White House Steps Up Push for Todd Blanche’s Swift Confirmation as Attorney General

With just one week before the Senate’s August recess, the White House is intensifying efforts to secure Senate confirmation of Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General.

In a Friday press release, the administration said Blanche "should be confirmed by the U.S. Senate without delay," citing endorsements from law-enforcement groups, state attorneys general, former Justice Department officials and other organizations described as "united in demanding [Blanche's] expeditious confirmation."

Sen. Marco Rubio urged the Senate to act before it adjourns for the recess, posting on X that Blanche "has been an invaluable partner in advancing President Trump's agenda" and arguing the Senate "should not leave for recess without confirming him as Attorney General."

A White House official, Brooke Rollins, also publicly called on senators to move forward with the nomination, saying it was time for the Senate to confirm Blanche.

Blanche has served as acting attorney general since Pam Bondi was removed from the post in April. His formal confirmation process was jolted this week after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote that would have moved his nomination forward.

Two Republican senators have signaled they may withhold support unless they receive written assurance from the Justice Department that a proposed $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" tied to a settlement in former President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS has been definitively eliminated. The fund was intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were unfairly targeted by government investigations.

Sen. John Cornyn said he had not yet received written confirmation that the fund had been cancelled, and emphasized the need for settlements to reflect the same terms available to ordinary citizens.

President Trump escalated pressure on Thursday by saying he might temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination if senators "do not do the right thing," and suggested renominating him after certain senators leave office. Speaking at a Camp David Cabinet meeting on Friday, Trump defended his stance toward holdout senators and said he understood political repercussions tied to endorsements and primary challenges.

The administration’s push makes clear it hopes to secure a confirmation vote before senators depart for recess, while the holdouts are seeking explicit, written assurances about the fate of the disputed fund before offering their support.