The nomination underscores the president-elect’s intent to shape the Justice Department’s policy priorities in alignment with his pledge to get tough on crime.
President-elect Donald Trump has announced the nomination Aaron Reitz, former Texas deputy attorney general, to head the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy (OLP), a critical arm of the agency responsible for crafting legal policy, vetting judicial nominees, and coordinating key legislative initiatives.
Trump made the announcement in a Dec. 21 post on social media, in which he described Reitz as a “true MAGA attorney” and “warrior for our Constitution,” with the nomination underscoring the president-elect’s intent to shape the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) policy priorities in alignment with Trump’s pledge to get tough on crime.
“Aaron will lead OLP to develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System,” Trump wrote.
Trump expressed confidence that Reitz “will do an outstanding job” at the DOJ, where he will work alongside Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney general, assuming both gain Senate confirmation in the new year.
The OLP is a pivotal part of the DOJ, serving as its primary think tank for legal policy development. It plays a central role in shaping the administration’s legal agenda by crafting legislative proposals, formulating policy initiatives, and coordinating departmental regulations. Additionally, OLP oversees the judicial nomination process, working closely with the White House to vet candidates and prepare them for confirmation hearings.
Reitz, who currently serves as Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) chief of staff, brings a track record of high-profile legal battles against the Biden administration. In his previous role as deputy attorney general for legal strategy in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, Reitz directed the Texas v. Biden docket.
“Together we’ve sued the Biden Administration nearly 50 times since January 2021 and secured an 80 [percent] win rate fighting the nation’s most consequential legal battles,” Reitz wrote in an April 2023 letter announcing his departure from Paxton’s office. “We’ve reinvigorated federalism. And we’ve held the line against the lawless federal government’s worst excesses.”
Some of the key achievements from his time at Paxton’s office that Reitz touted in the letter include defending Texas’s border security measures, opposing federal immigration policies, and advancing conservative causes such as pro-life laws, Second Amendment protections, and election integrity.
Paxton issued a congratulatory statement on social media Saturday, calling Reitz “a loyal friend and good man,” and “our ‘offensive coordinator’ leading my very aggressive Texas-v-Biden docket.”
“He also spearheaded some of our agency’s most consequential actions on border security, immigration, Big Tech, Covid, energy, the environment, and election integrity,” Paxton wrote. “He’s a proven and effective fighter for our Constitution and American values, and is going to do an incredible job for President Trump and AG @PamBondi.”
Under Reitz’s leadership, the OLP is expected to prioritize issues such as strict immigration enforcement and reducing federal regulatory overreach.
In his role as head of the OLP, Reitz will work under Bondi, a former prosecutor who also served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019. Bondi has vowed to end what Trump has called the weaponization of the Justice Department.
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Nov. 21. “Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime, and making America safe again.”
Reitz will also work closely with Trump’s pick for deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, who is known for his extensive experience as a defense attorney representing high-profile clients, including Trump.