Blanche Confirmation Hearing, US and Strait of Hormuz, ICE Vehicle Stops

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faces a confirmation hearing today before the Senate Judiciary Committee to lead the Justice Department on a permanent basis — and his path to confirmation is unusually narrow. Republicans hold a slim Senate majority, Democrats are united in opposition, and even a couple of GOP defections could sink his nomination.

Blanche's confirmation fight

Blanche has been at the center of a Justice Department that has been in "turmoil" during the second Trump administration, according to NPR's Carrie Johnson. He previously served as Trump's personal attorney, then became the number two official at the DOJ, and was elevated to acting attorney general in April after Trump pushed out Pam Bondi.

Democrats plan to press Blanche on several fronts. They argue he has destroyed the Justice Department's traditional independence from the White House, weaponized it against Trump's perceived political enemies, and made it subservient to the president. The list of grievances includes DOJ investigations into Trump critics, questions about whether the department handled the Jeffrey Epstein files to shield Trump from embarrassment, and the now-defunct $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" that was part of a settlement with Trump to end his lawsuit against the IRS.