New Delhi, Aug. 16 -- US Attorney General Todd Blanche has refused to pledge that the Justice Department will always operate independently of President Donald Trump, arguing that no attorney general should make such a commitment.

In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press host Kristen Welker on Sunday, Blanche was asked directly whether he could guarantee the department's independence from the White House.

"No, I'm not going to pledge that," Blanche said. "And no attorney general ever should."

Welker then asked whether Blanche would refuse a presidential request if he believed it crossed an ethical or legal line.

"He would never do that," Blanche replied. "He never has. He never will."

Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Trump, said ...