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Following a wave of high-profile arrests, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said he is “honored and humbled” by President Donald Trump’s decision to nominate him as the permanent head of the Department of Justice.
Speaking on “Saturday in America,” Blanche outlined the department’s efforts to fulfill Trump’s campaign promises on public safety and highlighted several recent DOJ arrests.
“Look, executing on the president’s priorities that he has talked about since he was running for president, and that’s making this country safe again. And so we’re doing that every day at the Department of Justice,” Blanche said. “I’m honored and humbled that President Trump has asked me to become the permanent attorney general.”
On Wednesday, Trump announced plans to nominate Blanche to permanently lead the DOJ, following the departure of former Attorney General Pam Bondi in April. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles subsequently congratulated Blanche online, writing, “Todd is a friend and I look forward to continuing our work together.”
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Blanche took over the acting role in April following the departure of former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who faced criticism from some conservatives over her handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The news comes as Blanche and the DOJ announced a series of arrests. Among them was the dismantling of a drug-smuggling tunnel stretching from Mexico to California, which Blanche described as “very sophisticated” and equipped with a rail system and electricity.
“Now that the borders are closed, they have to find other ways to get drugs in this country. And this was one way they were trying to do it,” Blanche said.
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Blanche also highlighted the recent indictments of three individuals accused of providing support to ISIS, describing their anti-American rhetoric as “very disturbing” while praising the swift work of federal authorities.
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“It’s a good reminder to the Americans that this fight is not over. There are still a lot of people that want to inject harm into this country and our citizens,” he said.
Blanche previously served as Trump’s lead criminal defense attorney during multiple cases involving the president, including the New York hush money case and cases brought by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
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Earlier this week, Blanche announced the DOJ would not be moving forward with a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. According to the DOJ, the fund was part of a settlement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service after Trump, his family members and the Trump Organization agreed to forgo monetary damages stemming from the release of their tax returns.
The fund faced legal challenges, and the DOJ announced Monday it would comply with a court ruling temporarily blocking the fund. At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday, Blanche confirmed the administration would not be pursuing the idea further, saying, “We’re not moving forward with the fund, period.”