One Republican defection sinks Blanche's attorney general confirmation

Todd Blanche, 51, Trump's former personal lawyer and current acting attorney general, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15, 2026, for confirmation hearings. With Democrats unified against him, a single Republican "no" vote is enough to block his nomination. Reports from mid-June show Republicans were still weighing their support. The committee's narrow margins make the hearing itself, rather than any floor vote, the decisive moment.