Todd Blanche’s loyalty to Trump questioned in Senate confirmation hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun two days of questioning with interim Attorney General Todd Blanche as he seeks confirmation to permanently lead the Department of Justice. The hearings center on scrutiny regarding Blanche's loyalty to President Trump and whether he will maintain the independence of the federal law enforcement agency.

Blanche previously served as Trump's personal attorney, representing him in cases including a New York state trial resulting in Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. He was confirmed as deputy attorney general in March 2025 before assuming the acting attorney general role following Pam Bondi's April resignation. This confirmation process is expected to be more intensive than his previous Senate scrutiny.

In his opening statement, Blanche attempted to preempt concerns about his independence by characterizing his role as correcting previous departmental problems rather than serving Trump's interests. He highlighted FBI data showing violent crime declining in 2025, continuing a downward trend since the COVID-19 pandemic, and emphasized the Justice Department's efforts against cartels and drug trafficking.

Blanche is likely to face questioning about efforts to prosecute Trump's political rivals and critics, including former FBI Director James Comey. In May, he oversaw a controversial civil settlement in a lawsuit by Trump against the Internal Revenue Service that shielded Trump and his family from future tax investigations. He has also taken a central role in handling the Jeffrey Epstein files, with critics questioning whether Trump administration members have attempted to shield powerful figures through excessive redactions, given Trump's previous relationship with Epstein.

During his opening remarks, Blanche made minimal reference to his relationship with Trump, stating only that he was "exceedingly grateful" for his support. He echoed Trump's assertions that the Justice Department was "weaponized" against Trump and his allies prior to the Republican leader's second term, claiming recent years witnessed the department turned against many senators and a former president, damaging public faith.