During his inaugural press conference as Acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche defended President Trump’s involvement in federal investigations on Tuesday, stating the commander-in-chief possesses both the authority and responsibility to direct such inquiries.
Blanche, who assumed the role last week, pushed back against criticism that the Justice Department has inappropriately pursued Trump’s political opponents while simultaneously supporting the president’s prerogative to guide investigations.
“We have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country right now. 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 stated during the Washington press briefing.
The appointment comes after Trump dismissed former Attorney General Pam Bondi last Thursday, reportedly due to frustration with the speed and results of cases the president had requested.
Under Trump’s administration, the Justice Department has launched numerous investigations targeting the president’s critics, including intelligence officials who determined Russia meddled in the 2016 election to benefit Trump’s candidacy, Democratic Congress members who encouraged military personnel to disobey illegal orders, and progressive donors along with their fundraising organizations.
Many of these investigations have faced significant hurdles from judges and grand juries. Last year, a federal judge threw out cases against two Trump investigators, James Comey and Letitia James.
Blanche, who served as Trump’s defense attorney in three of four criminal cases during his time out of office, referenced those prosecutions when explaining that Trump “wants justice” for individuals he believes wrongfully weaponized the legal system against him.
When asked about his interest in being permanently nominated for the attorney general position, Blanche avoided giving a direct answer, saying the choice belongs to Trump. He added that if the president selected another candidate and requested his departure from the Justice Department, “I will say, ‘thank you very much, I love you, sir.’”
