Blanche grilled over Epstein files 'mistakes' and Trump ties during Capitol Hill hearings

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced rigorous questioning during his Senate confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on July 15, 2026, as he sought to become the permanent Attorney General. Lawmakers primarily pressed Blanche on two contentious issues: the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and his connections to former President Donald Trump, particularly regarding a controversial IRS settlement.

During the hearing, Blanche admitted to "mistakes" in the redaction of victims' names within the released Epstein files, expressing regret for these errors. He characterized the overall process of releasing the documents as a "herculean task" and defended the Department of Justice's efforts, although he declined to commit to personally meeting with Epstein's survivors, citing ethical considerations.

Additionally, Blanche was extensively interrogated about his past role as Trump's personal attorney and a Justice Department settlement with the IRS involving the former president. This settlement included a now-abandoned $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies and provisions that critics argued granted broad tax immunity to Trump and his family. While defending aspects of the settlement as standard, Blanche conceded the fund was "dead" and attempted to assert his independence from Trump, stating he was not merely a "yes man" for the president.