'He's a very talented guy': Trump backs Todd Blanche for permanent Attorney General role

Even as Todd Blanche faces increasing criticism from both Democratic and Republican ranks, President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, expressed confidence in his Acting Attorney General. Speaking in an interview with 'Pod Force One', Trump signaled that he may nominate Blanche to the position permanently. When asked directly by host Miranda Devine if Blanche would transition into the permanent role, Trump expressed strong support. "I think he will," the President said, "Todd's doing a very good job. He's a very talented guy."

Blanche, a defense attorney who represented Trump during his high-profile criminal trials in New York, took over as Acting Attorney General after Pam Bondi was fired from the position. While the Trump administration justified Bondi's removal, with the President saying that she would be "transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector," her sudden ouster followed months of immense political pressure.

During her 14-month tenure, she faced severe criticism over the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files, with Democrats accusing her of working in a partisan manner. She also invited Trump's ire for failing to prosecute some of his political adversaries, including Letitia James and James Comey. After taking over as the interim DOJ head, Blanche was able to mitigate some of the President's concerns, including an indictment against former FBI director Comey. 

However, his brief tenure has already been marked by intense institutional friction, which was amplified after a settlement deal over Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The DOJ continues to invite fierce backlash from both Democrats and a group of Senate Republicans after announcing a $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund." The program, designed to review past federal prosecutions and potentially offer financial payouts, was temporarily halted by a court injunction. 

Trump's remarks came just a day after Blanche testified before a House Appropriations subcommittee. Blanche stated that the DOJ would halt the implementation of the "anti-weaponization fund", dubbed by many as a "slush fund", due to the court ruling.

Trump, during his appearance on 'Pod Force One', however, defended the fund, saying that he was "very proud" of his executive pardons, including those granted to individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. "These are people that have been decimated," Trump said. "And I gave them pardons. I'm very proud to have given them pardons, and I think they should be (reimbursed) for a crooked ​government."