President Donald Trump said he would not object to temporarily pulling Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination from Senate consideration after two Republican senators declined to back him.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he had “no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name” if outgoing GOP senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina “do not do the right thing” and support Blanche in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Trump added that he would resubmit Blanche’s nomination to the committee for a vote after the midterm elections.
The president’s comments followed weeks of friction with Cornyn and Tillis, both Republican members of the Judiciary Committee, over language tied to a contentious tax immunity agreement involving Trump and members of his family, along with a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund.” The issues were serious enough that the two senators withheld their support unless the Justice Department provided written assurance that the IRS settlement and anti-weaponization fund are “dead.” Blanche had acknowledged that formal written changes would be necessary to prevent Trump from potentially reviving the settlement later.
Despite weeks of negotiations with the Justice Department, the dispute remained unresolved. Cornyn told reporters the parties were “no closer than we were before” to securing the requested revisions, while both he and Tillis indicated that the resistance seemed to be coming from the White House rather than from DOJ officials or Blanche himself.
Trump’s apparent willingness to risk the confirmation of his attorney general nominee in order to preserve a broad IRS settlement that could shield him and his family from tax audits offered another window into his priorities in a second term, during which he has at times appeared ready to wield presidential power in pursuit of personal grievances.
Cornyn suggested Thursday that unease over Blanche’s nomination extends beyond the two Republicans publicly involved in the standoff. Posting on social media, he said Trump “is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis,” Cornyn said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month
Trump, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Todd Blanche speak to reporters
Trump and his then-personal lawyer, Todd Blanche, speak to the press outside the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City
Cornyn speaks to reporters after votes in the US Capitol
The impasse threatens to snarl Blanche’s confirmation hopes for the near-term, leaving Trump without a Senate-confirmed attorney general.
It could also prompt renewed scrutiny of the IRS settlement, barring the requested modifications. Already, the settlement and the so-called anti-weaponization fund had created new fissures within the Republican Party and the Trump administration.
GOP leaders have shown more willingness to buck the President on his legislative priorities, which could complicate things for him in the final months before the midterm elections.
A Senate Judiciary Committee spokesperson conceded that Blanche’s nomination lacked votes to advance from committee, saying that the panel’s chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley, works to ‘set President Trump’s nominees up for success in committee, not failure.’
‘Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement. Tomorrow’s markup is postponed as work continues to secure sufficient support in committee to favorably report Attorney General-nominee Todd Blanche, who is highly qualified for the job,’ the spokesperson said.
It’s not the only issue that could be a thorn in Blanche’s side in the days or weeks ahead.
Blanche spent his confirmation hearing earlier this month fielding tough questions from Democrats and Republicans alike, who pressed him repeatedly on controversial actions the Justice Department has taken during Trump’s second presidential term.
Lawmakers grilled Blanche about the Justice Department’s botched release of the Epstein files, his personal loyalty to Trump, and concerns about carrying out politically motivated investigations or penalizing career officials who refused to carry out these marching orders.
A spokesperson for the Justice Department said Tuesday that the two sides were in contact.
DOJ ‘provided a written proposal to Senator Cornyn’s staff following ongoing discussion with both the Committee and the Senator’s office,’ adding that they ‘look forward to further discussion around any outstanding concerns.’
