Senate panel grills Blanche on loyalty and DOJ independence

The United States Senate Judiciary Committee has begun a two-day confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche, the interim Attorney General, as he seeks to lead the Department of Justice. The proceedings, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, are dominated by scrutiny regarding Blanche’s loyalty to President Donald Trump and his ability to uphold the department’s prosecutorial independence. Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer, is facing intense questioning over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the dropping of federal indictments against the president, and a controversial civil settlement with the Internal Revenue Service that shielded Trump from tax investigations.

In his opening statement on Wednesday, Blanche attempted to frame the hearing as a restoration of public trust, citing FBI data showing a drop in violent crime in 2025 and highlighting efforts to combat drug trafficking. He echoed Trump’s assertions that the justice department had been previously weaponised against the president and his allies, claiming the administration was fixing these issues. However, senators from both parties have raised significant concerns, with Republican John Cornyn and Democrat Richard Durbin leading the challenge to Blanche’s confirmation.

A central point of contention is a civil settlement reached between Trump and the IRS, which granted protection from tax investigations while establishing a nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponisation fund for alleged victims of political prosecutions. A federal judge recently voided this settlement, accusing Blanche and others of bending court rules to serve the president’s interests. During the hearing, Cornyn questioned the abandonment of the fund, noting that there is no written agreement from Trump to delete it, despite Blanche maintaining under oath that the fund is dead and that the president has no power over it.

Senator Richard Durbin accused Blanche of prioritising personal loyalty to the president over his duties as attorney general. Durbin cited Blanche’s April statement declaring he would love the president regardless of personnel decisions, arguing that Blanche’s tenure at the department has been defined by his role as Trump’s personal attorney. The hearing also touches on Blanche’s role in dropping federal indictments against Trump, including charges related to the 2020 election and classified documents, which occurred shortly after the president returned to office.

Blanche’s confirmation remains uncertain, with the process potentially scuttled if a single Republican senator breaks ranks. Following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, only one member of the committee needs to oppose Blanche to halt the nomination. Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn are viewed as the most likely opponents, with Tillis retiring at the end of his term and Cornyn having lost his primary race to a Trump-backed challenger. Legal scholars have noted that even without confirmation, Trump could retain Blanche in an acting capacity for several months.