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Deputy AG Todd Blanche Responds to Tough Questions from ABC’s George Stephanopoulos — What Really Happened
Following the broadcast, a wave of commentary — particularly on conservative outlets and social media — described Blanche as having publicly rebuked or called out ABC and host George Stephanopoulos for what they interpreted as biased questioning. This blog post breaks down what Blanche actually said on the show, what parts of the interview have been amplified politically, and why this matters for public trust and media accountability.
The Context: A High‑Stakes Sunday Show Appearance
This Week is one of the major Sunday political news programs in the United States, and it typically features interviews with key officials from the White House and federal agencies. Blanche’s appearance came at a moment of heightened scrutiny for the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files — millions of pages of records released in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In recent weeks leading up to the interview:
The DOJ released millions of pages related to the Epstein case, satisfying statutory requirements but prompting criticism about redactions and completeness.
Survivor advocates and some lawmakers expressed frustration that too many materials were withheld or insufficiently redacted to protect victims.
Republican legislators accused the DOJ of failing to live up to full transparency — a politically charged issue given ongoing debates over government transparency and accountability.
Against this backdrop, Blanche’s ABC interview addressed three main areas: the status of the Epstein file release, responses to critics over potential redaction errors, and broader questions about departmental priorities.
A main focus of the discussion was the DOJ’s recent release of Epstein‑related material. Blanche reiterated that the department had followed legal requirements in reviewing and releasing materials. He stated that the review was completed — though additional documents still await judicial approval due to protective orders.
Blanche also pushed back on the idea that the DOJ was hiding documents or acting in bad faith, emphasizing the scale of the review and the need to protect victims’ identities. He noted that the department had gone to lengths to address redaction errors when brought to its attention.
This part of the interview was substantive: Blanche defended DOJ’s approach, acknowledged imperfect redactions, and promised corrective action. There was no explicit statement equating ABC’s coverage itself with fake news, nor did Blanche say that Stephanopoulos was deliberately deceptive on air.
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