Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as part of his confirmation hearings to become Attorney General. A key moment came from Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who indicated support for Blanche’s performance during the hearing, noting, “I think you’re doing very well, Mr. Blanche.” Tillis, considered a crucial vote on the committee, praised Blanche’s approach in managing contentious issues during his tenure as acting Attorney General.

Senator Tillis highlighted Blanche’s prior actions, including blocking President Donald Trump’s controversial nominee for the district prosecutor position, Ed Martin, and his role in delaying the confirmation of a new Federal Reserve chair until an inquiry into Jerome Powell was dropped. Tillis also pressed Blanche on the Justice Department’s recently proposed “anti-weaponization” fund, which allocated $1.776 billion in payouts aimed at addressing grievances from MAGA supporters. The proposal faced broad criticism, and the department announced it would not proceed with the fund. Tillis expressed strong disapproval, referring to it as a “turkey,” and suggested that Congress should pass legislation to permanently prevent its reinstatement. Blanche agreed publicly, indicating he would be willing to provide technical assistance on drafting such legislation.

On issues related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, Blanche told the committee that individuals who assaulted law enforcement officers during the event “should have been prosecuted.” Although he was not serving as acting Attorney General at the time of President Trump’s pardons for some participants, his comments aligned with the Justice Department’s broader prosecutorial stance on the matter.

Nevertheless, some Senators voiced concerns about Blanche’s ability to resist pressure from the President and his allies. Critics noted ongoing investigations and prosecutions of several figures associated with Trump, including former national security adviser John Bolton and former FBI director James Comey, questioning the priorities of the department under Blanche’s leadership. Email exchanges disclosed earlier this week between Blanche and Ed Martin suggested that Blanche endeavored to limit political motivations influencing prosecutorial decisions.

Blanche’s confirmation is poised to be a closely contested issue, in part because of the polarized political environment surrounding the Justice Department’s actions. Supporters argue that having a confirmed Attorney General could provide stronger institutional authority to reject the more extreme proposals that might emerge from the White House. Opponents remain wary about whether Blanche can maintain impartiality in the face of partisan pressures. The Judiciary Committee, evenly divided with 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, will weigh these considerations as Blanche’s nomination moves forward.