Trump’s Ex-Personal Lawyer Is Sworn In as Attorney General After Two GOP Senators Defect

Todd Blanche was sworn in as U.S. attorney general during a closed-door Oval Office ceremony Monday, administered by federal appeals court judge Emil Bove, a former colleague on Blanche’s criminal defense team, with President Trump in attendance [1]. The Senate had confirmed Blanche 50-49 the previous Friday after Republicans dropped a controversial proposal to compensate DOJ employees, with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announcing his support that morning to clear the path [2].

Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine crossed over to join all 47 Senate Democrats in voting against the nomination [2]. Blanche served as Trump’s personal defense attorney starting in 2023, representing him against criminal charges tied to hush-money payments, the handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla argued during the confirmation fight that “Todd Blanche claims he was Donald Trump’s personal attorney but is continuing to act as if he’s still Donald Trump’s personal attorney” [3].

Why It Sucks:

Trump Allies and MAGA Republicans

• A loyal AG is finally running the DOJ. Supporters argue Blanche understands firsthand how the department was allegedly weaponized against Trump, making him uniquely positioned to reform it from the inside [3].
• He earned it through a brutal, public fight. Surviving a 50-49 vote and defections from his own party shows Blanche was vetted harder than most nominees, not less [2].
• Personal loyalty isn’t disqualifying, it’s an asset. To this camp, having an attorney general who has already defended the president against what they view as politically motivated prosecutions is a feature, not a conflict [1, 3].

Senate Democrats

• The nation’s top law enforcement job goes to the president’s shield. Democrats argue installing Trump’s own former criminal defense lawyer atop the DOJ erases any pretense of independence between the White House and federal law enforcement [3].
• The confirmation fight itself was a red flag. Unanimous Democratic opposition plus two Republican defections signal that concerns about Blanche crossed party lines, not just partisan reflex [2].
• A compensation fund had to be scrapped to get him through. That Republicans needed to drop a controversial DOJ payout proposal just to secure votes suggests even his own party saw ethical liabilities in the nomination [2].

Institutionalist Republicans and DOJ Career Officials

• Two GOP senators broke ranks for a reason. Murkowski and Collins voting no alongside every Democrat suggests genuine institutional alarm, not partisan gamesmanship, about blurring the line between personal counsel and public prosecutor [2].
• DOJ independence took a hit regardless of party. Career officials who have historically prized the department’s insulation from White House political direction now report to a man whose entire prior legal career centered on defending one client: the president [1, 3].
• The precedent outlasts this administration. Once a president’s personal attorney can become attorney general, future presidents of either party have a playbook for eroding DOJ independence further [3].

Sources & Citations:

[1] CBS News: Blanche sworn in as attorney general, formally taking the reins at the Justice Department
[2] Washington Post: Todd Blanche confirmed as attorney general in narrow Senate vote after tough fight
[3] CNN: How each senator voted on Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation