President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche unless two key Republican senators drop their objections, intensifying a standoff that has stalled the confirmation process. In a post on Truth Social Thursday morning, Trump singled out Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, accusing them of blocking a nominee he described as a potential great attorney general. The president suggested he would temporarily withdraw Blanche’s name and resubmit it after the two senators leave office next year.
The confrontation erupted after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed Blanche’s confirmation hearing late Wednesday, amid resistance from Cornyn and Tillis. Both lawmakers are pushing for explicit written changes to a settlement deal reached between the Internal Revenue Service and Trump and his family earlier this year. Their demands include a permanent end to a nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and a rewrite of provisions granting Trump audit immunity under the settlement. Cornyn dismissed Trump’s threat almost immediately, stating on social media that the president was mistaken if he believed concerns about the settlement were limited to the two senators.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota called for a resolution to the impasse, urging the White House to address the questions raised by Cornyn and Tillis. «The best answer to this is to figure out how to answer, to resolve, the questions that Tillis and Cornyn have,» Thune said. He added that there is a way to address their concerns and get Blanche confirmed, while deferring to the White House’s decision. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who postponed the hearing, expressed support for Blanche, calling him well-qualified and expressing a desire to see him approved.
The holdouts have stressed that their objections are not personal against Blanche but focus on the administration’s refusal to permanently eliminate the anti-weaponization fund. Tillis voiced concern that leaving the fund active could harm Republican chances in the midterm elections. «Look, I’ve said I’m not a no on Blanche,» Tillis said. «I’m still working on getting this done, and I’m still optimistic that we will.» Meanwhile, Trump defended Blanche as a star and noted that both Cornyn and Tillis had previously voted to confirm Merrick Garland as attorney general under President Joe Biden.
If Trump formally withdraws Blanche’s nomination, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows him to remain as acting attorney general for 210 days, with the clock resetting if a new nomination is pending. Under that scenario, Blanche could serve in the acting role until late February. This approach mirrors former President Biden’s handling of acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, who served for nearly two years without Senate confirmation. However, the longer timeline carries political risks, as Republicans face more competitive Senate seats in the next election cycle.
The standoff highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers over the terms of the IRS settlement and the broader anti-weaponization fund. Grassley said he is focusing on getting the nomination through in the coming days and declined to consider other scenarios. With the threat of withdrawal hanging over the process, the path forward for Blanche remains uncertain as negotiations continue between the White House and the holdout senators.
