US Senate Approves Trump’s Ex-Lawyer as Attorney General

The US Senate has confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General with a narrow margin of 50-49 votes.

This appointment gives President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer formal leadership of the Justice Department. Blanche had been leading the department as acting Attorney General since April, after Trump removed Pam Bondi from the top position.

The confirmation comes after a long and intense political battle. Some Republican senators, along with the Democratic Party, have expressed concerns about handing over leadership of such a crucial department to someone close to the President.

In the US, the independence of the Attorney General has long been considered important. Blanche’s confirmation was approved by the minimum margin of one vote. Republican Senators Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski voted against him, deviating from their party line.

After Trump’s re-election, Blanche played a significant role in restructuring the Justice Department. He has been accused of working to align the department’s priorities with the President’s policies.

Earlier on Saturday, US senators walked out of the Senate without passing a strict voting bill linked to citizenship proof, as requested by President Trump. This ended the stalemate that had been ongoing for several days.

The Senate approved several important bills and proposals during the overnight voting process, but did not move forward with Trump’s priority, the ‘Save America Act’.