Todd Blanche, the Justice Department’s No. 2 official, has navigated a precarious role as both enabler and reluctant resistor of President Trump’s retribution-driven agenda. A former Trump attorney, Blanche has allowed politically charged investigations to proceed while occasionally pushing back against extreme measures, such as pressuring prosecutors to target civil rights leaders or election officials without sufficient evidence. His July interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate, drew criticism for appearing to shield Trump associates, while his public defense of politically motivated prosecutions has fueled accusations of undermining judicial independence.

Yet Blanche’s most notable resistance—blocking Trump allies from pursuing baseless claims about 2020 election fraud—has made him a target among hardline conservatives.