Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, for his confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department permanently. Blanche, who previously served as President Donald Trump's personal criminal defense attorney, faced scrutiny over a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund included in a settlement between Trump and the IRS.

Blanche described his relationship with Trump by initially saying, "I'm his lawyer," before correcting himself to "was his lawyer." The fund was designed to compensate Trump’s allies for alleged persecution by the Biden administration. However, Blanche insisted the fund is "dead for good" and that the Justice Department has no plans to launch it, despite the settlement language in federal court remaining unchanged.

The settlement has drawn bipartisan criticism for granting immunity to Trump, his two oldest sons, his company, and related entities from future tax claims. District Judge Kathleen Williams condemned the agreement as "phony from the beginning," calling it an "improper" product of blatant self-dealing that delivered huge favors at taxpayers' expense.

Senator Cornyn noted that Trump, as the plaintiff, has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund, leaving open the possibility of future lawsuits alleging breach of contract. Blanche acknowledged that the fund "could be revived at a future date," though he claimed authority to kill it on his own, a point that contradicts the notion of a bona fide legal agreement.

Earlier this week, a federal judge in Miami rebuked the Justice Department and sanctioned an attorney for Trump in the IRS case, raising ethical questions about Blanche and other Justice Department officials' conduct. Both Democratic and Republican senators expressed concerns about the Justice Department's handling of the case, emphasizing that any changes to the settlement require agreement from all parties involved.

Despite the controversies, some lawmakers like Senator Tillis indicated conditional support for Blanche, stating, "If we're able to get through the 1776 and get-out-of-audit-free card, then I'm going to support him," referencing the settlement and fund.

Blanche also faces questions about the Justice Department's handling of other politically sensitive matters, including the Jeffrey Epstein files and prosecutions of Trump's perceived political opponents.

Sources