Overview
- The Washington Sun reported Friday that senior White House officials led by chief of staff Susie Wiles told Attorney General Todd Blanche to slow any abortion‑related actions until after the November midterm elections, a claim the White House denies.
- The Department of Justice has repeatedly asked federal courts to pause lawsuits seeking to restrict the abortion drug mifepristone while the Food and Drug Administration completes a safety review, and DOJ lawyers have declined to state an on‑the‑merits position in those cases.
- Judges on the U.S. 5th Circuit have pressed DOJ attorneys for clarity and expressed frustration at the department’s procedural posture and lack of an agency view on FDA regulations.
- Anti‑abortion leaders report they were told any enforcement steps would come after the election and a source said DOJ officials told some allies the department is 'actively working on' possible enforcement under the 1873 Comstock Act to bar mailing abortion drugs.
- The dispute raises questions about DOJ independence and timing because Attorney General Blanche previously pledged at his confirmation hearing to oppose mail‑order abortion pills and to enforce the Comstock Act, and any post‑election move could conflict with President Trump’s 2024 pledge not to block access to the drugs.