Todd Blanche refuses to pledge DOJ will always act independently of President Trump
Todd Blanche was asked whether he could guarantee the justice department's independence from the White House. “No, I’m not going to pledge that,” Blanche said. “And no attorney general ever should.”
US Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge that the Justice Department would always act independently of President Donald Trump, stating that no attorney general should make such a commitment. In an NBC Meet the Press interview with host Kristen Welker, Blanche was directly asked if he could guarantee the department's independence from the White House.
He replied, "No, I’m not going to pledge that." Blanche defended the DOJ's relationship with Trump, asserting that he never expected Trump to refuse a presidential request if it crossed an ethical or legal line. He emphasized the distinction between pledging the Justice Department would always operate independently and fulfilling its legal responsibilities.
Blanche's comments come amid scrutiny over the Justice Department's independence during Trump's presidency, as the president frequently demanded action against political opponents and criticized investigations involving him and his allies.
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