After Pam Bondi was sacked by Donald Trump on Thursday, her former deputy Todd Blanche is taking over the justice department until a permanent replacement is confirmed.
Blanche was the president’s personal attorney before being appointed deputy attorney general in Trump’s second administration. He represented him in the hush-money case brought by former porn star Stormy Daniels. He also served as Trump’s lead defense lawyer in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.
Trump praised Blanche as “a very talented and respected Legal Mind” when he announced him as acting attorney general in a social media post on Thursday.
Blanche released a statement following Bondi’s ouster, saying that he’s thankful for the “trust and opportunity” to serve as acting attorney general.
“Pam Bondi led this Department with strength and conviction and I’m grateful for her leadership and friendship,” Blanche added. “We will continue backing the blue, enforcing the law, and doing everything in our power to keep America safe.”
