Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that he would “of course” listen to President Donald Trump’s opinions on prosecutions, addressing a question about the independence of the Justice Department during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Host Kristen Welker pressed Blanche on whether he would take Trump’s views into account, specifically citing the possibility that the president might call for a case to be revived. Blanche responded directly, saying, “Would I take the president of the United States, his view on something, into consideration? Yes, of course.”
Blanche went further, suggesting that any attorney general who answered differently would be out of step with the role. “I hope every attorney general in history would not answer that question differently,” he said, arguing that the elected president’s views naturally carry weight in his decision-making process.
“The president of the United States, the elected president of the United States, says something to me. And I’m supposed to say to you, ‘I would say, nope.’ I mean, that’s not the way it works,” Blanche added, framing the dynamic as a practical reality of the job.
He also described Trump’s focus in broad terms, stating that the president “every day he wakes up with one mission, which is making this country better. And as it relates to me, making this country safer.” Blanche noted that if Trump has a view on prosecutorial matters, he often expresses it publicly, including on social media, and that such statements are “certainly something that I listen to.”
Welker raises Bill Barr precedent
Welker’s questioning referenced a notable moment from Trump’s first term, when Attorney General Bill Barr publicly pushed back on the president’s election fraud claims in 2020, calling them “detached from reality.” She asked Blanche whether he would stand up to Trump in a similar situation, where he believed a case did not meet the legal standard.
Blanche responded by emphasizing his willingness to disagree when necessary. “So, I will always stand up for what’s right,” he said. He also suggested that Trump does not expect blind loyalty from his senior officials. “The president does not expect any of his leaders, including me, to just say yes to him, no matter what he says,” Blanche said.
The exchange highlights ongoing questions about the boundaries between the White House and the Justice Department, particularly as Trump has continued to voice opinions on legal matters during his second term. Blanche’s comments are notable for their direct acknowledgment that presidential input factors into prosecutorial decisions, even as he sought to frame that in terms of routine consultation rather than improper influence.
Critics of the administration have raised concerns about politicization of law enforcement, while supporters of Trump have generally welcomed a more hands-on approach from the executive branch. Blanche’s remarks are likely to fuel further debate about the appropriate level of independence for the Justice Department under a president who has repeatedly weighed in on high-profile cases.
The “Meet the Press” appearance is one of Blanche’s more extensive public interviews since taking the role, and his answers on the intersection of presidential opinion and legal judgment are drawing attention from both allies and opponents of the administration.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/08/16/ag-todd-blanche-of-course-ill-listen-to-trumps-opinion-on-prosecutions/