Todd Blanche Installed as Attorney General in Secretive Oval Office Ceremony
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Todd Blanche was quietly inaugurated as attorney general behind closed doors at the White House, with former Trump defense ally Judge Emil Bove presiding.
In a move emblematic of the administration’s ongoing disregard for transparency, Todd Blanche was sworn in as attorney general on Monday during a private Oval Office ceremony. The event, closed to the press and public, was presided over by Judge Emil Bove, a former Trump defense team member and close Blanche associate. Only Blanche’s immediate family—his wife, daughter, and granddaughter—were permitted to attend, further highlighting the administration’s preference for secrecy. Blanche, leaving the Justice Department for the White House, told CNN he was 'feeling good,' a sentiment that stands in stark contrast to widespread concerns about the department’s direction.
Judge Bove, now a federal appeals court judge, previously served as acting deputy attorney general before Blanche’s controversial confirmation in 2025 and has since become Blanche’s top deputy. Their intertwined careers at the Justice Department have raised serious questions about cronyism and the erosion of checks and balances.
Also present were FBI Director Kash Patel and White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, both known for their loyalty to the president and hardline policies.
Blanche’s confirmation squeaked through the Senate by a razor-thin 50–49 margin, with even moderate Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposition—a rare bipartisan rebuke. Since taking office, Blanche has aggressively pushed to align the Justice Department with the president’s authoritarian agenda, advancing legal arguments to expand presidential power and orchestrating the purge of several senior prosecutors and officials who resisted these efforts.