'Completely False': Todd Blanche backs President Trump on DOJ 'weaponization' claims

In his first public appearance as Acting Attorney General, Todd Blanche dismissed critics accusing the Trump administration of "weaponizing" the Department of Justice (DOJ) by calling the claims "completely false." He, however, clarified that it was the President's right to lead the country. "Well, look, first of all, we have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country right now, and it is true that some of them involve men, women, and entities that the President in the past has had issues with and that he believes should be investigated. That is his right, and indeed it is his duty to do that—meaning, to lead this country," Blanche said. 

Addressing a question about President Trump's statements on wanting his political enemies prosecuted, Blanche said, "I do not view this as pressure. I do not view this as something that is going to keep me up at night, except to make sure that we are investigating every case that we have to the fullest extent of the law," and instead, took a dig at the Biden administration. "When you talk about ending 'weaponization', as if that's a bad thing for us to do. People in this room for four years, same people, sat here with the last administration when you saw a weaponization of this department the likes of which had never been seen in history," he said, adding, "You had a president who was indicted four times by this department...So when I see reporting about "shock and awe" at this supposed weaponization of this Department of Justice, it means nothing to me because it's completely false." Blanche ended by saying that, if anything, the administration is bringing change to the Department. 

President Trump has faced increasing criticism from Democratic lawmakers who claim that he is using the Department of Justice as a tool for political retribution. They point to the charges filed against former FBI director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Senator Adam Schiff. President Trump, too, had publicly rebuked former Attorney General Bondi for failing to indict them. In a lengthy post on Truth Social, he had written, “What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done." 

Blanche, who announced the National Fraud Enforcement Division, tasked with a "comprehensive and coordinated approach" to investigating fraud at the press conference, was also asked the reason behind Bondi's firing. "Pam Bondi is a trusted friend of President Trump's and will remain so. Nobody has any idea why the Attorney General is no longer the Attorney General, and I'm the Acting Attorney General, except for President Trump," he said.