Attorney General Todd Blanche will not say if President Donald Trump ordered the lawsuit. He appeared on Sunday programs to answer questions about the case. The Washington Examiner reported he refused to discuss private talks with the president.
Blanche faced tough questions on CNN about the legal fight in Alaska. The suit challenges the Senate race results due to voter confusion. Two candidates share the name Dan Sullivan. One is the current senator. The other is a retired teacher and school administrator.
Dana Bash asked Attorney General Todd Blanche if DOJ’s Alaska lawsuit is groundwork for President Trump to “overturn the election,” with a January 6th callback for good measure.
Blanche: “You got to stop it with that. You are not being a real person.”
“We’re not laying any groundwork for the President to do that. So your premise, your question is not true.”
Nine days out, January 6th is the only card CNN has left.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) October 25, 2026
During an interview, a reporter asked if Trump told the Justice Department to act. Blanche shut down the question immediately. He said he would never talk about any communications he has with the president of the United States, per The Washington Examiner.
He added that the president has been open about his worries. Blanche stated that the president is not shy to the American people and has been very clear with the American people about his concerns about what’s happening in Alaska.
.@AGToddBlanche: “In our system, we should not have a candidate who has to worry about another candidate being on the ballot for no other reason than to confuse voters. So it‘s something the Department of Justice has been looking at for a while.” https://t.co/mWVDqywuci
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) October 25, 2026
Trump spoke to reporters in Florida on Friday. He claimed he gave the direct order. Daniel J’s inclusion on the ballot, if it taints the results, is what the lawsuit seeks to have a court block.
The tone changed when CNN anchor Dana Bash pressed Blanche. She suggested the suit might lead to another election crisis. Bash asked if this was groundwork to overturn results. She referenced the events of January 6, 2021.
Blanche cut her off. He told the anchor to drop the theory. Bash responded in the middle of the crosstalk. The Daily Caller noted the heated exchange happened during a “State of the Union” interview.
Blanche clarified the goal of the legal action. He denied the suit tries to stop officials from certifying results. He said the aim is to save election materials. This happens if proof of voter confusion appears later.
.@AGToddBlanche: “It‘s important for the American people to understand that we are not trying to take over a state election in any way, shape or form. What we’re trying to do is make it clear that if it is obvious after the election, that confusion led to an improper and illegal result, the Alaska system should be able to address that.”
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) October 25, 2026
Blanche told The Washington Examiner that they are trying to put guardrails in place so that if this happens, there’s a system allowed where the ballots are. The Washington Times reported Blanche wants to ensure Alaskans do not vote for the wrong Dan Sullivan.
When asked about Trump’s comments on the specific candidate, Blanche remained silent. He told The Washington Examiner he has no idea who he was referring to, and even if he did have an idea, he would most certainly not talk about it.
The Department of Justice does not seek to stop any ballot from being cast or to stop the certification of Alaska’s election. This litigation seeks to ensure that after Alaskans cast their ballots, they are preserved in a manner so that only Alaska’s governing officials have the information necessary to make a determination as to whether Alaskan voters were confused or mislead.
The lawsuit was written by Justice Department attorneys and the Department did not coordinate with any campaign or candidate, but rather relied solely on federal law.
— Attorney General Todd Blanche (@AGToddBlanche) October 24, 2026
The administration argues the two names are too similar.
