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

President Donald Trump has nominated Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, to officially take over the role of attorney general, the top law enforcement position in the United States.

Currently, Blanche serves as attorney general in an interim capacity. But the Federal Vacancies Reform Act generally caps such temporary leaders at 210 days.

As of Monday, he has served in the role for roughly 67 days, since the April 2 firing of his predecessor, Pam Bondi. Naming a nominee, however, could allow Trump to legally extend the interim period beyond 210 days.

Blanche’s nomination sets him up for what is expected to be a heated Senate confirmation hearing.

But it will not be Blanche’s first time enduring a Senate grilling. Last year, on March 5, he was successfully confirmed as deputy attorney general in a party-line vote of 52 to 46, with all the Senate’s Democrats in opposition.

Republicans hold a narrow 53-seat majority in the 100-person chamber.

Still, the past year has raised new questions about Blanche’s ability to lead the Department of Justice, a key law enforcement body in charge of investigations, prosecutions and the federal prison system, among other duties.

While Senate confirmations only require a simple majority, there are concerns that Blanche’s tenure so far may have divided Republicans in the chamber.