AG Todd Blanche flips pork at Iowa State Fair, vows DOJ won't stop seeking voter data

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche traded his suit for a red apron Thursday at the Iowa State Fair, flipping pork alongside Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird while insisting the visit was about celebrating America, not the upcoming midterm elections.

Blanche, who took office under President Donald Trump, told reporters the trip was arranged months ago at the invitation of Iowa's senior senator, Chuck Grassley.

“Chairman Grassley mentioned to me several months ago that I should come out for this, and I committed to it,” Blanche said amid the aroma of grilled meat. “My whole department is filled with great Americans, and it's in no small part to Chairman Grassley. So you guys have a great senator, you have a great attorney general, and it's great to be here.”

Why is the attorney general in Iowa?

Blanche said he's working closely with Bird, who is seeking reelection this November, on issues affecting Iowa farmers and ranchers. He acknowledged that Washington can't solve every problem facing the state but said the Department of Justice is focused on the challenges that matter.

“We can't fix every challenge that Iowans have today,” he said. “There's a lot of factors that go into the challenges. But what we can do is make sure we focus on the problem, and that's what we're doing in DC.”

Top Trump officials flock to Iowa this summer

Blanche is the latest in a wave of Trump administration officials to visit Iowa this month. The list includes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is scheduled to arrive Friday. Republican Party leaders, including RNC Chair Joe Gruters, House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, have also made the trip.

The influx of national figures typically signals presidential hopefuls testing the waters ahead of a caucus year. But few of the recent visitors are being floated as 2028 contenders. Instead, observers say the visits are aimed at boosting Iowa Republicans in what's shaping up to be a competitive midterm election.

Cook Political Report on Aug. 20 moved the U.S. Senate race into its most competitive “toss-up” category and shifted the governor's race to “leans Democrat.”

Blanche dismissed the political speculation.

“I saw an influx of cabinet officials a few weeks ago in Wyoming,” he said. “I saw an influx of cabinet officials a few weeks ago in Miami as well. So, I like that there could be a narrative that we run around compensating for fear about what's going to happen in an election, but it's not true.”

He said he accepted Grassley's invitation when snow was still on the ground in Washington.

“I promise you that to the extent that there's a grand plan for Iowa, it's that this administration cares about ranchers, cares about farmers, and I'm not surprised that there's other folks here,” he said.

Blanche on 2028: 'I couldn't be more sure'

Asked directly by NBC News whether he plans to run for president in 2028, Blanche didn't hesitate.

“I am not, no,” he said, adding, “I couldn't be more sure.”

Instead, he praised Iowa pork as “spectacular” and called the State Fair one of the top 10 most iconic American experiences.

“This is literally one of the top 10 most iconic things to do to celebrate America 250,” Blanche said. “So I'm doing one of the top 10 things, and I'm glad to be here.”

DOJ won't back down on voter data requests

Beyond the fairgrounds, Blanche addressed a more serious matter: the Department of Justice's ongoing pursuit of state voter registration data.

Iowa previously turned over its voter rolls, including partial Social Security numbers of more than 2 million registered voters, at the DOJ's request. Several other states have fought the request, and multiple federal judges have ruled against the department.

Blanche said the DOJ may ask the Supreme Court to weigh in and made clear the department won't stop pursuing the data.

“The way that the system works, as everybody knows, is if you lose at the district court level, you can appeal or you can try to work out a deal with the right person for the state,” he said. “We're doing all those different things, and we're not going to stop doing it. We're not motivated by a loss or a win at the district court.”

Bird stood by Blanche's remarks and emphasized her office's focus on election security. She has declined to say whether her office erred in advising Secretary of State Paul Pate to hand over Iowa's voter information.

“It's a felony to vote illegally,” Bird said. “We would like to prevent that. And I do not want to have an illegal vote mixed in with legal votes because it cancels out some Iowans' vote. And there's no way to unscramble that egg, and there is no acceptable amount of fraud.”

What does this mean for Iowa voters?

For Iowans, the dual messages from the fairgrounds are clear: the Trump administration is invested in the state's agricultural economy, and it remains committed to election integrity efforts despite court setbacks.

With competitive races for governor and U.S. Senate on the November ballot, the presence of so many national figures suggests Iowa remains a key battleground. Whether voters see the visits as genuine outreach or political strategy may depend on how the races unfold in the coming weeks.

One thing is certain: the pork at the Iowa State Fair got a glowing review from the nation's top law enforcement officer.

This article is based on reporting from the Des Moines Register.