Trump ally Todd Blanche faces Senate confirmation hearing, as U.S.-Iran tensions rise

Todd Blanche faced senators Wednesday morning in Hart Senate Office Building Room 216 as the Senate Judiciary Committee opened his confirmation hearing for attorney general, with a second day of testimony set for Thursday. President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer has been serving as acting attorney general since April 2026, and the hearing began with Republicans still divided over whether to support him.

The hearing gives the committee a first public test of how Blanche would lead the Justice Department after months in the acting role. Some Republicans remained undecided before the session opened, and Blanche is expected to face sharp questions about decisions he has already handled inside the department. The committee scheduled Thursday’s follow-up session to begin immediately after its executive business meeting, extending the fight over a post that sits at the center of federal law enforcement.

At the same time, the administration escalated pressure in the Middle East. U.S. Central Command said the blockade of vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports resumed Monday at 4 p.m. ET, reviving a maritime operation that first ran from April 13 to June 18. The move came as the confrontation with Iran again centered on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage that carries a large share of global oil trade and has become a flashpoint for broader regional conflict.

The blockade renewal heightens the stakes for the next round of diplomacy and military signaling around Iran, where any disruption to shipping can quickly ripple through energy markets and allied naval planning. The resumption also follows weeks of warning signs that the standoff could broaden beyond isolated maritime incidents into a wider regional crisis.

Back in the United States, Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordered most vehicle stops suspended nationwide after fatal shootings in Texas and Maine six days apart. In Biddeford, Maine, officers fatally shot 26-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero on July 13, prompting protests near an ICE facility in Scarborough and demands for an independent investigation. The pause on traffic stops adds another flashpoint for the agency as it faces scrutiny over use of force and field tactics while the Justice Department leadership fight remains unresolved.