WASHINGTON — The acting head of the Justice Department stated Tuesday that only President Donald Trump understands the reasoning behind last week’s removal of Pam Bondi from her position as attorney general.
Todd Blanche addressed reporters during an unrelated press briefing, explaining that when it comes to why Bondi no longer holds the attorney general position and why he now serves as acting attorney general, “nobody has any idea” except for Trump himself. This response came when journalists questioned whether Bondi’s departure resulted from her inability to successfully pursue criminal charges against individuals the Republican president views as opponents.
After serving as deputy attorney general for a year, Blanche received his promotion to the acting role following Trump’s decision to replace Bondi. During Tuesday’s remarks, he stated he doesn’t experience any “pressure” in his current position, despite the president’s publicly known desire for retribution. However, Blanche also acknowledged Trump’s entitlement to request investigations into former government officials he believes have acted against him.
“We have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country right now. And it is true that some of them involve men, women and entities that the president in the past has had issues with and believes should be investigated. That is his right, and indeed it is his duty to do that — meaning to lead this country,” Blanche explained.
When reporters asked about his interest in receiving a formal nomination for the attorney general role, Blanche avoided giving a direct answer.
“If President Trump chooses to keep me as DAG,” Blanche said, using the acronym for deputy attorney general, “that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate me, that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate somebody else and I go back to being the DAG, that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to do something else, I will say, ‘Thank you very much. I love you, sir.’”
During his inaugural press conference as acting attorney general, Blanche highlighted intensified efforts to combat fraud, providing information about a newly created fraud enforcement division that will incorporate prosecutors from offices nationwide. The Senate recently confirmed veteran prosecutor and Blanche associate Colin McDonald to oversee this division.
