Trump says he will nominate Todd Blanche as attorney general : NPR
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump announced plans to formally nominate Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer and current acting head of the Justice Department, as the permanent attorney general.
- Blanche has aggressively pursued investigations into Trump's political opponents and proposed a controversial $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" to compensate alleged victims of political persecution, a plan that was recently scrapped amid bipartisan backlash.
- Critics accuse Blanche of using the Justice Department to carry out Trump's retribution campaign, while Blanche denies politicization and claims his focus is on correcting perceived abuses by the Biden administration.
- Blanche appointed Joseph diGenova to lead an investigation into alleged conspiracies against Trump by former law enforcement and intelligence officials, further fueling partisan tensions.
- Blanche's nomination faces scrutiny from both Democrats and some Republicans in the Senate, especially after controversies surrounding the fund and his aggressive pursuit of Trump's foes like former FBI Director James Comey.