Attorney General Todd Blanche Rejects DOJ Independence Pledge

Newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche declined NBC host Kristen Welker’s request on ‘Meet the Press’ to commit that the Justice Department (DOJ) would always operate independently of the White House. Blanche emphasized that the agency must maintain the ability to implement lawful presidential policy priorities.

No, I’m not going to pledge that. And no attorney general should ever pledge that, Blanche stated.

Blanche used President Donald Trump’s directive to focus on violent criminals to demonstrate how lawful presidential direction can be distinct from political involvement in specific cases. He explained that if President Trump instructed the DOJ to pursue every violent criminal, he should not refuse that order.

The Justice Manual, the department’s own rules, delineates that while coordination between the White House and DOJ on policy matters is permissible, communications about specific cases should be restricted to senior officials to prevent partisan or improper influences.

During his confirmation hearing in July, Blanche provided a similar response when asked if the Justice Department was independent from the White House, noting that the DOJ is part of the executive branch.

Welker questioned Blanche on whether he would comply with any unethical or illegal directives. Blanche assured that President Trump had never made such requests and never would, citing his oath to the Constitution.

The interview took place shortly after the Senate confirmed Blanche with a 50-49 vote, despite Republican concerns about the DOJ’s independence. Blanche’s confirmation was contentious as some Republicans demanded conditions like rescinding certain funds and altering audit protections for Trump.

The DOJ recently referred to a statement by Emily Covington, director of the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs, highlighting that the department’s focus should align with the President’s policy goals elected by the American people.

FBI records related to the investigation into classified records at Mar-a-Lago revealed internal DOJ debates regarding probable cause for a search warrant versus seeking cooperation from Trump. Coordination was noted among the DOJ, the White House Counsel’s Office, and the National Archives.

Blanche later clarified that while he would consider Trump’s views on specific prosecutions, he would stand by what he deemed right and that he had not been directed to prosecute specific individuals.

To reassure DOJ employees, Blanche promised integrity, fair, and impartial enforcement focused on upholding the rule of law.