Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says he is already working on ways to prevent what he believes could be another round of politically motivated prosecutions targeting President Donald Trump after he leaves office.
Blanche made the remarks during an interview with NewsNation released Thursday, just hours after Trump announced he would formally nominate him to become the nation’s next attorney general on a permanent basis.
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The comments offered a glimpse into how Blanche views the legal and political battles surrounding Trump and signaled that the administration is actively thinking about what happens after the president’s second term ends in January 2029.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney in multiple criminal cases, became acting attorney general after Trump dismissed Pam Bondi in April.
Since taking over, Blanche has quickly emerged as one of Trump’s most trusted allies inside the Justice Department, advancing investigations involving some of the president’s longtime political opponents while also defending the administration’s legal agenda.
During the interview, NewsNation host Katie Pavlich referenced Blanche’s previous claim that Trump likely would have faced prison time had he lost the 2024 election.
Pavlich also pointed to comments from prominent Democrats who have suggested members of the Trump administration could face investigations or prosecution if Democrats regain control of the White House.
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, for example, told The New York Times earlier this year that officials who broke the law should face both criminal and civil consequences.
Pavlich asked Blanche whether he believes Democrats could attempt to target Trump, his family, administration officials, or even federal law enforcement personnel after the president leaves office.
Blanche did not hesitate.
“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.”
He then revealed that efforts are already underway to prevent such actions from occurring in the future.
“And what can we do about it?” Blanche asked. “We can just keep on exposing when we learn about the weaponization that happened for many years. We can keep on exposing it and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again.”
Blanche did not explain what specific “roadblocks” he was referring to, and the interviewer did not ask him to elaborate.
Still, the remarks immediately generated attention because they suggest the Justice Department may be considering structural or procedural changes designed to limit what Trump allies view as politically motivated prosecutions.
Blanche argued that Democrats have already demonstrated a willingness to use the justice system against political opponents.
He said his focus is less on his own future and more on what he views as a broader threat to the country.
“I don’t worry about, for myself, what happens in the future,” Blanche said. “I worry about this country.”
He added that some Democrats have already publicly discussed pursuing investigations into members of the Trump administration if they regain power.
“The American people saw them do it for four years and rejected it wholeheartedly,” Blanche said. “That effort failed.”
The acting attorney general expressed hope that Democrats would move away from what he characterized as politically motivated investigations, though he suggested he was not optimistic.
“I would hope the Democrats would be a little smarter,” Blanche said. “They have so far proven themselves not to be.”
Blanche’s comments come as the Justice Department continues examining allegations involving several longtime Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, The Independent reported.
Both have been frequent targets of criticism from Trump, who has publicly called for accountability regarding actions taken against him during and after his first administration.
A graduate of Brooklyn Law School, Blanche represented Trump in all of his criminal cases before joining the administration.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
