Blanche Says Democrats’ Rhetoric Could Become Criminal

Attorney General Todd Blanche said Democrats’ rhetoric could cross from political debate into criminal conduct, while making clear that whether an investigation was warranted would depend on what lawmakers said and did. The remarks came amid a dispute over Democrats’ plans to scrutinize the Trump administration after winning control of both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.

On Fox & Friends, Blanche said the Justice Department was concerned about rhetoric from incoming Democratic lawmakers and others. “We cannot let the rhetoric turn from just honest debate to actual criminal conduct,” he said. The account of those remarks did not identify a specific criminal act.

Blanche elaborated in a November 8 interview on CNN’s State of the Union, saying possible investigations depended on what was said and what crime may have occurred. He affirmed that people may criticize President Donald Trump and his administration, but said a senator’s warning to students to think carefully before taking jobs in the administration went too far. He did not say that every such case would be prosecuted.

Blanche also criticized Rep. Robert Garcia, the California Democrat expected to chair...