Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Justice Department is taking steps to prevent what he views as politically motivated prosecutions targeting President Donald Trump after he leaves office in 2029.
Blanche made the remarks during a NewsNation interview released Thursday, hours after Trump announced his formal nomination of Blanche to serve as permanent attorney general. Blanche, who previously represented Trump in multiple criminal cases, became acting attorney general after the president dismissed Pam Bondi in April.
What Blanche Said
When asked whether Democrats could target Trump, his family, or administration officials after leaving the White House, Blanche responded directly. “I believe it’s a possibility that the Democrats will go after President Trump, his family, anybody that knows him, anybody that worked for him,” Blanche said. “I think they’ve proven that to be true.”
Blanche indicated efforts are already underway to forestall such actions. “We can just keep on exposing when we learn about the weaponization that happened for many years,” he said. “We can keep on exposing it and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again.”
The acting attorney general did not specify what structural or procedural changes he was referring to, and the interviewer did not request clarification.
Democratic Response and Context
Blanche’s comments reference earlier statements from prominent Democrats suggesting members of the Trump administration could face investigation or prosecution if Democrats regain control. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told The New York Times that officials who broke the law should face criminal and civil consequences.
The Justice Department is currently examining allegations involving several Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, according to reporting.
Blanche’s Track Record
A Brooklyn Law School graduate, Blanche has served as Trump’s personal attorney across multiple criminal cases before joining the administration. Since becoming acting attorney general, he has emerged as a close Trump ally while advancing investigations into several longtime political opponents of the president.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital team contributed to this report.
