Blanche Apologizes on Capitol Hill for Epstein File Mistakes and Faces Bipartisan Scrutiny
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche sat before a packed Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, answering a barrage of questions about his past ties to former president Donald Trump, a recently overturned IRS settlement, and the controversial handling of the massive Epstein file trove.
When asked whether he was “friends” with Trump — a query from Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy — Blanche clarified that his relationship was strictly professional, noting he had served as Trump’s lawyer in three major criminal cases, most notably the New York criminal trial. He conveyed, “I was his lawyer, but now I am the deputy attorney general.”
A key focal point was the federal judge’s recent nullification of an $1.7 billion settlement between the Trump family and the IRS. The deal had promised immunity from future audits and created an “anti‑weaponisation fund” for alleged political retaliation victims. Republicans, especially Senator Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, demanded clarification that the fund was dead; Blanche responded, “I am confident it will not, and it should never be paid out.”
The hour-long hearing also turned to the delayed release of the Epstein documents. Legislators and advocates had long demanded the federal government hand over the tens of millions of pages related to the late convicted sex offender’s investigation. Critics argue the Department of Justice used excessive redactions and slowed the release, while survivors protest “the mishandling and mistakes.” Blanche admitted: “There were mistakes that were made, and so approximately 1% of the redactions had to be fixed.” He pledged that the department would continue to work with “dozens of lawyers on call” to issue the documents responsibly.
In the midst of the grilling, Blanche was asked by Democratic Senator Chris Coons whether President Trump could run for a third term. He declined, stating the Constitution bars a president from seeking the office more than twice, thereby saying, “I don’t believe he is,” when the question was asked about 2028 eligibility.
The hearing was not without moments of tension. Blanche upset Senator Sheldon Whitehouse with the remark, “That’s an extraordinarily obnoxious question,” as Whitehouse pressed for comments on FBI Director Kash Patel’s fitness. Later, Senator Cory Booker interrupted Blanche when he attempted to address a proposed media‑merger investigation between Paramount and Warner‑Bros Discovery.
Despite his defense and apology, his nomination remains uncertain. Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas has yet to give the green light, while Senator Thom Tillis remains the biggest question mark. The Judiciary Committee is slated to vote on forwarding the nomination to the full Senate, and the broader chamber will decide on the final confirmation.
Source: BBC News for OnPointInfo.news – 15 July 2026
