Trump nominates Todd Blanche to serve permanently as attorney general

Acting in the role since April, Blanche faces Senate confirmation after controversial DoJ moves

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Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche to serve permanently as attorney general, lining up his former personal lawyer to be the country’s ⁠top ⁠law ⁠enforcement officer.

The US president suggested earlier this week that Blanche, who was appointed on an acting basis in April after the president fired Pam Bondi , was set to receive the nod. “He’s a very talented guy,” Trump told a podcast.

Under Blanche – a staunch ally of Trump – the US Department of Justice has pursued a series of controversial actions, including the unveiling of criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, representing an escalation of its investigation into former CIA director, John Brennan, and the removal of press releases about prosecutions of rioters who attacked the US Capitol on January 6.

Blanche also played a key role in the effort to create a $1.8bn secretive fund to compensate Trump’s allies. On Tuesday, he abruptly announced the fund had been axed , amid widespread condemnation of the plan.

The appointment will require confirmation in the US Senate, where even Republicans pushed back against the proposed fund.