What to know about Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche

The former prosecutor has a long-standing relationship with President Trump, having represented him in the criminal hush-money case.

Todd Blanche, formerly a defense attorney for Donald Trump, has been appointed by President Trump as the Acting U.S. Attorney General. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, gained national attention for defending Trump in multiple criminal cases, including the New York hush money case that led to Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts, and two federal cases later dropped by Special Counsel Jack Smith after Trump’s 2024 election victory.

On April 2, 2026, President Donald Trump announced the dismissal of Attorney General Pam Bondi, naming Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as Acting Attorney General. Bondi's tenure was marked by controversy, including the politicization of the Department of Justice (DOJ), allegations of shielding Trump's political allies, and mishandling the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case. Her actions drew bipartisan criticism, particularly for failing to protect sensitive victim information and misleading the public about the existence of an Epstein client list.

This opinion article from The Daily Beast critiques how Todd Blanche, newly appointed Acting Attorney General under Donald Trump, handled the case of Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted child sex trafficker and associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Blanche, who previously served as Deputy Attorney General, privately interviewed Maxwell in 2025, three years after her conviction, allowing her to offer a favorable account of her involvement without cross-examination. Despite extensive victim testimony during her trial, Maxwell denied any knowledge of inappropriate behavior linked to Epstein and downplayed her connections with Trump. Blanche did not challenge these statements and later declined to assess her credibility. The article suggests Blanche’s actions—such as facilitating Maxwell's transfer to a low-security prison—were politically motivated, potentially rewarding her silence and loyalty, especially concerning Trump. The piece concludes that Blanche’s appointment signals troubling partiality within the justice system, benefiting those with powerful allies.

Pam Bondi has set a record for the shortest tenure of a confirmed U.S. Attorney General since the 1970s following her abrupt dismissal by President Donald Trump. Appointed in February 2025 and confirmed by a narrow Senate vote, Bondi served for just under 14 months before being replaced by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her departure marks the second key Cabinet firing since Trump’s return to office. Despite facing controversy during her term—particularly regarding her stance on Trump and issues with Justice Department disclosures on Jeffrey Epstein—Bondi remained upbeat about transitioning to an unspecified private sector role, offering continued support for Trump. Her tenure broke a record previously held by William Saxbe, who served in the 1970s.

President Trump has ousted Pam Bondi as U.S. attorney general, a move that comes amid dissatisfaction with how aggressively she pursued Mr. Trump's priorities at the Justice Department, including prosecutions of his perceived political enemies, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. The president confirmed the move in a post on Truth Social on Thursday afternoon, saying Bondi will move to a role in the private sector. 'Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,' he wrote. 'We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in ... .'