Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NewsNation that Democrats could pursue criminal or civil actions against Trump-era officials if they regain power. Blanche said the administration's strategy is to "expose" what it calls prior "weaponization" and to put unspecified "roadblocks" in place to prevent similar actions in the future. He offered no concrete details about what those barriers would entail. The comments come amid broader debates over pardons, accountability, and Trump's recent actions to shield allies.
Acting AG Todd Blanche Says Democrats Could Pursue Trump-Era Officials — Administration Promises To 'Expose' And Build Unspecified 'Roadblocks'
Todd Blanche Gives Chilling Reason Why Democrats Won't Be Able To Prosecute Trump Officials
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told NewsNation that Democratic leaders could attempt to investigate or prosecute officials from the Trump administration if they regain power — and said his response is to "expose" alleged past "weaponization" of the justice system and to erect unspecified "roadblocks" to prevent a repeat.
Blanche made the comments during a joint Friday interview on NewsNation with FBI Director Kash Patel. Asked whether he planned to take steps now to limit any future actions by Democrats targeting Trump, his family or former aides, Blanche replied: "Do I believe it's a possibility that the Democrats will go after President Trump, his family, anybody that knows him, anyone that worked for him? I think they've proven that to be true."
"What can we do about it, is we can just keep exposing. When we learn about the weaponization that happened for many years, we can keep on exposing it and putting roadblocks in place so it never happens again," Blanche said, without outlining what those roadblocks would be.
Blanche added he is less concerned about personal consequences and more worried about the potential impact on the country. He did not provide details on any specific legal, administrative or policy measures he might pursue to block future investigations.
Context And Response
Many Democratic lawmakers have said that, if they regain control of the House, Senate or the White House, investigating alleged crimes by Trump-era officials would be a priority. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently told The New York Times that "people in this administration who've broken the law" should face criminal and civil prosecution where appropriate.
Since returning to office, President Donald Trump's administration has taken steps the White House says are intended to shield allies who were targeted by the prior Justice Department. Those actions include pardoning nearly 1,600 people charged or convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and proposing an "Anti-Weaponization Fund" that the administration later appeared to scale back after bipartisan criticism.
The White House this week announced that Trump intends to nominate Blanche for Senate confirmation as attorney general; Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general since Pam Bondi was dismissed in April. The remarks add to an ongoing national debate over accountability, pardons and the proper scope of oversight of former administration officials.
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