Todd Blanche took over the Justice Department’s top job on an interim basis earlier this month, and within days his first moves signaled what kind of acting attorney general he may become. Less than two weeks after Blanche took charge, four career prosecutors were fired, and the department also moved to vacate seditious conspiracy convictions against members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
Those steps came after Donald Trump fired Pam Bondi, reportedly frustrated that she had not moved fast enough against the president’s political enemies. Blanche told Trump he would like the job permanently, and Trump told him to treat his time as acting attorney general as an audition.
The personnel shake-up landed alongside a widely criticized report that accused the fired prosecutors of unfairly punishing anti-abortion protesters. It also fits a broader pattern inside the department under Blanche, where a Justice Department official said there has been more internal pressure on matters involving Trump enemies since he arrived. The official, speaking about Blanche’s approach, said it “doesn’t mean he’ll be any more successful than [Bondi], but he, via his surrogates, is definitely demanding results.”
Blanche has also put Joe diGenova in charge of an investigation into John Brennan and others tied to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. DiGenova once represented the Trump campaign as it tried to overturn the 2020 election, and he has called for Chris Krebs to be “drawn and quartered” and “taken out at dawn and shot.” That choice sharpened concerns that the Justice Department could be driven even further by Trump’s grievances if Blanche remains in place.
A department spokesperson said Blanche “remains committed to upholding the rule of law, advancing President Trump’s agenda, and ending the weaponization of government.” But critics see something different. Skye Perryman said, “I do think what we’ve seen over the past few weeks is definitely a sharper focus on the president’s retaliation agenda.” Blanche is Trump’s former personal attorney, and his early tenure suggests the department has entered a more openly political phase than even many expected. If his acting job becomes permanent, the question is no longer who is Todd Blanche — it is how far he will take the Justice Department for Trump’s enemies list.