Donald Trump is expected to nominate his personal lawyer Todd Blanche as permanent attorney general, a move that British legal experts say risks further politicising the US justice system. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who represented Trump in his New York criminal cases, would replace acting attorney general James McHenry if confirmed.
Legal observers in London are alarmed. Professor David Anderson, a former UK independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said: “This is a direct threat to the rule of law. The attorney general in the US holds immense prosecutorial power. To appoint a personal lawyer, someone who has defended the president in court, creates an undeniable conflict of interest.”
The nomination follows a pattern of Trump placing loyalists in top justice roles. His previous attorney general, William Barr, was criticised for intervening in cases involving Trump allies. Blanche’s appointment would take this further, as he has no experience running a federal law enforcement agency of 115,000 employees.
Critics argue that Blanche’s close ties to Trump could erode public trust in the Department of Justice. “The attorney general must be independent from the White House,” said Baroness Helena Kennedy, a leading human rights lawyer. “Otherwise, the justice system becomes a tool for political vendettas.”
Under Blanche, the DOJ could face pressure to drop ongoing investigations into Trump and his allies. Legal experts also worry about the impact on international cooperation. “The US and the UK share intelligence and extradite suspects based on mutual trust in each other’s legal systems,” said Sir John Vine, former director general of the UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency. “If that trust is undermined, it harms both countries.”
Blanche was part of Trump’s defence team in the hush-money case where Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts. He also represented Trump in the Mar-a-Lago documents case. Should he become attorney general, he would oversee federal prosecutors who may still be pursuing those very cases.
The nomination requires Senate confirmation, but with a Republican majority, it is likely to pass. Democrats have vowed to fight it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “a shameless bid to turn the DOJ into the president’s personal law firm.”
For British onlookers, this echoes concerns about democratic backsliding. The UK’s own attorney general is a political role but is subject to strict conventions against interfering in prosecutions. No such safeguards exist in the US. “The framers of the US constitution assumed that presidents would respect the independence of the justice department,” noted Professor Anderson. “That assumption is now being tested.”
Blanche’s nomination comes as Trump has vowed to “root out the deep state” and pursue retribution against his political enemies. If confirmed, Blanche would hold the power to decide which cases to pursue, including those against Trump’s adversaries.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a former US attorney, said: “This nomination is a direct threat to the rule of law. We must resist it with every tool we have.”
As the US prepares for a divisive confirmation battle, British legal experts are watching closely. “The American people deserve a justice system that is free from political interference,” said Baroness Kennedy. “This nomination puts that principle in grave danger.”
