WASHINGTON — During his confirmation hearing on Wednesday for the role of Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, former personal attorney to Donald Trump, characterized the legal actions against Trump as “partisan lawfare.” His remarks came as he faced skepticism from Democratic senators who questioned whether he would resist pressures from the White House.
Blanche had only recently defended Trump in various criminal cases advanced by the Justice Department. Although he attempted to reassure lawmakers that his decisions would be free of political influence, his portrayal of Trump as a victim of a prejudiced judicial system raised doubts about his allegiance to the former president.
With a background as a federal prosecutor in New York, Blanche is set to work under Attorney General Pam Bondi. One of Bondi’s first initiatives since taking office was establishing a group to monitor the actions of special counsel Jack Smith, who has been instrumental in cases against Trump.
Having been a significant player on Trump’s defense team, Blanche participated in two criminal cases initiated by the Justice Department and the New York hush money scandal, which resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts. The federal indictments were dropped after Trump’s electoral victory in 2024, adhering to the longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
If confirmed, Blanche will step into a Justice Department that is already under scrutiny regarding its autonomy from the White House, especially following news that leadership had dismissed a corruption case involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat noted for his friendly association with Trump.
Emil Bove, currently the acting deputy who previously represented Trump, explained that the decision to dismiss the case was not based on evidence quality, but rather to avoid distraction from Adams’ campaign.
Both Blanche and Attorney General Bondi have publicly echoed Trump’s assertion that the department under President Joe Biden was weaponized against conservatives. Drawing from his experience defending Trump, Blanche expressed that he recognized what he deemed as abuses within the criminal justice system. He guaranteed to lawmakers that political considerations would never dictate his decisions at the Department of Justice.
“Partisan lawfare in our justice system wastes taxpayer money, makes communities less safe, and ruins lives,” Blanche asserted. “This should never happen in America. America deserves better, and it will stop now.”
He committed to restoring the public’s trust in the justice system, emphasizing the department’s focus on confronting criminals who threaten safety and ensuring the protection of citizens’ rights.
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland previously defended the department’s integrity, urging staff to remain focused on justice rather than politics. Smith, the special counsel, has also maintained that political motivations did not influence his team’s decisions regarding Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents post-presidency and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Democratic senators expressed their worries over Blanche’s past association with Trump, particularly regarding Trump’s intentions to weaponize the justice system against his detractors. “There will be times — if history is any guide — that the president will ask you to do things that are illegal or immoral,” warned Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal. He asserted the need for assurance that Blanche would refuse any such illegal or unethical requests from the president.
In response, Blanche refuted the premise, indicating he did not foresee Trump making such requests. When pressed further, he reiterated, “I will follow the law, senator. Period.”
Given Trump’s previous demands from officials in his administration, Democrats recognized the potential gravity of their concerns. For example, Trump insisted that FBI Director James Comey halt the investigation relating to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, sought to have Attorney General Jeff Sessions reverse his decision to recuse from the Russia investigation, and pushed for the dismissal of special counsel Robert Mueller. Although none of these requests were fulfilled, they were subject to subsequent investigations for possible obstruction of justice.
Republicans have rallied behind Blanche, arguing that his qualifications as both a prosecutor and defense attorney position him as an excellent candidate to restore the integrity of a department they believe has lost the trust of many Americans.
“When most would have retreated in the face of overwhelming adversity and risk, Mr. Blanche stood up for what was right,” remarked Florida GOP Senator Ashley Moody. “Regardless of the pressure from his firm or media criticism, Mr. Blanche demonstrated the integrity essential to fulfill his duty, both to President Trump as his attorney and to uphold the promises of our nation.”
