"I Am Trump's Lawyer" Slip of the Tongue: Attorney General Nominee Grilled as a 'Yes Man'

"I am his lawyer. No, I was his lawyer."

Todd Blanche, the U.S. Attorney General nominee, gave this response during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on July 15 (local time) when asked about his relationship with President Donald Trump.

Although he corrected himself immediately after the slip of the tongue, there is a reason why the answer did not sound trivial.

Blanche is a close confidant who served as a defense attorney for President Trump in several criminal cases involving him.

This is also why President Trump dismissed Pam Bondi and nominated Blanche as Attorney General, citing insufficient progress in investigations into political opponents and the handling of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Blanche, who has served as Acting Attorney General since April, accelerated investigations into President Trump's political opponents and defended the President's plan to support his supporters by creating a judicial victim fund worth approximately 1.8 billion dollars.

He also led efforts to secure evidence to support President Trump's claims that his 2020 election defeat was due to election fraud, sparking controversy over the Department of Justice's violation of political neutrality.

Because of this, the opposition Democratic Party launched an intensive offensive during the confirmation hearing that day, questioning whether Blanche could perform his duties impartially, transcending partisanship as Attorney General.

Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, harshly criticized Blanche, calling him a "yes man."

He emphasized, "The United States deserves an Attorney General who loves the Constitution more than the President. We need an Attorney General who protects the safety of the American people and fights corruption, rather than one who appeases the President's personal grievances or fills his bank account."

Some members of the ruling Republican Party also joined in.

In particular, Senator John Cornyn, whose bid for re-election was blocked by President Trump, cornered Blanche with detailed and sharp questions characteristic of a lawyer.

Blanche actively defended himself, stating that the judicial victim fund had been scrapped and would not be pursued again.

Regarding the Epstein case, he also claimed that the Trump administration had handled it more transparently than any other administration.

He also said he is not afraid to speak truth to power to President Trump.

"President Trump trusts that I will provide advice, and providing advice does not mean that I am a 'yes man'," he said.

When asked if President Trump is eligible to run for re-election in the 2028 presidential election, he replied, "I do not think so."

Hardline supporters have argued that President Trump should bypass the constitutional provision banning a third term and run in 2028, and President Trump himself has mentioned running again, albeit jokingly, from time to time.

The Judiciary Committee is currently composed of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats, so for Blanche's confirmation to pass, all Republican senators must vote in favor.

If even one person from the Republican Party, including Senator Cornyn, breaks ranks, it will be impossible for the bill to pass the committee.

Meanwhile, a memorial bouquet was placed at the seat of Senator Lindsey Graham, a close aide to President Trump who was a member of the Judiciary Committee, during the hearing that day.

Senator Graham passed away suddenly on July 11.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.