President Trump announced his intent to nominate Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent role, confirming Blanche will continue to lead the Justice Department while Congress considers his confirmation.
Todd Blanche, who stepped in after the departure of the previous attorney general, will remain in place as President Trump prepares a formal nomination. The move ends weeks of uncertainty inside the Justice Department about who would run the agency during this critical stretch.
The president made the announcement publicly and framed the decision as one taken after watching Blanche’s performance in the acting role. “He’s acting attorney general, and tomorrow I’m instructing Dan and everybody else that’s involved in that very complicated process, which I think is going to go very quickly, that we are going to make him permanent attorney general,” Trump said, according to a video posted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino.
In an interview on “Pod Force One with Miranda Devine,” Trump reiterated that Blanche is the likely pick once the confirmation process moves forward. “I think he will,” he said when asked if Blanche would be nominated permanently, signaling confidence in the acting attorney general’s leadership.
The president explained that he had wanted to observe how Blanche was received after naming him acting AG, noting a long personal familiarity. “I wanted to see how he’s received. You know, we put him as acting and he’s done a very good job, but I’ve known him a long time,” the president added when asked if he had considered other candidates for the job.
https://x.com/Scavino47/status/2062369458723680722
Trump also addressed speculation about other names, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, in a casual tone that underscored personal respect without suggesting a change in plans. “No, Ron’s very good. Ron’s very good,” he said. “You know, people have thought of different names. There are some good names,” Trump added, closing the door on an immediate search.
On Blanche’s record, allied officials quickly expressed approval of the nomination talk and the choice to keep continuity at DOJ. “This is great news,” he posted to X. “It’s a shame the media won’t honestly tell you about the historic drop in national violent crime and murder rates resulting from this man’s leadership.”
Blanche faced Congress earlier in the week, testifying before the House Appropriations Committee about several high-profile initiatives and budget items. During that hearing he confirmed that a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund would not move forward, citing legal and congressional obstacles.
“We’re not moving forward with the fund. Period,” the acting attorney general said, signaling a quick pivot away from a proposal that had drawn intense scrutiny and opposition.
Beyond budget matters, Blanche used his acting tenure to roll out a new enforcement idea aimed at cities battling violent crime. The Model Cities Initiative was announced as a practical, law-and-order effort intended to give local leaders tools to crack down on criminal activity and restore public safety.
The choice to nominate a current acting official reflects an approach favoring continuity and tested performance, rather than a prolonged search or a political publicity contest. For conservatives focused on law and order, keeping Blanche in place is being framed as a steadying hand at the Justice Department during a time when prosecutors and federal law enforcement play a central role in public safety policy.
