US Attorney General Todd Blanche declines to pledge that the Department of Justice will always act independently of the White House and President Donald Trump, saying no attorney general should make such a vow. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, he was asked to assure independence and responded, “No, I’m not going to pledge that,” adding that “And no attorney general should ever” do so.
Blanche’s remarks come as some commentators and lawmakers have pressed senior officials for explicit commitments to DOJ’s independence. News outlets report that he did not take up those calls, instead saying he would consider the president’s views. The accounts align on his refusal to guarantee independence, while they differ in emphasis—some focus on his position that pledges are inappropriate, and others highlight that he is open to considering the president’s perspective.
