Trump Considers Delaying Todd Blanche’s Attorney General Nomination Over Senate Opposition
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he might withdraw or postpone the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche until Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who have expressed opposition, leave office.
The current deadlock revolves around the senators' requests for written guarantees on two main issues: the termination of the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and limits on tax audit immunity resulting from an almost $1.8 billion Department of Justice settlement with the Internal Revenue Service.
Following a delay in the Senate Judiciary Committee's scheduled vote on Blanche's nomination on Wednesday, Senator Cornyn described the negotiations as "very constructive" but indicated that confirmation now appears "doubtful." He also remarked that the Department of Justice has "simply refused to cooperate" regarding the provision of written confirmation related to his testimony and was still awaiting a response as of Thursday morning.
Despite the stalled confirmation process, Trump praised Blanche as "a STAR" and stated he intends to keep him serving as acting attorney general until both senators leave office next year.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator John Kennedy has cautioned Trump against postponing Blanche's nomination until after the midterm elections, warning that Senate dynamics could shift significantly, potentially affecting the confirmation outcome.