Trump Taps Attorneys Todd Blanche for Deputy AG, Dean John Sauer for Solicitor General

Former President Donald Trump and attorney Todd Blanche attend his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 20, 2024 in New York City. Mark Peterson-Pool/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President-Elect Donald Trump on Nov. 14 announced three figures to help lead the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), including his attorney Todd Blanche for deputy attorney general.

Trump also announced his selection of Dean John Sauer as U.S. Solicitor General, and attorney Emil Bove for principal associate deputy attorney general.

Blanche defended Trump in his falsified business records case before New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan this year.

“Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long,” Trump said in a statement.

“Todd is going to do a great job as we, Make America Great Again.”

Trump said Bove, who has helped him in multiple cases, is set to serve as principal associate deputy attorney general but will serve as acting deputy attorney general while Blanche goes through the Senate confirmation process.

“Emil is a tough and strong attorney, who will be a crucial part of the Justice Department, rooting out corruption and crime,” Trump said.

Sauer was Trump’s lead counsel in his immunity case before the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that the former president is immune from prosecution for official acts in office.

“John is a deeply accomplished, masterful appellate attorney, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia in the United States Supreme Court, served as Solicitor General of Missouri for six years, and has extensive experience practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court and other Appellate Courts,” Trump said in a statement on the choice.

The announcements helped outline what leadership for the nation’s top law enforcement agency would look like. In the preceding day, Trump said he was nominating Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to lead the DOJ as attorney general.

As deputy attorney general, Blanche will be “authorized to exercise all the power and authority of the Attorney General, except where such power or authority is prohibited by law from delegation or has been delegated to another official,” according to DOJ.

Sauer’s expected role, which is currently held by U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, is responsible for, among other things, defending the governments’ laws before the U.S. Supreme Court.