William Barr was officially confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as President Trump’s new Attorney General Thursday; gaining the support of three Democratic Senators.
Barr was confirmed by a 54-45 vote with Democratic Senators Kysten Sinema, Doug Jones, and Joe Manchin backing Trump’s nominee.
GOP Senator Rand Paul was the lone Republican vote against Barr.
“Barr becomes the second full-fledged attorney general of the Trump administration: the president, upset over his recusal in the Russia investigation, fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions from running the Justice Department the day after the 2018 midterm elections. Matthew Whitaker has served as acting attorney general during the vacancy,” adds Fox News.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
BREAKING: President Trump to Nominate William Barr as Attorney General, Heather Nauert to UN
President Trump announced Friday his plan to nominate William Barr to lead the Department of Justice and State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert to succeed Nikki Haley as Ambassador to the United Nations.
According to Fox News, the President referred to Barr -who served as Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush- as his “first choice from day one.”
The Commander-in-Chief confirmed the nominations while speaking with reporters as he left the White House for a conference in Missouri.
JUST IN: Pres. Trump says he will nominate William Barr to serve as attorney general, calling him "a terrific man, a terrific person."
"He was my first choice from day one." https://t.co/1c3XYsoXLb pic.twitter.com/BYM4AktY20
— ABC News (@ABC) December 7, 2018
“Nauert would face a full plate at the United Nations, with Iran and North Korea and other issues dominating the U.S. agenda there. Further, she will confront a stream of anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rhetoric at the world body — something Haley constantly pushed back against during her tenure,” write Fox.
Read the full report here.
BREAKING NOW: Jeff Sessions Resigns as Attorney General of the United States
Attorney General Jeff Sessions officially stepped down from his post Wednesday; ending months of speculation surrounding his political future inside the Trump administration.
“Jeff Sessions, once one of President Trump’s most loyal and trusted advisers before infuriating Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation, has resigned as attorney general at the request of the president,” writes Fox News.
“At your request, I am submitting my resignation,” Sessions wrote in the Wednesday letter to Trump.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.