President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Todd Blanche, the attorney who led his defense during the hush money criminal trial, as the deputy attorney general, the second-highest position in the Justice Department.
Blanche, an experienced former federal prosecutor, has played a significant role in Trump’s defense strategy in both the New York case, which resulted in a conviction earlier this year, and the federal lawsuits initiated by special counsel Jack Smith. In a statement made on Thursday, Trump praised Blanche’s expertise, declaring him to be a vital asset in the Justice Department, which he claims has been dysfunctional for an extended period.
Should Blanche receive confirmation from the Senate, which is currently led by Republicans, he would oversee the daily operations of the extensive Justice Department. Trump has expressed intentions to implement a significant transformation within the department.
The announcement follows Trump’s earlier decision to appoint Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as attorney general. Gaetz, a staunch supporter of Trump, previously faced a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking, but it did not lead to formal charges.
In addition to Blanche, Trump has also appointed two more lawyers from his defense team to important roles within the Justice Department. Emil Bove, a former federal prosecutor, will step in as the principal associate deputy attorney general and will temporarily act as deputy attorney general until Blanche’s confirmation takes place. Trump selected D. John Sauer, who successfully presented the case for Trump’s presidential immunity to the U.S. Supreme Court, to fill the position of solicitor general, representing Trump’s administration before the Court.
Blanche’s legal work on Trump’s behalf includes cases related to alleged interference in the 2020 election and an investigation into the mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Throughout these legal battles, the strategy adopted by the defense heavily focused on delaying proceedings until after the upcoming elections.
Last summer, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case regarding the classified documents, citing the illegality of Smith’s appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Additionally, delays have been prominent in the 2020 election interference case due to disputes over Trump’s assertions of immunity from prosecution, which reached the Supreme Court. Presently, the Justice Department is considering how to conclude these ongoing cases while adhering to its established policy against indicting or prosecuting presidents who are in office.
Blanche has also defended Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, achieving a dismissal of a mortgage fraud charge against him in the same New York court. Blanche argued that this case, initiated by the Manhattan district attorney, mirrored an earlier federal case against Manafort, thus constituting double jeopardy.
Joining Trump’s legal team shortly before the April 2023 arraignment in New York, Blanche faced allegations that Trump had made hush money payments to influence the 2016 election. Trump ultimately received 34 felony convictions, although his legal team is appealing the verdict, seeking to have it overturned.
Before joining Trump’s defense, Blanche was a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, specifically in their White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. He left the firm to establish his own practice, indicating that his decision to represent Trump was an opportunity he felt compelled to seize.
Blanche hails from the suburbs of Denver and is an alumnus of American University in Washington, D.C., as well as Brooklyn Law School. His journey in the legal field began as a paralegal in the Southern District of New York’s U.S. attorney’s office, while he pursued his law degree.
He climbed the ranks to become a federal prosecutor in that same office, serving for approximately eight years. During his tenure, he also held the position of co-chief of the office’s violent crimes unit.
Bove, who previously excelled as a lacrosse player in college, recently joined Blanche’s law firm and has argued several critical points in Trump’s legal cases. His prior experience as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York includes working on numerous high-profile cases, such as drug trafficking against the brother of a former Honduran president and other significant criminal activities.