Todd Blanche’s nomination to become the next attorney general of the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, moving President Donald Trump’s nominee one step closer to taking permanent control of the Department of Justice.
The committee advanced Blanche on a 12-10 party-line vote, with every Republican voting in favor and every Democrat voting against him. His nomination now moves to the full Senate, where a final confirmation vote has not yet been scheduled. For gun owners, however, the confirmation drama surrounding Blanche is mostly background noise.
The important question is whether he will use the power of the Justice Department to dismantle unconstitutional gun-control policies—or merely oversee them while issuing friendlier press releases.
Republican Holdouts Clear Blanche’s Path
Blanche’s nomination had been stalled by Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Their objections centered on a controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” compensation fund connected to the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit over the leaking of his tax records.
Blanche formally rescinded the fund, clearing the way for Cornyn and Tillis to support moving his nomination out of committee. Democrats remained united against him, focusing on his prior work as Trump’s criminal-defense attorney and allegations that he had allowed politics to influence the department.
Those issues will dominate Beltway coverage. Gun owners should be watching something else.
Blanche is already serving as acting attorney general while retaining his confirmed position as deputy attorney general. That means he currently oversees more than 100,000 Justice Department employees, including the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and 93 U.S. attorneys’ offices.
He is not asking for an opportunity to prove himself from scratch. He is asking the Senate to make permanent the authority he is already exercising.
Bondi Left More Announcements Than Victories
Blanche replaced Pam Bondi after Trump removed her as attorney general in April. Bondi presided over a department that continued defending federal gun restrictions and Biden-era legal positions in court. Even as the administration promised relief, Justice Department lawyers remained willing to argue for infringements against young adults, gun owners, and manufacturers. This eventually led major gun rights organizations to call for Bondi’s removal.
AmmoLand was already asking just 60 days into Bondi’s tenure why DOJ attorneys were still advancing anti-gun arguments. By the time she left office, the central problem remained: the administration talked about defending the Second Amendment while federal lawyers continued defending restrictions that violated it.
The Second Amendment Section may become a useful weapon against state and federal gun control. Its creation, however, does not erase Bondi’s record or entitle her to credit for victories that had not yet been won.
A new nameplate on a Justice Department door does not restore a right.
Blanche Must Decide Which Side DOJ Is On
Blanche has taken several actions that suggest the department may finally be moving in a better direction. During his time as acting AG, the DOJ has challenged state restrictions on commonly owned rifles and handguns, announced ATF regulatory reforms and said federal power should no longer be weaponized against lawful gun owners. Yet the record remains mixed.
The administration has allowed portions of the Biden-era frames-and-receivers rule to remain in place, and federal attorneys have continued defending National Firearms Act restrictions and other gun-control positions that cannot be squared with the Second Amendment’s text or original meaning.
The attorney general does not get to pick which constitutional rights are politically convenient to defend. The Second Amendment commands that the right of the people to keep and bear arms “shall not be infringed.” It does not authorize the Justice Department to preserve infringements because government lawyers have defended them for decades.
Blanche’s nomination advancing is not a victory for gun owners. It is an opportunity, and a test.
Gun owners do not need another attorney general who praises the Second Amendment from a podium while DOJ attorneys undermine it in court. Blanche has shown signs that he may be willing to change course. If confirmed, he will have the authority and responsibility to prove it.
About Duncan Johnson:
Duncan Johnson is a lifelong firearms enthusiast and unwavering defender of the Second Amendment—where “shall not be infringed” means exactly what it says. A graduate of George Mason University, he enjoys competing in local USPSA and multi-gun competitions whenever he’s not covering the latest in gun rights and firearm policy. Duncan is a regular contributor to AmmoLand News and serves as part of the editorial team responsible for AmmoLand’s daily gun-rights reporting and industry coverage.
