Outrage as Attorney-General Todd Blanche refuses to say he will be independent of Trump... but claims president has 'never' demanded he prosecute targets

Published: 21:37, 16 August 2026 | Updated: 21:41, 16 August 2026 President Trump's newly appointed Attorney General has refused to pledge that his Justice Department would remain independent of the White House On Sunday, United States Attorney General Todd Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker that he would not 'pledge' independence from the current administration. 'And no attorney general should ever pledge that,' Blanche, who used to work for  Trump as his personal attorney, added. Welker then asked a follow-up: 'So if the president asked you to do something that you feel crosses an ethical or legal line, would you do it?' Blanche assured her that Trump would never push him to cross an ethical or legal boundary, while also claiming that the president has never done so.  'The president will never ask me to do something unethical or illegal,' the attorney general told Welker. 'He never has. He never will.' 'I swore to the constitution of the United States, like every cabinet secretary has done, and like every attorney general before me has done,' he added. Blanche then blamed his critics and the media for 'pushing a narrative' that President Trump would pressure him to 'do something illegal.'  United States Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to pledge that the Justice Department under his leadership would always act independently of President Donald Trump On Sunday, Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker that he would not 'pledge' independence from the current administration '[That] is completely a false narrative, not true, will not happen and hasn’t happened,' he told Welker. The attorney general’s remarks drew fierce backlash, with critics taking issue with how he characterized Trump and his refusal to guarantee the Justice Department would remain independent.  CNN commentator and Democratic strategist Xochitl Hinojosa said Blanche had given the 'wrong answer,' noting that past attorneys general have pledged their independence. Hinojosa wrote on X: 'Every AG has been able to give this answer: the Justice Department will act independent of the WH on all criminal matters. The president should never dictate who to prosecute.' Former Meet the Press host Chuck Todd called Blanche’s remarks a 'pretty amazing confession' in a post on X.  'Still can't believe he was confirmed. I guess he gets points for being honest?' He wrote. University of Michigan law professor Barb McQuade also chimed in on social media, saying Blanche’s stance was 'an appalling departure' from the Justice Department’s post-Watergate mission, established after the scandal that ultimately led President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974.  The attorney general’s remarks drew fierce backlash, with critics taking issue with how he characterized Trump and his refusal to guarantee the Justice Department would remain independent Todd Blanche speaks during a press conference at the Justice Department. He's been working in an acting capacity since Bondi was fired Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee  '[The DOJ] as we once knew it, is no more,' McQuade said. 'Blanche has turned it into Trump’s private law firm. What a complete disgrace.' His comments came after he narrowly scored the attorney general position - reaching the necessary 50 votes - after two Republicans voted 'no' - Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. A third GOP defection would have cost Blanche the nomination with the ongoing absence of Mitch McConnell, who is recovering from a bad fall. It was a huge victory for Trump, who has indicated that he wants his DOJ to pursue political prosecutions against his foes and go on the offense to restore 'justice' for his allies and friends.