Todd Blanche meets Epstein survivors, confirmation at risk

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse on July 16, 2026, in a high-stakes session that left several participants disappointed and his path to Senate confirmation uncertain. The meeting at the Justice Department headquarters, attended by senior officials, FBI agents, and victim services representatives, was held at the demand of Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose vote is essential for advancing Blanche’s nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Blanche, who has led the department in an acting capacity since April, told reporters afterward that he encouraged the survivors to bring any new information to the FBI. He acknowledged their desire for justice but expressed uncertainty about delivering it through new prosecutions. “It wasn’t all cordial,” Blanche said, “because there’s something that they want that I don’t think I can give them, which is some form of justice. And I want to be able to give justice in the form of prosecutions, and maybe we can do a prosecution at some point. But I don’t know.”

Several survivors emerged from the hour-long meeting with sharp criticism. Dani Bensky, whose personal...