In brief
Todd Blanche, the Acting U.S. Attorney General, survived a hard‑fought confirmation hearing amid intense scrutiny over his links to Donald Trump, the handling of a trove of Jeffrey Epstein documents, and a $1.7 billion fund created by a Trump‑IRS settlement that has been recently invalidated. Senators questioned his independence, the integrity of the Epstein redactions, and the status of the so‑called anti‑weaponisation fund, to which Blanche confirmed it was effectively dead. The hearing also touched on Trump’s eligibility for a third term and broader concerns about DOJ propriety. The Judiciary Committee will decide whether to advance Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, a decision that hinges on party support and the lingering uncertainty of key senator endorsements.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche survived a stern Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as he seeks a permanent appointment amid scrutiny over his ties to President Donald Trump, management of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and a high‑stakes IRS settlement.
The committee probed whether Blanche can remain independent from the former president, who has a long history of pressuring the Justice Department. Senators also grilled him on the "anti‑weaponisation fund," a $1.7 billion escrow created as part of a Trump‑IRS settlement that a federal judge has recently nullified.
Blanche defended the agency’s redaction of six million Epstein‑related pages, acknowledging that about 1 % required correction. He apologized to survivors and pledged improved oversight, while stressing that the fund was effectively dead and no longer operational.
Key questions included whether Trump is eligible for a third term, whether Blanche had any conflict of interest, and if the Justice Department would initiate an independent probe into the handling of Epstein documents. The committee will next vote to send his nomination forward to the full Senate.
Key Takeaways:
- Blanche reassured senators that the anti‑weaponisation fund is defunct.
- He acknowledged mistakes in redaction of Epstein files and apologized.
- The validity of Trump’s potential third presidential term remains denied.
- Seniority support uncertain, with Senator John Cornyn yet to pledge.
- Full Senate confirmation pending after Judiciary Committee vote.
