Key facts
- Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the Justice Department workforce for the first time.
- Blanche pledged to lead with integrity and listen to staff ideas.
- He stated the department will "always respect the role of the judiciary" and not engage in "performative attacks."
- Critics expressed concern that Blanche's assurances do not match past actions and rhetoric.
- Blanche previously described the department's fight against federal judges as a "war."
Attorney General Todd Blanche delivered his first address to the Justice Department workforce, vowing to lead with integrity and an open ear amid concerns about the agency's direction and past criticisms of the judiciary. Blanche, who previously served as President Donald Trump's criminal defense lawyer, acknowledged that he would not always make the right decisions but promised to back his staff if they acted with integrity.
His remarks come after a period where the department, and Blanche himself, had publicly criticized "activist judges" who ruled against the Trump administration's agenda. However, on Thursday, Blanche struck a different tone, stating, "We will always respect the role of the judiciary. We will not engage in or stand for any sort of performative attacks that undermine the institutions that we are sworn to uphold."