Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Addresses DOJ Independence and Political Investigations

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed concerns about the Department of Justice's independence during his first public appearance on Tuesday. Blanche, who previously served as Trump's lead defense counsel in the 2024 New York hush money trial and federal cases, was reportedly appointed to a high-ranking role in the administration.

Blanche responded to questions on balancing Trump's calls for politically motivated prosecutions with efforts to end what the administration describes as the weaponization of the DOJ. He acknowledged that some ongoing investigations involve individuals and entities with whom Trump has past conflicts. Blanche stated that thousands of investigations and prosecutions are active across the country.

“We have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country, and it is true that some of them involve men, women and entities that the president in the past has issues with and he believes should be investigated. " — Todd Blanche (The Independent) Blanche added that he does not perceive these directives as pressure. He described communication between the president and the DOJ on priorities as standard, rejecting the concept of a firewall between the White House and the department.”

Blanche said such separation is not a new policy in this administration.

reportedly addressed concerns about potential personnel changes at the DOJ, including the removal of prosecutors involved in prior Trump investigations.

He argued that ethical duties as lawyers prevent prosecuting one's superior in such contexts. Blanche emphasized that actions over the past four years, which he said involved prosecutors not doing the right thing, would not recur. He confirmed the DOJ's willingness to review criminal referrals from the White House or other sources.