Todd Blanche’s Path to Acting US Attorney General Amid High-Stakes DOJ Challenges

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche held a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2026. | Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images

It has been a pivotal week for the Trump Justice Department, beginning with the arraignment of an alleged would-be presidential assassin on Monday. Just one day after federal charges were filed against Cole Tomas Allen, who prosecutors allege attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the DOJ shifted focus to a new target: former FBI Director James Comey, who now faces a second set of federal charges—this time for allegedly threatening the president with a message written in seashells.

Blanche’s Rapid Rise to Acting Attorney General

Overseeing these high-stakes developments is Todd Blanche, a former Trump personal lawyer who now serves as acting Attorney General. Blanche, previously the deputy attorney general, assumed the top role on a temporary basis after his predecessor, Attorney General Pam Bondi, was fired earlier in the month. His performance in this role is widely seen as a critical audition for the permanent position.

CNN’s chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid discussed Blanche’s trajectory and current standing with Today, Explained co-host Noel King earlier this week. Reid described the acting attorney general’s position as one he could lose if he falters.

“Has [Blanche] done anything that has surprised you?” King asked.

Todd Blanche has actually, I think, really met the moment perfectly, especially in the larger context of my reporting on his audition for attorney general. [The Correspondents’ Dinner shooting] is the first thing that has happened to the Blanche Justice Department as opposed to being something they’ve done or what we’ve seen throughout the Trump Justice Department, which has been a lot of self-inflicted controversies: the handling of the Epstein files, the controversial firings, decisions they’ve made around cases and trying to charge people. That’s all self-inflicted. But when you’re the attorney general, you’re going to deal with a Boston Marathon bombing or a San Bernardino shooting. This is not quite of that level, but it is certainly a massive event that they have to respond to. That is a real test for the attorney general, and so far it’s been a textbook response from him. He did the Sunday shows. He took questions. And then we heard from him again after Monday’s arraignment.

Blanche’s Career Path to the DOJ

Blanche’s journey to the acting attorney general role began as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. He later transitioned into white-collar legal practice before joining Trump’s legal team around 2023, during the former president’s four major legal cases. Blanche contributed to the two federal cases brought by Jack Smith, including the prosecution related to classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

His rapid ascent within the Trump administration reflects the president’s preference for loyalty and legal allies with deep institutional knowledge. As acting AG, Blanche now faces the dual challenge of managing immediate crises while proving his readiness for a permanent leadership role.

For more insights into Blanche’s performance and the Trump Justice Department’s evolving priorities, listen to the full Today, Explained episode on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.