Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Addresses Presidential Authority, DOJ Changes, and Investigation Policies in First Press Conference

Acting AG Todd Blanche Holds First News Conference

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche held his first news conference on Tuesday, addressing a range of critical topics including presidential authority over the Department of Justice (DOJ), the recent departure of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, his loyalty to President Donald Trump, and specific investigation matters like the Epstein case, classified information leaks, and U.S. policy toward Iran. Blanche also introduced a newly created position within the DOJ focused on national fraud enforcement.

Presidential Authority and DOJ Investigations

During the press conference, Mr. Blanche made a definitive statement regarding the President's role in directing federal investigations.

Mr. Blanche stated that President Donald Trump possesses a "right" and "duty" to direct the Department of Justice to investigate his political opponents.

When questioned about balancing presidential demands for investigations with an executive order to end the "weaponization" of the federal government, Blanche indicated he would not approach it as a balance.

He noted the existence of thousands of ongoing investigations, some involving individuals and entities with whom the President has had past disagreements and believes warrant investigation. Blanche reiterated that directing such inquiries is the President's "right" and "duty" in leading the country. He clarified that he does not perceive the President's directives for investigations as "pressure" on the department, but rather as instructions.

Blanche explained that these directives are instructions "to make sure that we are investigating every case that we have to the fullest extent of the law using all the resources we can."

Attorney General Pam Bondi's Departure

Mr. Blanche assumed the acting Attorney General role following President Trump's dismissal of former Attorney General Pam Bondi last week. Regarding the reasons for her departure and potential changes within the DOJ, Blanche stated he would continue to lead as he had done as deputy attorney general.

"Nobody has any idea why the attorney general is no longer the attorney general and I'm the acting attorney general except for President Trump," Blanche commented.

Reports indicate that Bondi's dismissal was partly attributed to frustrations regarding her perceived failure to aggressively prosecute the President's political opponents. Under Bondi's leadership, the DOJ initiated probes and brought charges against several individuals, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. These political prosecutions have been unsuccessful to date.

Acting Attorney General Blanche's Loyalty

When asked about his interest in a full-time nomination for Attorney General, Blanche's loyalty to the President was clear.

"I love working for President Trump. It's the greatest honor of a lifetime," Blanche stated.

He added that if President Trump were to nominate someone else and ask him to take on a different role, he would respond, "Thank you very much, I love you, sir."

Key Investigations and Policy Matters

Blanche was questioned about an outstanding House Oversight Committee subpoena concerning Attorney General Bondi's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. He stated he would leave the matter "to Chairman (James) Comer and others to figure out." He indicated he did not know whether the Justice Department would assert privilege regarding the subpoena, stating, "I'm not committing to anything. I'm just saying I don't know."

Blanche was asked about investigative steps following President Trump's statements threatening to jail an unspecified reporter regarding leaks about missing Air Force officers in Iran. Two U.S. officers were reported missing after their fighter jet was downed in Iran and have since been rescued. While initially declining to comment on ongoing investigations, Blanche affirmed the DOJ's stance.

Blanche affirmed that the DOJ would "always investigate" leaks of classified information, particularly those that endanger U.S. soldiers.

He further stated, "And we will investigate if it means sending a subpoena to the reporter. That's exactly what we should do, and that's exactly what we will be doing."

Blanche declined to answer a question regarding the Justice Department's position on potential war crime arguments if President Trump were to act on his statement about "killing a whole civilization" in Iran. He stated that the Justice Department supports the White House and Department of Defense, providing them with counsel.

New DOJ Position: Assistant Attorney General for National Fraud Enforcement

Mr. Blanche made his comments alongside Colin McDonald, the assistant attorney general for national fraud enforcement. This is a new position created by the White House within the DOJ. White House officials have stated this new role will address high-level fraud in taxpayer-funded programs. Some Democrats and legal experts have expressed concerns that the position could be utilized as part of a campaign against political opponents or Democratic-led states.