Blanche Professes Loyalty to Trump in First Remarks as Acting Attorney General

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche expressed unwavering loyalty to President Donald Trump during his first public appearance since taking over from the dismissed Pam Bondi. Speaking at a Justice Department press conference focused on anti-fraud efforts, Blanche made it clear his future role would be entirely at the president’s discretion.

“As to whether or not I want this job, I did not ask for this job. I love working for President Trump,” Blanche stated. “It’s the greatest honor of a lifetime, and if President Trump chooses to keep me as acting, that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate me, that’s an honor.”

Demonstrating his personal devotion to the president, Blanche added: “If he chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to go do something else, I will say, ‘Thank you very much. I love you, sir.'”

The leadership change at the Justice Department comes after Trump announced last week that Bondi would be departing her role, with Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney and as deputy attorney general, stepping in temporarily. Federal law allows officials to serve in acting capacities for up to 210 days.

When questioned about Bondi’s dismissal, Blanche was notably evasive, saying “nobody has any idea… except for the president.” Sources familiar with the situation have indicated Trump’s decision to remove Bondi stemmed from her inability to secure indictments against several of his political opponents and dissatisfaction with her handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case files.

Despite the abrupt transition, Blanche noted that Bondi’s departure remains ongoing. “We’ve been regularly communicating over the past several days for an appropriate transition. She is very much a big supporter of this department,” he said, adding that Bondi had announced she would take 30 days to shift responsibilities.

The president has not yet signaled who might permanently fill the attorney general position. While Blanche is considered a contender, Fox News Digital previously reported that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin has also been discussed as a potential nominee.

The primary focus of Blanche’s press conference was the Justice Department’s enhanced efforts to combat financial fraud. He highlighted recent successes, including a guilty plea in a $160 million healthcare enrollment fraud scheme and a sentencing in a $100 million COVID-19 related fraud case.

“We have a storied history of combating fraud and bringing criminal actors to justice, but the department has never adopted a comprehensive and coordinated approach to investigating and prosecuting fraud against taxpayer dollars and taxpayer-funded programs,” Blanche emphasized.

He formally introduced the DOJ’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division, which will be led by newly confirmed Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, who stood alongside Blanche during the announcement. The initiative will deploy specialized prosecutors and expanded staffing across U.S. attorney’s offices nationwide, utilizing advanced technology to more effectively target fraud.

According to Blanche, the cases referenced represent only a fraction of the fraud occurring throughout the country, underscoring the need for the enhanced enforcement division.

Former U.S. Attorney John Fishwick of Virginia observed that Blanche appeared to be auditioning for the permanent position during his press conference. “Todd Blanche seems to be trying out for the top job today in his opening press conference and surely trying to catch Trump’s attention with his criticism of many of the questions by the press,” Fishwick noted, referencing Blanche’s dismissive responses to several reporters.

As the transition continues, all eyes remain on Trump’s eventual decision for who will lead the Justice Department permanently in his second administration.