What Blanche said about Trump, Epstein files during confirmation hearing for attorney general

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-blanche-said-about-trump-epstein-files-during-confirmation-hearing Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What Blanche said about Trump, Epstein files during confirmation hearing Politics Jul 15, 2026 7:34 PM EDT Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tried to assert his independence from President Donald Trump during his confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "President Trump trusts me to give him counsel," said Blanche, who is Trump's former defense attorney. "Counsel does not mean a 'yes man.'" In his opening statement, Blanche said he was there to earn the lawmakers' "trust once more," saying he welcomed fair questions from committee members "about the hard debates of the past year." Senators took that invitation, pressing Blanche about his relationship with Trump, the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files and Trump's IRS lawsuit settlement. Watch the clip in the player above. Blanche stepped into the role of acting attorney general after Pam Bondi was fired in early April. In March 2025, the Senate approved his nomination as deputy attorney general. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. "The Senate has already judged your fitness for high office and confirmed you as the department's second in command," committee chair Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in his opening statement. "Today we consider you for a promotion. and we're not starting out from a blank slate." Grassley said Blanche "should take pride in delivering the law enforcement promise the American people voted for in 2024." Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said Blanche should not be confirmed. "This isn't a confirmation hearing. This is more of a performance review," Booker said. "And clearly when it comes to the treatment of Epstein victims, when it comes to politically motivated prosecutions, when it comes from avoiding appearance of impropriety with corporations, you failed." Here are major takeaways from the confirmation hearing. Blanche says he didn't discuss IRS settlement with Trump Since taking the top role at the Justice Department, Blanche has faced the most scrutiny over a deal to settle Trump's $10 billion lawsuit over the IRS' leaking of his personal tax returns. The settlement granted Trump, whose family business has been convicted of criminal tax fraud, immunity from tax audits. It also included the creation of a nearly $1.8 billion fund to pay people who say they were victims of government "weaponization." The fund has since been scrapped following bipartisan criticism. On Monday, a federal judge said Trump's lawsuit was filed for an "improper purpose" that misused the court system. WATCH: Schiff grills Blanche on Trump tax settlement Several lawmakers asked Blanche about his role in the se