Trump nominates Todd Blanche as attorney general, setting up Senate fight

Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche to be the permanent Attorney General, a position requiring Senate confirmation. Blanche joined Trump's legal team in March 2023, resigning a lucrative partnership to represent the former president during his initial indictment. After serving as deputy attorney general, Blanche became acting Attorney General in April, overseeing actions such as vacating Proud Boys convictions and initiating investigations into Obama-era officials. His tenure has been marked by career prosecutors leaving the department and judges reprimanding federal prosecutors. Blanche has publicly expressed his dedication to working for Trump, stating he has no aspirations beyond serving the president.

President Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche to serve permanently as the nation's attorney general. Blanche, who has been acting in the role since April after Pam Bondi was removed, is a former personal lawyer for Trump. During his tenure, the Department of Justice has undertaken controversial actions, including pursuing criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and escalating investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan. Blanche was also involved in a proposed secretive fund to compensate Trump's allies, which was recently canceled. The nomination requires confirmation by the US Senate.

President Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche, the acting U.S. Attorney General, for the permanent position. The White House announced the nomination to the Senate on Monday. Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, was appointed to the Justice Department's second-highest role by the president. The article states that Blanche has shown a willingness to use the Justice Department's resources against perceived political opponents of the president and to aid his allies. This nomination is expected to lead to a challenging confirmation process in the Senate due to Blanche's controversial actions.

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton has reportedly agreed to a plea deal in a case concerning the handling of classified documents. Bolton, who served under President Donald Trump but has since become a vocal critic, is expected to plead guilty to one count of illegal retention of sensitive national security documents and pay a fine exceeding $2 million. He was indicted in October on 18 counts under the Espionage Act for allegedly mishandling and sharing classified information, including sending over 1,000 pages of diary entries to relatives. Bolton had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges. The article also mentions other legal actions involving Trump critics, such as James Comey and Letitia James.

John Bolton, former national security advisor to President Trump, is expected to plead guilty in a classified documents case. Prosecutors charged Bolton last October with mishandling classified documents, some marked top secret, during and after his tenure from April 2018 to September 2019. The plea deal reportedly involves a single charge related to "diary-like" entries containing national defense information. Sources familiar with the plea deal indicate Bolton admitted to his actions and wished to avoid potentially releasing further classified information during a defense. This case is seen by some legal experts as distinct from prosecutions of other Trump critics due to the evidence gathered.

Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton has agreed to plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information. This deal with the Justice Department resolves a criminal case filed in October, which originally charged Bolton with 18 counts of retaining or disseminating classified information, including notes he shared with family members while preparing a memoir. Under the agreement, Bolton will pay a $2.25 million fine and faces a maximum of five years in prison, though the deal allows him to avoid jail time, with the final punishment determined by a judge. The plea deal specifically addresses notes shared with relatives, not information published in his book, "The Room Where It Happened." A rearraignment is scheduled for June 26 in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent position. Trump stated he would instruct his staff to initiate the nomination process, which he expects to proceed quickly. Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, assumed leadership of the Justice Department in April. His appointment follows the dismissal of Pam Bondi and amid reported frustration with the department's actions against perceived political opponents. Blanche has encountered criticism from some Republican senators and White House aides regarding a proposed fund for victims of alleged government "weaponization."

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent position. If confirmed by the Senate, Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, would officially become the administration's top prosecutor. Trump stated he would make the nomination "tomorrow" and expressed confidence in a swift Senate confirmation process. Blanche assumed the interim role in April and has defended Trump in various legal cases, including the federal prosecution concerning classified documents. He has also been involved in the Department of Justice's initiative to establish an "anti-weaponisation fund," which has faced opposition and a judicial suspension.

President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer and current acting Attorney General, for the permanent position. Trump stated his plan to formally nominate Blanche on Thursday. Blanche, who was elevated to acting AG after Pam Bondi's departure, has pursued investigations into Trump's perceived opponents and proposed a controversial "Anti-Weaponization Fund" to compensate allies for alleged political persecution. This fund faced bipartisan backlash, leading the Justice Department to scrap the idea. Critics accuse Blanche of acting as Trump's personal lawyer, while he denies politicizing the Justice Department and claims he is rectifying past abuses. Blanche's nomination will require Senate confirmation.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to appear before the House Appropriations Committee to discuss the Justice Department's budget. However, lawmakers are expected to focus on the Trump administration's controversial $1.8 billion fund, which could compensate Trump allies who claim unjust investigations. The administration has paused plans for this fund, which has faced backlash over concerns that January 6th rioters might be eligible for payouts. President Trump is reportedly reconsidering the fund's future due to Republican opposition and legal challenges. A Virginia court has temporarily blocked the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," and the Justice Department has agreed to comply with this order.

The Trump administration is abandoning its nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund following significant political backlash and legal setbacks. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed this decision to House lawmakers, stating the fund would not move forward. This fund was intended as a settlement for a lawsuit Trump filed against the government over alleged mishandling of his tax records. While the $1.8 billion fund is being scrapped, a provision barring future audits of Trump's past tax records will remain in place. The administration faced bipartisan opposition, with concerns raised about the fund's potential beneficiaries and bypass of congressional oversight.

The Trump administration will comply with a court ruling that halted the establishment of a $1.8 billion fund intended to counter "weaponization." Despite the Justice Department's strong disagreement with the decision, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer both expressed their opposition to the fund. Thune suggested the White House should shut it down, while Schumer indicated Democrats would push for legislation to ban it permanently. Former Vice President Mike Pence also criticized the fund, calling it a "bad idea from the start." The article does not specify when the ruling occurred or the exact location of these statements, beyond "Capitol Hill."

The federal government is abandoning a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate Donald Trump's allies, according to acting attorney general Todd Blanche. Blanche stated during a House appropriations committee hearing that the government will not proceed with the fund, though he believes the reasons for its creation, stemming from Trump's claims of government weaponization, remain important. However, an agreement prohibiting the IRS from auditing Trump, his family, and related entities will be maintained. This agreement was part of resolving a lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. The scrapped fund faced significant opposition and legal challenges, including a federal judge blocking action on it.

Donald Trump's Justice Department launched a $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund to compensate alleged victims of "lawfare." Critics, including legal experts and bipartisan members of Congress, decry the fund as a "slush fund" for allies, potentially benefiting January 6 rioters. An addendum to the fund also reportedly blocks IRS action on tax probes of Trump and his businesses. Legal challenges have emerged, with a group of former federal judges filing a motion alleging fraud in the settlement, leading a Miami judge to reopen Trump's lawsuit against the IRS. A Virginia judge also temporarily blocked the fund's setup and dispersal. The Justice Department stated it would abide by the court's ruling, and reports suggest the fund is currently stalled.