Todd Blanche was formally advised by the Justice Department’s top ethics official to recuse himself from legal matters involving President Donald Trump shortly after joining the department in 2025, according to a new CNN report. The disclosure sheds new light on internal concerns surrounding Blanche’s transition from Trump’s personal defense attorney to one of the most powerful officials inside the Justice Department.
CNN reported that Joseph Tirrell, then the DOJ’s senior ethics official, personally briefed Blanche and his deputy Emil Bove during a March 2025 meeting and provided them with a printed ethics presentation outlining potential conflicts of interest.
The meeting reportedly marked the first formal notification to Blanche that ethics rules required him to step aside from Trump-related matters.
Ethics concerns tied to Trump investigations
Blanche previously represented Trump in multiple high-profile criminal cases brought by the federal government, including investigations into classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
That history has created growing questions over whether Blanche can oversee Justice Department probes tied to Trump’s political or personal interests without conflicts emerging.
“Even if it was a case that Blanche himself hadn’t worked on, if it related to Trump personally as a potential witness, having some sort of an interest there,” CNN correspondent Katelyn Polantz said. “Personally, it would be something that Blanche could not work on at the department.”
Polantz added: “Now he’s the acting attorney general. He had signed the ethics pledge after this briefing, saying that he would recuse from cases like this.”
According to CNN, Blanche signed an ethics pledge requiring him to avoid participation for at least one year in matters involving former clients of the Blanche Law Group.
DOJ regulations also prohibit involvement in investigations where an official has “a personal or political relationship” with someone directly connected to the case.
DOJ confirms Blanche recused from some cases
The Justice Department acknowledged for the first time that Blanche has recused himself from certain investigations, though officials declined to specify which ones.
“He is recused from many cases before DOJ. In any cases that are still ongoing where he previously represented someone, he is recused,” a DOJ spokesperson said.
The department later added: “To the extent DOJ is investigating something related to the President for which Todd was previously representing him, then hypothetically yes, he would recuse.”
CNN noted that Blanche has not publicly responded to the reporting.
Investigation involving John Brennan raises questions
The scrutiny surrounding Blanche intensified after reports emerged that former federal prosecutor Joe diGenova had been brought in to revive investigations tied to Trump’s long-running claims of political “weaponization” inside the federal government.
One focus reportedly includes former CIA Director John Brennan, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized over the Russia investigation.
CNN reported that Blanche delegated oversight of the broader conspiracy probe to senior aides and has not attended meetings related to the matter in recent months.
However, questions remain over whether his recusal formally extends to those investigations.
