Donald Trump selects his criminal lawyer, Todd Blanche, for the role of Deputy Attorney General.
WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Todd Blanche, a lawyer who vigorously defended him in his New York hush money trial and two federal criminal cases, to serve as Deputy Attorney General in his upcoming administration.
Blanche will work alongside former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who has been selected for the position of Attorney General. The Deputy Attorney General holds a crucial role in the Justice Department, overseeing the implementation of policies and supervising key agencies.
When Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed special counsel Robert Mueller to lead the probe. Trump attempted to stop Mueller’s investigation and ultimately dismissed Sessions following the 2018 midterm elections.
Matt Gaetz praised the selection of Todd Blanche in a post on X, stating, "We are building an incredible team at the Department of Justice in the Trump/Vance Administration!"
During Trump’s criminal hush money trial in New York, Todd Blanche aggressively cross-examined former lawyer Michael Cohen, accusing him of being dishonest. Trump was ultimately convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements made to Cohen for paying porn actress Stormy Daniels to remain silent about an alleged sexual encounter prior to the 2016 election.
However, Judge Juan Merchan delayed sentencing, requesting additional arguments from the lawyers on how to approach punishment given Trump’s pending presidency.
Blanche was also part of the legal teams representing Trump in two federal cases: one involving alleged election interference and the other concerning the mishandling of classified documents after his presidency.
A judge dismissed the classified documents charges, a decision currently under appeal. Meanwhile, another judge is considering whether to dismiss the election interference charges, citing a Supreme Court ruling from July that found Trump was presumptively protected from prosecution for official acts as president.
This delaying strategy postponed any significant developments in both federal cases until after the election. Following Trump’s victory, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is winding down both investigations, adhering to department policy that prohibits prosecuting a sitting president.