Donald Trump, who will soon begin his second term as president, has decided to fill key positions in the US Justice Department with his criminal defense lawyers. Todd Blanche, one of his lawyers, has been chosen as the deputy attorney general. His role will include managing daily functions of the department and advising the attorney general on important matters. Emil Bove, another member of Trump’s legal team, will be the principal associate deputy attorney general. John Sauer, who won Trump’s immunity case at the Supreme Court, is the pick for solicitor general. This choice reflects Trump’s trust in his close allies, but it’s also notable that these legal positions are often filled by experienced lawyers.

Blanche and Bove were crucial members of Trump’s defense teams. They worked on the Manhattan hush money case, which ended in a conviction, and the federal classified documents prosecution, which was dismissed. Blanche was also involved in the federal case regarding the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. In the hush money case, Blanche cross-examined Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen over several days and had some tense moments with Judge Juan Merchan. Blanche was once a federal prosecutor but moved to private practice about ten years ago.

Sauer’s appointment as solicitor general is significant. He achieved a major legal win this year by successfully arguing Trump’s immunity case at the Supreme Court. The justices ruled that presidents cannot be prosecuted for official actions taken while in office. This decision might help Trump avoid federal charges and could also impact the outcome of the New York business fraud criminal case, which is currently on appeal. Sauer has a strong legal background, having clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia and served as the Solicitor General of Missouri for six years.

The solicitor general has an essential job: managing and arguing the government’s cases before the Supreme Court. It’s clear that Trump values his defense lawyers highly, placing them in these influential roles.

Trump’s Lawyers Become Top Justice Officials

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