President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he believes he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to serve as the permanent U.S. Attorney General, offering a vote of confidence in his former personal lawyer despite recent criticism from some Republican lawmakers.

In an interview on “Pod Force One,” Trump praised Blanche’s performance at the Department of Justice, stating, “He’s a very talented guy. Todd’s doing a very good job at DOJ,” and adding, “I think he will become the next attorney general.

Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April, after Trump removed Pam Bondi from the position. His current appointment is set to expire around late October, but Trump could extend it or formally nominate him, which would require Senate confirmation. Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority in the upper chamber.

Blanche has faced backlash from some GOP senators and White House aides over a now-abandoned plan to create a $1.8 billion fund for victims of alleged government “weaponization.” The proposal, which drew fierce bipartisan opposition and threatened a major immigration funding package, was scrapped on Tuesday. Trump defended the idea in the interview, saying those harmed by what he called a “crooked government” deserved reimbursement.

Despite the controversy, Blanche has earned praise from Trump and his allies for pursuing high-profile cases against the Southern Poverty Law Center and former FBI Director James Comey. Trump said he is pleased with the current pace of the Justice Department’s actions compared to earlier in his second term.