Just days ago in a never-before-seen development‚ Donald Trump made public his intentions to place his personal legal defenders in Americas top law-enforcement positions (a move that breaks traditional boundaries between private and public legal roles)
The ex-president whose currently dealing with multiple legal cases chose Todd Blanche - his main defense attorney to become deputy attorney general: a position thats second-in-command at the Justice Department. Emil Bove got picked for the principal associate deputy role; while D John Sauer who stood before Supreme Court justices arguing Trumps immunity status earlier this yr would become solicitor general
This announcement comes as part of Trumps preparation for a potential Jan-25 return to office - making him the first former commander-in-chief to nominate his criminal defense team for such high-ranking positions. The solicitor general spot is extra-notable since its holder represents govt interests in Supreme Court matters; which means Sauer might need to switch from defending Trump to speaking for the whole nation
The timing of these picks shows Trumps focus on reshaping the justice system - even as he faces legal challenges in several jurisdictions. His choice of trusted legal allies suggests a different approach to filling these crucial positions that typically go to career prosecutors or experienced govt lawyers