Trump says he will nominate Todd Blanche as attorney general

WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump said he plans to nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal attorney, to officially lead the Justice Department.

Trump made the announcement in remarks at a June 3 private dinner at the White House Rose Garden. "We are going to make him permanent attorney general," Trump said in a video of the event posted on social media by Dan Scavino, White House deputy chief of staff.

Blanche was elevated from deputy attorney general to interim AG after Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi in April.

Blanche would need confirmation from the Senate to become attorney general. Republicans hold a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate, but Democrats are working to regain control of the chamber in the November midterm elections.

After intense bipartisan criticism, Blanche said this week that the Justice Department wouldn't move forward on a planned $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund designed to compensate people who claimed they were treated unfairly by justice departments of Democratic administrations.

Critics said the fund was a way for Trump to funnel money to his allies and raised concerns about dollars going to people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.