Trump’s new A-G a champion of unbridled presidential power

August 9, 2026 — 10:39am

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Washington: The three lame-duck Republican senators who narrowly saved Todd Blanche’s confirmation as US attorney-general ended up backing him because they believed he was the only person who had earned enough trust, and enjoyed enough access, to rein in President Donald Trump.

One issue with that calculation: Blanche is a champion of unbridled presidential power.

Time and again during his turbulent nomination process, Blanche made it unmistakably clear that he believes Trump possesses a nearly limitless right to directly control the actions of the Justice Department under Article II of the Constitution. It is an argument that formed the foundation of his strategy as the president’s criminal defence lawyer and is the lodestar of his government service.

Blanche’s confirmation in the predawn hours of Saturday (Washington time) was largely symbolic: as acting attorney general, he could have served indefinitely. But it represented a powerful endorsement by Congress of the philosophy that has guided him under a meddling, demanding boss – that he has a constitutional obligation to execute every lawful White House order, even if it shatters long-standing policy and rule-of-law norms, or contradicts what he thinks is right.

He articulated that view from the moment he took over as acting attorney-general in April, telling reporters that Trump had “the right” and “duty” to order up investigations of people he targets. During his confirmation, both in public and in private conversations, Blanche sidestepped questions over whether actions Trump ordered were right, saying only that Trump had the right to do them.

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Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan Law School professor and former federal prosecutor, said this........

© The Age