Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal attorney for Donald Trump, has stated that he would not pledge to act independently from the White House. In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche asserted that no attorney general should ever "pledge" to act independently from the White House, though he assured the public that the president would not request illegal actions.
Blanche's comments have ignited a discussion regarding the degree to which the Department of Justice should remain free from White House influence. This comes as Blanche faces criticism for his involvement in setting up an "anti weaponisation fund." This fund is intended to compensate individuals, such as January 6th rioters, whom Trump claims have been unfairly targeted by the Biden administration.
Concerns have also been raised by survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, who fear that Blanche's past actions, including interviewing Ghislane Maxwell in prison, could impede their pursuit of justice.
Separately, a significant lawsuit brought by 29 U.S. states against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has commenced. The states allege that Meta has violated federal and state privacy laws concerning children. They are seeking billions of dollars in damages and requesting modifications to the user experience on Meta's platforms. The outcome of this case could influence the future operations of social media companies.