Trump’s pick for Attorney General, Todd Blanche, heads into his Senate confirmation hearing facing a federal judge’s sanctions ruling, a mass exodus of career Justice Department lawyers, and angry Epstein survivors — all before he answers a single question under oath.
Story Highlights
- Blanche served as Trump’s personal criminal defense attorney from 2023–2025 before becoming Acting Attorney General in April 2026.
- A federal judge sanctioned Blanche just days before his hearing for filing a lawsuit against the IRS that the court called improper.
- About 16,000 career Department of Justice employees — roughly 25% of all attorneys — have left under Blanche’s watch.
- Epstein survivors are publicly demanding senators vote no, saying Blanche withheld millions of court-ordered files and exposed victim identities.
From Defense Lawyer to Acting Attorney General
Todd Blanche left his law firm in 2023 to represent Donald Trump as his personal criminal defense attorney. He worked on multiple high-profile cases, including the Stormy Daniels hush money trial and the federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith. Now Trump has nominated him to lead the entire Department of Justice (DOJ) as Attorney General. His confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is set for July 15–16, 2026.
Blanche has served as Acting Attorney General since April 2026, following Pam Bondi’s departure. At his earlier Deputy Attorney General confirmation hearing, he called the federal and state prosecutions of Trump a “gross abuse” of the justice system. He also pledged to keep politics out of DOJ decisions — a promise critics say his record already contradicts.
Federal Judge Sanctions Blanche Days Before Hearing
In May 2026, a federal district court judge in Miami imposed Rule 11 sanctions on Trump’s legal team, including Blanche, for filing a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Judge Kathleen Williams ruled the lawsuit was filed for “improper purposes” — specifically to legitimize an immunity agreement — and said it tried to divert taxpayer dollars for grievances “not defined in the law.” The ruling landed just days before Blanche’s confirmation hearing, giving senators fresh ammunition.
Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn have not committed to voting yes. Both want written confirmation about Blanche’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and whether it is truly shut down. Cornyn also raised concerns about a deal that critics say gave Trump associates what amounts to a permanent IRS audit exemption. Blanche told senators the fund has “no limitation on the claims” and is not tied to any party or specific case — but he has not produced budget records or internal documents to back that up.
Mass Staff Departures Raise Alarm
Stacey Young, founder of Justice Connection, told the Senate Judiciary Committee that roughly 16,000 career DOJ employees have left since Blanche took over — about 25% of all DOJ attorneys. Young warned this threatens the department’s ability to handle basic law enforcement functions. More than 1,200 former DOJ officials signed a letter urging the Senate to reject Blanche’s nomination, citing what they called unlawful firings and politically driven prosecutions.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche heads to a high-stakes Senate confirmation hearing this Wednesday. With Senator Thom Tillis positioned as the critical swing vote, the DOJ’s leadership future hangs in the balance. pic.twitter.com/3Q8uNoTUbj
— Azat TV (@azattelevision) July 15, 2026
A group of 101 former judges also filed an ethics grievance against Blanche with the New York State Bar, where he is licensed. They allege he violated professional ethics rules by representing both Trump personally and the DOJ at the same time — a direct conflict of interest under federal legal standards. No ruling on that grievance has been made public yet.
Epstein Survivors Demand Answers
Epstein survivors Liz Stein and Joanna Harrison recorded a public service announcement asking senators to vote against Blanche. They say he released only 6 million of the 8.5 million files required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, leaving 2.5 million documents withheld. They also say the released files exposed victim identities while redacting the names of alleged perpetrators — the opposite of what survivors asked for.
Harrison also criticized Blanche for meeting privately with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell before she was transferred to a lower-security prison in Texas. Blanche’s team cited “safety concerns” as the reason for the transfer, but survivors say that explanation puts Maxwell’s comfort ahead of victims’ rights. Senate Democrats sent a letter on the eve of the hearing demanding Blanche meet with Epstein survivors before testifying — a request his office had not fulfilled as of the hearing date.
What to Watch at the Hearing
Blanche’s confirmation is expected to move largely along party lines, with most Republicans likely to back him. But the combination of a fresh judicial sanctions ruling, a mass staff exodus, unresolved ethics complaints, and loud opposition from Epstein survivors makes this one of the more contentious Attorney General hearings in recent memory. Senators on both sides will be pressing Blanche on whether he can truly run the nation’s top law enforcement agency independently from the man who hired him as a personal lawyer just two years ago.
