Donald Trump pressures DOJ officials and appoints loyalist Todd Blanche

President Donald Trump is exerting pressure on his administration's legal and justice structures. In Washington, Trump has criticized U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she withdrew a felony vandalism charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn. Pirro, who was appointed by Trump, stated it was difficult to prove the damage to the Reflecting Pool was caused by Hearn ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ after receiving new information. Despite this, Trump has used Truth Social to present new evidence and has faced internal friction, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum publicly supported the vandalism theory.

Simultaneously, the administration has seen significant shifts in the Department of Justice. Todd Blanche, a former personal attorney to the president, was sworn in as Attorney General. His appointment follows a pattern of placing loyalists in key legal positions. On the same day, the president signed an executive order aimed at reducing the number of childhood vaccines and made unsubstantiated claims regarding vaccine safety.