The US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general Saturday, granting Donald Trump an ally to lead the Justice Department as the president seeks greater control over the federal government.
Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, has served as acting attorney general since April, but senators had questioned whether his ties to Trump could affect investigations involving the president and his allies.
But the weekend also showed limits to Trump’s influence: While the Senate approved a stopgap spending bill to avert a pre-midterm elections government shutdown, it left for summer recess without advancing Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voter bill, his top legislative priority.
Now Trump is renewing efforts to remove a Federal Reserve governor, a yearlong fight testing the boundaries of presidential power.