Trump's Former Lawyer Confirmed as Attorney General After Tight Vote

Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Donald Trump, has been confirmed as the U.S. Attorney General after a very close vote in the Senate. Fifty senators voted in favor of his appointment, while 49 voted against it. This decision concluded a contentious confirmation process that had been ongoing for weeks.

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The American Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer to U.S. President Donald Trump, in the office of Attorney General early this morning.

Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, reportedly cast their votes against Blanche, who is considered an ally of Trump. The deciding vote came from Senator Bill Cassidy, who only committed to supporting Blanche on Friday. This narrow margin highlights the deep divisions surrounding the nomination.

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The vote was extremely close. Fifty senators approved the appointment while 49 voted against it.

Democrats have strongly opposed Blanche's confirmation, arguing that Trump is attempting to use the Justice Department as a political tool against his opponents. Dick Durbin, the lead Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused Blanche of continuing to act as Trump's personal lawyer and treating the Justice Department as if it served only one client.

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Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted with the Democrats against Blanche.

Prior to his government service, Blanche was a key figure in Trump's legal defense. He represented Trump in a New York criminal case concerning payments to Stormy Daniels and was part of the legal team in two federal cases: one involving the handling of classified documents and another concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Both of these cases were dismissed following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election.

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Democrats have strongly criticized his appointment, accusing Trump of using the Justice Department as a political weapon against his opponents.