Todd Blanche, 51, has been appointed acting attorney general after the abrupt firing of Pam Bondi. Blanche, who previously defended President Trump in three of his four criminal cases, brings a mixed record to the role. His tenure as deputy attorney general was marked by enabling the politicization of the Justice Department while occasionally blocking the president's most extreme impulses.

Blanche's influence extends beyond his title, with allies like Aakash Singh and Colin McDonald holding key positions throughout the department. His close relationship with Trump, forged during high-profile courtroom battles, has given him outsize power within the administration. The department has been reshaped under his guidance, with a purge of federal agents and prosecutors who worked on Trump investigations.

During a recent appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Blanche boasted that FBI Director Kash Patel had "cleaned house" at the bureau, removing anyone involved in prosecuting Trump. While it remains unclear how long Blanche will serve in this role, his legacy will likely endure regardless of who succeeds him. The department he leaves behind will bear the imprint of his tenure, characterized by both political loyalty and occasional resistance to the president's most impulsive demands.