Blanche for Permanent AG
President Trump Suggests Todd Blanche for Permanent AG Role After Interim Success
President Donald Trump signaled on June 3 that he plans to permanently nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice. Speaking on the podcast Pod Force One, Trump called Blanche "a very talented guy" who is "doing a very good job at DOJ," Reuters reported. Asked directly if Blanche would become the permanent nominee, Trump said, "I think he will."
Blanche has run the DOJ on an interim basis since Trump fired Pam Bondi in early April 2026, reportedly for not moving fast enough to prosecute political rivals. Before joining the government, Blanche was Trump's personal defense lawyer during his 2024 criminal trials, CBS News reported.
Blanche's Aggressive First Months Running DOJ
Since taking over as acting AG, Blanche has moved quickly on several major cases. In April, he and FBI Director Kash Patel announced an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center for wire fraud and money laundering, KOMO News reported. Days later, a federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two felony counts of threatening the President's life, based on a 2025 Instagram post featuring seashells.
Blanche also unsealed a murder indictment against former Cuban President Raul Castro in May, tied to a 1996 aircraft shootdown. The DOJ brought four murder charges against Castro and five co-defendants, NBC News reported. Blanche has framed his actions as corrective: "The machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American."
$1.776 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund Blocked by Court
One of Blanche's boldest moves was creating a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" in May to pay people he said were harmed by politically motivated government action. The money came from the Treasury's Judgment Fund, a pot of money used to settle federal lawsuits, without a vote by Congress. Democratic Rep. Grace Meng quickly called it a "secretive political compensation scheme" and a "slush fund" for Trump allies, PBS News reported.
A federal judge shut it down fast. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary injunction blocking the fund on May 29, AP News reported. By June 2, Blanche told a House Appropriations hearing the DOJ was "not moving forward" with the fund, Fox News reported.
Critics Say DOJ Has Become a Tool for Political Revenge
Legal experts and watchdog groups have raised alarms about Blanche's tenure. The Campaign for Government Accountability filed ethics complaints against Blanche, alleging he used his office to "vindictively punish" people who challenged the administration's immigration policies, Democracy Docket reported. Former FBI Director Comey dismissed his indictment as "absurd" and told Blanche to "bone up on legal rules."
Blanche has also replaced career prosecutors who raised concerns about politically sensitive cases with loyalist appointees, CBS News reported. He brought in 81-year-old Trump loyalist Joe diGenova as a counselor to lead investigations into former CIA Director John Brennan and other Obama-era officials. Critics say this blurs the line between the President's personal legal battles and the federal government's prosecutorial power.
What a Permanent Blanche Nomination Would Mean
If confirmed by the Senate, Blanche would be the first permanent AG who previously served as the sitting President's personal defense attorney. His confirmation would lock in the DOJ's current direction. Investigations into Obama-era officials are expected to deepen, and the DOJ's 2027 budget request of $40.8 billion — a 13% increase from 2026 — signals more resources flowing into these efforts, according to KUTV.
Supporters on the right say Blanche is finally holding the "deep state" accountable. Critics say the opposite is happening — that the DOJ itself has become the weaponized institution it claims to be fighting. Either way, the Senate confirmation fight is expected to be one of the most contentious in years.
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