Senate panel advances Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination amid disputes over Trump administration fund

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general on Aug. 4, 2026, clearing the nomination for consideration by the full Senate as lawmakers approached the August recess.

The committee action moved President Donald Trump’s nominee closer to a decision on who will lead the Justice Department. It did not confirm Blanche, and the reporting does not establish when a full-Senate vote will occur or what its outcome will be.

Blanche’s nomination advanced during a politically contentious committee process. The next known step is possible consideration by the full Senate, either before or after the chamber’s August recess period.

The next material development will be a Senate decision on whether and when to take up the nomination. That vote will determine whether Blanche moves from nominee to attorney general and will clarify the political standing of the administration’s choice amid the disputes that shaped the committee process.