Photo: Alamy
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Tuesday it would be “an honor” if President Donald Trump chose to nominate him to permanently lead the Justice Department, following the removal of former Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Blanche, who was named to the acting role last month after the president dismissed Bondi, said he had not sought the position but would accept whatever role the president assigns.
“As to whether or not I want this job, I did not ask for this job,” Blanche said during his first press briefing since Bondi’s departure. “I love working for President Trump. It’s the greatest honor of a lifetime, and if President Trump chooses to keep me as acting, that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate me, that’s an honor.
“If he chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to go do something else, I will say, ‘Thank you very much. I love you, sir,’” he added.
President Trump has not formally nominated a replacement for Bondi, leaving Blanche in charge of the department on an interim basis. Blanche previously served as deputy attorney general under Bondi.
The remarks came as Blanche outlined the creation of a new National Fraud Enforcement Division within the Justice Department. The initiative will include 93 prosecutors assigned across federal districts nationwide, part of a broader effort to expand enforcement against financial crimes.
Blanche also said Bondi’s transition out of the department remains ongoing and that he has been in communication with her during the process.
Bondi faced scrutiny during her tenure over several high-profile issues, including criticism of a public rollout of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and broader challenges tied to major investigations handled by the department.
The president previously announced Bondi’s departure in a post to Truth Social, writing that she will be “transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector.”
“Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,” he wrote in his post Thursday afternoon. “Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900.”
The administration has not indicated when a permanent nominee for attorney general will be announced.
