Todd Blanche has been confirmed as the US Attorney General following a vote in the US Senate. This confirmation is seen as a major victory for President Donald Trump, as Blanche previously served as his personal attorney.
The deciding vote was cast by Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted against Blanche's nomination, as did every Democrat.
Blanche's nomination had been pending for weeks and faced opposition from some Republican senators regarding a proposed $1.8bn "anti-weaponization fund" and tax immunity for the president, his sons, and business. He also faced criticism for the Department of Justice's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina secured written assurances from Blanche that the fund would not proceed and clarifications on an IRS deal, leading them to support his nomination.