The Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, gives remarks at a press briefing at the U.S. Department of Justice on January 30, 2026, in Washington.Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images
With Pam Bondi’s exit, one of President Donald Trump’s most dedicated legal advocates is positioned to assume the role of acting attorney general.
However, as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche gains increased attention after Thursday’s shift at the Justice Department, questions are certain to surface regarding his unwavering allegiance to the president and his handling of significant probes, notably the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Trump’s legal battles
Blanche, who is 51 years old, previously acted as Trump’s counsel following his initial term in the White House in the criminal cases initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and former special counsel Jack Smith.
Prior to joining a Wall Street law practice and subsequently entering private practice, he served as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Blanche resigned from his post at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, asserting that senior leaders informed him he could not represent Trump. This action aided Blanche in solidifying his credibility within Trump’s trusted circle.
Former President and Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, alongside attorney Todd Blanche, addresses the press at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on May 14, 2024.Craig Ruttle/AP
After prosecutors claimed he was involved in a "scheme" to improve his prospects during the 2016 presidential race by making a series of hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and subsequently falsifying New York business documents to conceal that supposed criminal activity, Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony charges.
New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge — without imprisonment, financial penalties, or probation — declaring it to be the "only legitimate sentence" to avert "encroaching upon the highest office in the land." The president is contesting the verdict.
Following Trump’s reelection as president in November 2024, Jack Smith’s investigation into claims that Trump sought to subvert the 2020 election was dismissed without prejudice due to the Justice Department’s longstanding policy preventing the prosecution of a sitting president.
The following month, Smith ceased his investigation into Trump’s handling of confidential materials after leaving the White House in 2021.
Second-in-command at the DOJ
Upon taking office, Trump designated Blanche for the No. 2 position within the Justice Department, which sparked disapproval from Democrats and other adversaries who argued that the president was packing the Justice Department with biased partisans.
During confirmation hearings preceding his confirmation in March 2025, Blanche frequently evaded questions about whether he would excuse himself from issues pertaining to Trump.
"I don’t believe President Trump will request me to do anything that is unlawful or unethical," he stated.
Blanche was frequently seen with Bondi and supported the department’s inquiries into the president’s rivals, such as former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump dismissed, and the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi listen as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a news conference in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House, June 27, 2025, in Washington.Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Recently, Blanche addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he applauded the department’s removal of what he claimed were "over 200" officials associated with prior investigations into Trump.
He also highlighted Trump’s Day 1 pardons of all defendants indicted in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as among the foremost accomplishments of the administration.
"There isn’t a single individual, whether male or female, with a firearm, or federal agent, still within that organization who was involved in the prosecution of President Trump in any way," he stated in a discussion with CPAC Chair Matt Schlapp.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche addresses the 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas, on March 26, 2026.Daniel Cole/Reuters
At CPAC, he acknowledged the MAGA advocates who have become impatient with the Justice Department during Trump’s second term.
"So when individuals inquire, 'Why aren’t you accomplishing more?' I embrace that critique," Blanche stated. "Continue to exert pressure on us. Do you assume it distresses me when you post on X and say, 'Come on, Blanche, why aren’t we achieving greater progress?' You’re unfamiliar with me. That serves as my motivation."
Criticism regarding Epstein files
Trump’s MAGA supporters and conservatives have long urged the federal government to disclose additional details concerning the Epstein investigation.
Bondi and the Justice Department faced condemnation for their handling of the files, with critics alleging a lack of transparency. Blanche has likewise faced questions regarding his involvement in the probe.
Bondi once asserted that the files were on her desk. Last summer, the Justice Department received backlash from conservative organizations after Bondi and the FBI released a memo asserting that there was no basis for new charges and no “client list.”
In July, Blanche provoked controversy when he journeyed to Florida for an unusual interview with Epstein’s incarcerated associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking. According to ABC News sources, Maxwell received limited immunity for the interview, allowing her to respond to Blanche’s inquiries without reservation.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche arrives for a meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell in Tallahassee, Fla., on July 24, 2025.ABC News
Maxwell informed Blanche during the two-day conversation that there was no client roster, no extortion conspiracy, and, to her knowledge, no prominent Epstein associates who committed illegal actions in relation to his offenses.
"I never was informed of that. I never witnessed it, and I never conceived of it," she recounted to Blanche, as per a transcript and recording of the discussion.
Democrats have questioned the reasoning behind Maxwell’s relocation to a less secure prison facility after the interview.
The Justice Department has refuted that Maxwell received preferential handling and attributed the transfer to credible security concerns directed at her.
In September, Blanche defended his choice to interview her and contended that assessing Maxwell’s credibility as a witness was an "impossible question."
"I engaged with her for a period of two days. Deciding whether a witness is believable demands numerous weeks," Blanche mentioned in an interview with CNN.
The government had previously asserted that Maxwell should not be granted any credibility during her criminal proceedings, citing her "propensity to blatantly lie while under oath concerning her behavior," according to court documents.
Blanche maintained in the CNN interview that Maxwell "had been imprisoned for an extended duration, and she had volunteered to provide information on various occasions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the East Room of the White House in Washington on January 15, 2026.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
"And she was never provided with such an opportunity," Blanche said. "What I did was afford her that chance to express herself," Blanche mentioned.
In November, a bipartisan discharge petition in the House secured enough signatures to compel the Justice Department to make public all of the government’s records pertaining to Epstein, subject to certain exceptions, but the release was tarnished by missed deadlines and inaccuracies in concealing names.
A coalition of Epstein survivors condemned the release and called for accountability for those they allege either facilitated Epstein’s actions or have been accused of abuse by victims as well.
During an interview with ABC News’ "This Week" in February, Blanche acknowledged there were errors in the file release.
"Each instance we are contacted by a victim or their attorney indicating that their name was not appropriately redacted, we promptly addressed it. And to ensure the American population comprehends, the numbers under consideration are minuscule, representing only .001 percent of the complete materials," he stated.
Will he ascend to AG?
Trump declared on Thursday that Blanche will "assume the role of Acting Attorney General." Blanche voiced his appreciation to Trump in a declaration shared on X.
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, with attorney Todd Blanche speaks to the press after the 12 jurors in his criminal trial began deliberating at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, May 29, 2024.Jabin Botsford/AFP via Getty Images
"We will persist in supporting law enforcement, upholding the law, and employing all available resources to ensure the security of America," he affirmed.
Under federal regulations, individuals occupying presidentially nominated positions in an acting capacity are limited to a period of 210 days from the date the position becomes vacant. However, that period is reset upon the introduction of a nomination for the position, which grants the administration flexibility if it intends to prolong an acting official’s term in office.
Trump did not indicate whether Blanche would be considered as a potential candidate to permanently succeed Bondi in her position on a full-time basis.
ABC News’ Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com