President Donald Trump‘s first-term Attorney General Bill Barr is making an aggressive public push for Senate Republicans to confirm Todd Blanche as the nation’s next attorney general, arguing the president’s acting Justice Department chief is the best person to lead the department.In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Thursday, Barr wrote that Blanche is “well-qualified” to lead the DOJ permanently, calling him the best person to carry out Trump’s legal and law enforcement agenda while providing “much-needed leadership and stability.”“As someone who has served as attorney general twice and cares deeply about the Justice Department, I believe Mr. Blanche should be confirmed,” Barr wrote. “He is well-qualified and will run the department as effectively as anyone could under President Trump.”
Barr’s public support comes less than three weeks before Blanche is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for confirmation hearings on July 15 and 16. Republicans hope to advance the nomination before the Senate leaves for the August recess, though Blanche must first win over several Republican senators who have yet to commit to supporting him.Among the most closely watched votes is Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who has said he continues to vet Blanche’s record. Tillis previously expressed concerns over Blanche’s now-abandoned proposal to create a roughly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, saying he would need assurances the proposal was permanently dead before supporting the nomination. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), another possible swing vote, has said Blanche assured her the proposal would not move forward.Barr’s endorsement is notable, given the former attorney general once drew the ire of Trump following Trump’s 2020 election defeat. In 2022, Trump slammed him as “a RINO if there ever was one,” referring to a “Republican in name only,” saying he “didn’t have the courage or stamina to go after voter fraud.”The former DOJ head argued that rejecting Blanche would do little to constrain Trump because the president could continue relying on acting officials to lead the DOJ.“It wouldn’t force the president to make a better choice,” Barr wrote. “It will simply invite more chaos and a less desirable appointment.”Instead, Barr said confirming Blanche would strengthen the department by giving him greater authority both within the administration and with foreign counterparts.Barr credited Blanche with helping oversee many of the administration’s signature DOJ initiatives, including violent crime enforcement, immigration enforcement, cartel prosecutions, anti-fraud efforts, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and defending the administration’s regulatory agenda in court.Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department, May 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
