A reporter pressed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche about whether he would take an “off-topic” question during a DOJ press conference on charges tied to $6.5 billion in allegedly fraudulent health insurance claims. Blanche refused, snapped back when pushed
When Todd Blanche stepped up at the Justice Department press conference on Tuesday, the room was already locked on one purpose: hundreds of charges tied to $6.5 billion in allegedly fraudulent health insurance claims. Then a reporter asked for something different.
“Off-topic, if I could?” the reporter called out as Blanche took questions.
“No off-topics,” Blanche replied with a smile. “Next question. We got a lot of people here for this reason — so we got a lot of people here for this reason, and they give up their time. So, next question.”
Another reporter’s voice cut in immediately. “He gets to ask his question on the topic that he chooses,” the journo admonished Blanche. “We’re not your spectators, sir.”
Blanche didn’t address the reprimand. He took another question without answering what the reporter was objecting to.
The press interaction didn’t settle. Near the end of the gathering, a different reporter tried again: “Mr. Attorney General, will you take one off-topic question?”
“No,” Blanche snapped back.
“Ya gotta take an off-topic question, sir,” another voice yelled out from the room.
Blanche ignored the pushback, asked if there were any other questions, and the conference ended.
The video of the exchange spread, coming on the heels of another viral moment last week involving CNN’s Manu Raju. That earlier incident also centered on Blanche’s refusal to engage with a line of questioning about California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In that viral hallway exchange, Raju was cut off by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and his spokesperson while Blanche sat in the lawmaker’s office ahead of his confirmation hearing in July to be the permanent attorney general. Raju had peppered Blanche with similar questions about Newsom, and Blanche stayed silent.
Newsom’s accusations have added heat to the confirmation fight. California Gov. Gavin Newsom accused the Justice Department of investigating him and his family without cause.
Blanche—described in the source as the former deputy attorney general under Pam Bondi—now faces a confirmation hearing in July where the questions are expected to get sharper. The pressure isn’t only about Newsom. The source also points to concerns that the DOJ’s prosecutions—specifically involving New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey—are driven by politics.
Those concerns are tied to the broader picture described in the source: that President Donald Trump has been “on the warpath against perceived political enemies in his second term.”
The source also includes a blunt political critique of Blanche’s position. An opinion contributor for The Hill, writing in a scathing essay, said Blanche “is in the tank for Trump.”
In the Tuesday press conference. though. the clash was immediate and personal—less about the substance of the $6.5 billion case than about what reporters were allowed to ask and how Blanche wanted control of the room. After two attempts to force even a single off-topic question. Blanche’s answer stayed the same. and then the microphones went quiet.
Todd Blanche acting attorney general DOJ charges health insurance fraud press conference off-topic questions confirmation hearing July Gavin Newsom Chuck Grassley Letitia James James Comey Trump second term
DOJ pressers are boring but getting mad at questions seems sketch.
He’s like “no off-topics” like that’s not literally journalism lol. If it’s their job to answer, just answer.
Wait so he won’t take ANY off-topic question? That feels like a PR trap. Also $6.5 billion health insurance fraud… so is he hiding something about Newsom or California too? I saw that other clip, seems related.
Honestly I don’t even care about “off-topic.” If the DOJ has all those charges, then why does it always turn into people yelling in hallways? Next they’ll say “next question” and act like they’re doing transparency. Sounds like everyone’s mad about the wrong thing and someone’s gonna spin it anyway.