Blanche catches himself when asked if he's friends with Trump at Senate confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON, DC: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche briefly referred to himself as President Donald Trump's lawyer before correcting himself during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, drawing fresh attention to his relationship with the president.

The exchange came as senators scrutinized whether the acting attorney general can remain independent while leading the Justice Department amid questions about his past legal work for Trump.

Todd Blanche corrects himself during Trump question

The moment unfolded when Sen John Kennedy (R-La) asked Blanche a direct question: "Are you and President Trump friends?"

Blanche initially responded, "I'm his lawyer," then paused and corrected himself, saying, "Was his lawyer."

The brief stumble came during a high-stakes confirmation hearing where lawmakers examined his close ties to Trump alongside broader concerns about the Justice Department's direction under his leadership.

Blanche served as Trump's personal attorney before becoming deputy attorney general and has led the department in an acting capacity since April after Trump removed Pam Bondi.

His legal efforts previously delayed Trump's sentencing in his New York criminal case until after the 2024 election.

Opening the hearing, Blanche argued the department was restoring confidence in federal law enforcement.

"In recent years, we watched the Justice Department turn against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public's faith in justice," he said. "We are fixing that."

He also told senators he was "here today to earn your trust once more" as his nomination faced uncertainty, with indications that Republican Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas could oppose him.

Democrats question Todd Blanche's independence

Sen Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee's top Democrat, used the hearing to challenge Blanche over the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and his role in facilitating the legal settlement tied to Trump's short-lived $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund.

"This nation deserves an attorney general who loves the Constitution more than he loves the president," Durbin said.

He continued, "An attorney general who is focused on keeping Americans safe and combating corruption — not satisfying the grifter-in-chief's personal grievances and filling his bank accounts."

Durbin concluded with a direct rebuke: "Mr Blanche, you have proven beyond a reasonable doubt you are not that person."

Chuck Grassley defends DOJ record under Todd Blanche

Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) pushed back against Democratic criticism, praising Blanche's leadership and the department's responsiveness to congressional oversight.

Grassley called the current Justice Department "the most responsive" he has worked with over his decades in the Senate.

He said the department has produced approximately 43,000 pages of records in response to congressional requests since January 2025, describing that total as "three times" the number provided by the Biden Justice Department over a comparable period.