From Trump’s Attorney to Attorney General: The Rise of Todd Blanche
The Daily
07/15/26
•29m
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To be confirmed as the next attorney general, Todd Blanche must convince members of the U.S. Senate that as political as the Department of Justice has become, it would be even worse without him on top.
As his confirmation hearing begins, Glenn Thrush, a Justice Department reporter for The New York Times, recounts the unlikely story of how Mr. Blanche became President Trump’s legal enforcer.
Guest: Glenn Thrush, a Justice Department reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- A single Republican vote against Mr. Blanche on the Senate Judiciary Committee could effectively sink his confirmation, giving Republican senators leverage to extract concessions from him.
- Mr. Blanche’s cooperation in Mr. Trump’s campaign to identify, investigate and punish those who had once pursued him and his supporters will be a flashpoint in his confirmation hearing.
Photo: Demetrius Freeman for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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Previous Episode
Why the Cease-Fire With Iran Keeps Crumbling
July 14
•27m
After back-and-forth attacks and an exchange of fiery language between President Trump and Iran’s leaders, it appears that both sides have returned to open conflict.
Today, David Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, explains what brought us to this point, and what this new phase of the war tells us about how difficult it will be to end.
Guest: David E. Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- After several days of strikes, Mr. Trump notified Congress that fighting with Iran had begun again, and he announced shipping fees that his administration previously deemed illegal.
- Analysis: As the cease-fire unraveled, the president’s aides insisted that they were not in violation of the preliminary accord.
Photo: Reuters
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
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Next Episode
ICE Ramps Back Up, With Deadly Results
July 16
•25m
Two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Texas and Maine have put the spotlight back on the Trump administration’s deportation tactics.
Hamed Aleaziz, who reports on immigration policy, explains how these killings signal a return to a more aggressive form of enforcement.
Guest: Hamed Aleaziz, who covers the Department of Homeland Security and immigration policy in the United States for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- The ICE killing in Houston put focus on a surge in immigration arrests.
- ICE was ordered to cease most vehicle stops after two killings in a week, but then President Trump demanded that the officers continue to stop vehicles.
Photo: Meridith Kohut for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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