Senators waver on Todd Blanche confirmation amid Epstein files questions

newsJul 22, 2026176,981

Senators are wavering on Todd Blanche’s nomination as Attorney General as questions mount over his handling of Justice Department priorities and Epstein-related materials. Blanche, Trump’s former criminal-defense lawyer who has served as acting Attorney General since Pam Bondi’s firing, was formally nominated last Monday after a year as Deputy Attorney General; the Senate previously confirmed him 52, 46 for that post. Reporting and advocacy pieces say Blanche pushed politicized prosecutions, reopened probes such as an investigation into John Brennan led by Joseph diGenova, promoted thin indictments like the James Comey seashells charge, and oversaw a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that included an addendum barring future IRS audits of the Trump family. Survivors and some senators have pressed Blanche about his handling of Epstein-related files; commentator Katie Phang faulted Blanche’s legal response as inadequate, and Senator Mazie Hirono questioned his attitude during a meeting with survivors. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski remains undecided, and reporters note the Justice Department has recently directed significant funding to Alaska, a factor Murkowski has historically weighed when casting confirmation votes. The nomination’s path is uncertain as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to vote and as Republican support shows signs of strain.

MeidasTouch

@meidastouch.com

Katie Phang on Todd Blanche's latest response in her Epstein lawsuit: "The fact it took them seven days to write two and a third pages of nothing ... They don't know what they're doing. They are swimming in the deep end and they don't have their baby floaties to help them."

62804h ago

MeidasTouch189

Watch the full report here: www.youtube.com/watch?si=Dc8...

Blue Girl ✊❌👑31

I'm glad Katie is on our team. #BadAssWomen

Keith27

Not only don't they have floatties, they're carrying around a large orange anchor.

🇺🇸🇨🇿🇺🇦⚫24

I’d put it slightly differently. You’ve nailed them. There is no response they could make that wouldn’t be even worse for them. Bravo! And thank you! Now, ask the judge for a Special Master. Even if they stumble into an appeal, the Special Master can do his work.

Jay Lee18

Give 'em hell Katie Phang! In Trumpistan, it seems to always take a woman to have the balls to do battle. The men shrank theirs away.

socalbeachrat.bsky.social16

Katie is working her way into the Solicitor General position for the next Democrat AG. Keep going Katie!

Quoting this

😈 Leela The Monster 🧛‍♀️5

Gods, I love @katiephang.bsky.social 💜

🖇️Patty_M57 @patty--m574

💢RELEASE THE DAMN TRUMP AND EPSTEIN FILE!!

Melanie 🐝🐝3

Katie Phang sends 🔥🔥🔥 to Todd Blanche's pathetic response.

Aaron Parnas

@aaronparnas.bsky.social

NEWS: Todd Blanche's confirmation is in possible trouble. Republicans struggle to get the votes as another Epstein survivor courageously testifies. House passes $1.15 trillion for the Pentagon, including Section 219 (US/Israeli cooperation). Trump allows Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear weapon.

4314h ago

Alana14

This should die in the Senate. All of it.

Holli Winters6

Unfortunately, too many Republicans give lip service to the media that they are troubled by Blanche's actions but will still vote to confirm him. 🤬

Charles Lustig6

Tillis and Cornyn will cave.

BecKay4

To sum it up, we're fucked.

SESgamer3

Wait isn’t this the same defense bill that includes aspects of the SAVE America Act!?

network engineer gone rogue obviously3

This is all jokes though right. It’s all theater. Of course they’re going to confirm Blanche. Why would they not? They didn’t suddenly find morals or ethics

Raw Story

@rawstory.com

Acting Attorney General #ToddBlanche is withholding foreign-language Epstein documents that could be used to bring new charges against convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, former MS NOW anchor and attorney Katie Phang warned.

564h ago

Dougi2

Blanche still defying SCOTUS ruling to release ALL Epstein files. He must be supenered and face the Courts for this defiance.

Jill, MA Leguminati 🫘 ✍️1

He should NEVER be confirmed. Disbarred, tried, and convicted.

CricketEden ❤️🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇲🇽 🇩🇰 🇵🇦1

There need to be state charges that tRump can't pardon.

Josh Gerstein

@joshgerstein.bsky.social

NEW: As Todd Blanche courts wobbly GOP votes on his confirmation as AG, the Justice Department is showering a lot of attention and $$$ on Alaska, whose Sen. Lisa Murkowski hasn't said yet whether she's a yes or a no. w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social & Chris Marquette www.politico.com/news/2026/07...

383h ago

🦋🇨🇦Sarrah🇨🇦🦋4

She's a yes, she is ALWAYS a yes.

Headquarters

@headquartersnews.bsky.social

Sen. Hirono: How would you describe Todd Blanche's attitude to you in the meeting with Epstein survivors? Epstein survivor: We had been requesting meetings for months. It's not lost on us that this meeting only happened because Sen. Tillis made it a requirement

504h ago

The Watchdog Coalition

@thewatchdogco.bsky.social

The confirmation process is exposing Blanche’s deep conflicts and his handling of the Epstein files. Putting him in charge of the DOJ is a direct threat to independent justice. Pressure your Senators to oppose this nomination.

401h ago

Senator Mazie K. Hirono

@hirono.senate.gov

Since Todd Blanche couldn't answer simple yes-or-no questions in his confirmation hearing to be Attorney General, I thought I'd show him how it's done.

284h ago

Ellie Leonard

@redpencilscript.bsky.social

I don’t know if anyone else caught Chuck Grassley’s interesting choice of words after Todd Blanche’s testimony last week. #EpsteinFiles

164h ago

mimi-31.bsky.social3

I thought "performance" was a bad choice to describe a hearing under oath...

Rev. Pop1

Grassley basically promised Blanche he was going to be confirmed. I caught that much.

Legal Defense Fund

@legaldefensefund.bsky.social

🚨 WE NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Todd Blanche's nomination. Yes, the same Todd Blanche who served as the President's personal attorney. Call your senator today at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to vote NO.

54h ago

Patsy “Resistance Kitty” Evans Ph.D.

@drharmony.net

Todd Blanche Has Mutated DOJ into Trump’s Criminal Defense Firm, Destroying Its Independence open.substack.com/pub/graveinj...

114h ago

American Bridge 21st Century

@ab21.bsky.social

This is a MUST READ investigation that shows exactly why Todd Blanche isn’t fit to be Attorney General. Blanche was part of a team that disrupted an investigation into the murder of Renée Good and characterized her as a domestic terrorist.

64h ago

💙Jack 💙 🙏🌎🌍🌏🕊️🙏🇺🇦

@furbehrrr.bsky.social

NEWS: Todd Blanche Confirmation in Trouble, Epstein Survivor Courageously Testifies, House Passes $1.15 Trillion Defense Bill, and More AARON PARNAS JUL 22 aaronparnas.substack.com/p/news-todd-...

33h ago

Michael McKeon

@grinch67.bsky.social

Blanche Built Trump a $1.776 Billion Fund. Now Two Republicans Won't Confirm Him. open.substack.com/pub/narativ/...

32h ago

dharmalee3❌👑

@dharmalee3.bsky.social

Stein finally got her moment before Todd Blanche — the meeting survivors waited years for. Instead of listening, he dismissed her questions and handed her half-truths. She walked out not with answers, but with the same hollow feeling Epstein left her with: unseen. Still, she hasn’t stopped asking.

31h ago

Dann

@dann1960.bsky.social

youtu.be/g-hBxnyWjm8 #nicollewallace Republican Senators are wavering on voting to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General, as he refuses to completely rule out the $1.8B slush fund for January 6th rioters. Nicolle Wallace | MS NOW

52h ago

3 sources

politico.comLisa Murkowski is undecided on Blanche’s confirmation. Her state is getting a windfall from DOJ.newyorker.comWhy Todd Blanche Should Not Be Attorney General open.substack.comTodd Blanche Has Mutated DOJ into Trump’s Criminal Defense Firm, Destroying Its Independence

House passes $1.15 trillion defense bill, tees up Iran war fundsnews U.S. signs civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabianews NYC Mayor Mamdani says Netanyahu is a war criminal and explores arrest if he visitsnews Senators waver on Todd Blanche confirmation amid Epstein files questionsnews

Senators waver on Todd Blanche confirmation amid Epstein files questions

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