche. That arithmetic does not change before the midterms, but it does mean every Republican senator who voted yes made the outcome possible.
What You Can Do Now
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Call your senators at (202) 224-3121. If your senator voted to confirm Blanche, tell them you are tracking their confirmation votes and will be watching how the DOJ operates under his leadership. Ask what oversight mechanisms they plan to use.
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Contact the Senate Judiciary Committee directly. The committee oversees the Justice Department. Call the committee at (202) 224-5225 and demand public hearings on DOJ independence and any cases involving the president’s political allies.
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Find your senator’s local office. Show up in person at a town hall or district office. Ask your senator to support legislation requiring the Attorney General to recuse from any matter involving the president who appointed them. Find local offices at senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm.
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Register and confirm your registration before your state’s midterm deadline. The 50-49 margin in the Senate traces directly to who holds Senate seats. Check your registration status at vote.gov.