United States Attorney General Todd Blanche has refused to pledge that the Justice Department under his leadership would always act independently of President Donald Trump. In a Sunday interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche told host Kristen Welker that he would not commit to independence from the current administration, stating, "And no attorney general should ever pledge that."

When pressed by Welker on whether he would comply with a presidential request that crossed an ethical or legal line, Blanche asserted that President Trump would never make such a demand, nor had he ever. "The president will never ask me to do something unethical or illegal," Blanche said. "He never has. He never will."

Blanche attributed the criticism to a "false narrative" being pushed by the media and his detractors, claiming that the idea of President Trump pressuring him to act illegally "will not happen and hasn’t happened."

Blanche's remarks have ignited significant backlash. Critics, including CNN commentator Xochitl Hinojosa, have pointed to past attorneys general who have affirmed their department's independence. "Every AG has been able to give this answer: the Justice Department will act independent of the WH on all criminal matters. The president should never dictate who to prosecute," Hinojosa posted on X.

Former Meet the Press host Chuck Todd described Blanche's comments as a "pretty amazing confession" on social media. University of Michigan law professor Barb McQuade called Blanche's position "an appalling departure" from the Justice Department's post-Watergate mission, established after the Watergate scandal. "[The DOJ] as we once knew it, is no more," McQuade stated. "Blanche has turned it into Trump’s private law firm. What a complete disgrace."

The attorney general’s remarks drew fierce backlash, with critics taking issue with how he characterized Trump and his refusal to guarantee the Justice Department would remain independent

The comments follow Blanche's narrow confirmation as Attorney General, which secured the necessary 50 votes despite opposition from two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. The outcome was viewed as a significant win for Trump, who has previously expressed a desire for the Justice Department to pursue political prosecutions against his adversaries and support his allies.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee

Todd Blanche speaks during a press conference at the Justice Department. He's been working in an acting capacity since Bondi was fired

On Sunday, Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker that he would not 'pledge' independence from the current administration