{"id":36606,"date":"2026-07-15T10:17:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T14:17:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/democratic-senator-grills-todd-blanche-on-trumps-directives-in-attorney-general-confirmation-hearing-live-trump-administration\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T10:17:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T14:17:40","slug":"democratic-senator-grills-todd-blanche-on-trumps-directives-in-attorney-general-confirmation-hearing-live-trump-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/democratic-senator-grills-todd-blanche-on-trumps-directives-in-attorney-general-confirmation-hearing-live-trump-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"Democratic senator grills Todd Blanche on Trump\u2019s directives in attorney general confirmation hearing \u2013 live | Trump administration"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Senators begin Todd Blanche confirmation hearing for attorney general<\/h2>\n

Senators on the judiciary committee have kicked off the confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche<\/strong> to serve as the attorney general.<\/p>\n

The committee chair, Republican Chuck Grassley<\/strong>, noted that the lawmakers will consider Blanche for a \u201cpromotion\u201d today. A reminder that Blanche was previously confirmed, and served, as deputy attorney general under Pam Bondi.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not starting out from a blank slate. You have a track record,\u201d<\/strong> Grassley said. \u201cMy Democrat colleagues have relentlessly attacked the department and your and President Trump\u2019s leadership.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

During his opening statement, Grassley also used his time to flag new records released by the judiciary committee that shows former special counsel Jack Smith obtained text messages <\/a>that 44 members of Congress sent to White House officials during the final weeks of Donald Trump\u2019s first term in office. This is part of a wider strategy from many Republican lawmakers to paint Smith\u2019s investigation as a \u201crecklessness and blatant abuse of power\u201d. Grassley added that the former special counsel\u2019s operation was \u201ca runaway political train that improperly obtained congressional information\u201d.<\/p>\n

In response, the committee\u2019s ranking member, Dick Durbin, noted that Smith has volunteered to appear before the judiciary committee under oath and testify about his work as special counsel.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor reasons I cannot explain, the Republican majority does not want to bring Jack Smith before this committee and have him testify under oath,\u201d<\/strong> Durbin added. \u201cThey continue on a regular basis to take exception to things that he said or did or allegedly did, but will not bring him before this committee. I don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Key events<\/p>\n

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During his opening remarks, Durbin slammed Blanche for a number of his decisions while both as deputy attorney general and his role as the nation\u2019s acting top prosecutor.<\/p>\n

He criticized Blanche for his work establishing the almost-$2bn dollar \u201cweaponization fund\u201d used to pay out defendants who took part in the January 6 insurrection and born out of Donald Trump\u2019s settlement with the IRS. \u201cDespite resounding bipartisan criticism and admitting that it was a mistake, you\u2019ve refused to rescind the order creating this fund,\u201d Durbin said. \u201cThat order can still be found on the Department of Justice\u2019s website today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The judiciary committee\u2019s top Democrat also noted that he had a conversation with Blanche yesterday, where the acting attorney general said that the judge who chided the original lawsuit. Judge Kathleen Williams wrote that Blanche\u2019s testimony to Congress, that the court could not review the settlement agreement, was \u201cat best misleading and at worst disingenuous.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Durbin, however, said that Blanche called Williams\u2019 opinion was \u201ca hit piece\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother troubling attack on a judge for doing her job,\u201d Durbin added.<\/p>\n

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Senators begin Todd Blanche confirmation hearing for attorney general<\/h2>\n

Senators on the judiciary committee have kicked off the confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche<\/strong> to serve as the attorney general.<\/p>\n

The committee chair, Republican Chuck Grassley<\/strong>, noted that the lawmakers will consider Blanche for a \u201cpromotion\u201d today. A reminder that Blanche was previously confirmed, and served, as deputy attorney general under Pam Bondi.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not starting out from a blank slate. You have a track record,\u201d<\/strong> Grassley said. \u201cMy Democrat colleagues have relentlessly attacked the department and your and President Trump\u2019s leadership.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

During his opening statement, Grassley also used his time to flag new records released by the judiciary committee that shows former special counsel Jack Smith obtained text messages <\/a>that 44 members of Congress sent to White House officials during the final weeks of Donald Trump\u2019s first term in office. This is part of a wider strategy from many Republican lawmakers to paint Smith\u2019s investigation as a \u201crecklessness and blatant abuse of power\u201d. Grassley added that the former special counsel\u2019s operation was \u201ca runaway political train that improperly obtained congressional information\u201d.<\/p>\n

In response, the committee\u2019s ranking member, Dick Durbin, noted that Smith has volunteered to appear before the judiciary committee under oath and testify about his work as special counsel.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor reasons I cannot explain, the Republican majority does not want to bring Jack Smith before this committee and have him testify under oath,\u201d<\/strong> Durbin added. \u201cThey continue on a regular basis to take exception to things that he said or did or allegedly did, but will not bring him before this committee. I don\u2019t get it.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

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As we noted earlier, Jay Clayton will also appear before Senate lawmakers today at a confirmation hearing to be the next director of national intelligence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clayton, if confirmed, would replace Bill Pulte<\/strong>, whom Donald Trump installed as acting director last month. Pulte\u2019s position has been deeply divisive on Capitol Hill, with members of both parties saying his background as the chair of a federal mortgage regulation agency is not enough experience for the job, and that Pulte\u2019s unwavering loyalty to Trump and willingness to punish the president\u2019s political enemies makes him a dangerous spy chief.<\/p>\n

Like Pulte, Clayton has thin credentials for America\u2019s top intelligence job. He served as the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during Trump\u2019s first term and made millions working as a Wall Street attorney in the decades prior to his 2017 SEC post. He has no experience serving in any intelligence agency in any capacity.<\/p>\n

But Clayton has also demonstrated unwavering support for Trump and his agenda \u2013 including his conspiracies of election fraud.<\/p>\n

My colleague, Cate Brown, has been covering the latest. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a008.39 EDT<\/p>\n

Donald Trump will start the day with meetings in Washington. He\u2019s then due to travel to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, <\/strong>where he\u2019ll take part in a defense and innovation summit at the US Army War College. The event will mark major energy investments in the Keystone state, and the president will be joined by a number of tech executives.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll bring you the latest lines as Trump heads to Pennsylvania. He\u2019s due to speak at 3:15pm ET. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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Trump says ICE should continue traffic stops after recent fatal shootings<\/h2>\n

The president is awake and posting about ICE on his own social media network.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Writing on Truth Social, Donald Trump said ICE agents are doing a \u201cgreat\u201d job and that crime is \u201cway down\u201d in the US.<\/p>\n

The full post reads:<\/p>\n

double quotation markThe men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done. CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven\u2019t been seen in decades. The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted. Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out.<\/p>\n

In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.\u2019s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n

The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won\u2019t happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job. Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a007.40 EDT<\/p>\n

Cate Brown<\/span><\/p>\n

Two US advocacy groups sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, alleging that sanctions targeting Palestinian rights organizations, international criminal court (ICC) officials and a UN expert have unlawfully violated Americans\u2019 first amendment rights.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, argues that the administration\u2019s sweeping 2025 sanctions package has had a \u201cprofound\u201d chilling effect on Palestine-related advocacy, compelling Americans to sever professional relationships and abandon constitutionally protected work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Trump administration is using the blunt instrument of economic sanctions not only to punish human rights defenders but to police the political expression of millions of Americans,\u201d said Omar Shakir, executive director of Democracy in the Arab World Now (Dawn), a Washington-based advocacy group focused on US foreign policy in the Middle East. Dawn joined the New York-based Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide in Wednesday\u2019s lawsuit.<\/p>\n

The 43-page legal complaint notes that both organizations have worked on ICC submissions documenting Israeli war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza. Dawn has also worked with the three sanctioned Palestinian NGOs and Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur, to publish research, convene conferences and lobby US policymakers.<\/p>\n

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Former president Joe Biden will publish a memoir this fall, publisher Little, Brown and Company told the Associated Press.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Promise Me, America,\u2019 which Biden says will touch upon everything from the economy to his decision to drop his bid for reelection, is scheduled to come out 17 November.<\/p>\n

The timing of the book \u2013 two weeks after midterm elections in which Democrats seek to regain control of Congress \u2013 could raise concerns within his party. Many Democrats remain divided on Biden\u2019s legacy and his ill-fated determination to seek a second term in the White House and leaders hope to keep the fall campaign focused on the record of Republican president Donald Trump .<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Promise Me, America\u2019 is about the challenges we faced as a nation. It\u2019s about the decisions I made and why I made them,\u201d Biden said in a video statement accompanying Wednesday\u2019s announcement. \u201cMost of all, it\u2019s about my faith in the promise of America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reports of Biden\u2019s book have circulated for more than a year, and the former president himself has referred to it during public remarks, appearing to suggest it would be released before November\u2019s election.<\/p>\n

ShareDani Anguiano<\/span><\/p>\n

US officials are facing mounting calls to remove US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from American streets after federal agents killed two men who were not the target of enforcement action in less than a week.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Advocacy groups, including the National Police Accountability Project and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, described the fatal shootings of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero in Maine and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Texas as extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bystander videos I watched make it clear that ICE agents carried out another extrajudicial public execution in Maine,\u201d Lauren Bonds, the executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s clear that the only way to prevent ICE from killing us in the streets is to remove ICE from the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n

Congress can do so, she added, by freezing funding to the agency and limiting their jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

Details have emerged in recent days about how the two killings unfolded during operations that quickly turned deadly.<\/p>\n

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Trump’s pick for attorney general faces Senate hearing later today<\/h2>\n

Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump\u2019s pick to be the next US attorney general \u2013 his former personal defense lawyer Todd Blanche \u2013 faces what is expected to be a contentious Senate confirmation hearing today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blanche will come under tough questioning from Democrats and potentially some Republicans during his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee.<\/p>\n

A sole Republican \u201cno\u201d vote on the panel could be enough to torpedo the 51-year-old Blanche\u2019s appointment to be the chief law enforcement officer of the United States.<\/p>\n

Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general since Pam Bondi<\/strong> was fired by Trump and has been closely tied to what Democrats have dubbed a \u201cretribution\u201d campaign by the Republican president against his perceived political enemies. Senators are also expected to robustly press Blanche on his handling of the release of millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n

It comes amid a flurry of confirmation hearings set to take place today. Jay Clayton<\/strong>, Trump\u2019s pick to head the nation\u2019s intelligence agencies, will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, weeks after Trump abruptly delayed his nomination.<\/p>\n

And the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold nomination hearings for Dr Erica Schwartz<\/strong> to permanently head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an agency that has been without a confirmed director for most of Trump\u2019s second term.<\/p>\n

The committee could also confirm Sean Kaufman<\/strong> to lead emergency and disaster preparedness efforts as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.<\/p>\n

In other developments:<\/p>\n