ANALYSIS
Trump stands his ground against internal opposition and defends Todd Blanche as future attorney general
The Senate Judiciary Committee had planned to vote on Blanche's nomination this Thursday, but Republican lawmakers decided to postpone the session after failing to secure the support of Cornyn and Tillis during negotiations.
Donald Trump at the White House / Andrew Leyden
President Donald Trump made it clear on Thursday that he is not willing to yield to two Republican senators who are blocking Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general. In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump left the door open to temporarily withdrawing Blanche's nomination and resubmitting it once John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina leave the Senate in January.
"I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office," the president wrote. At the same time, he emphasized that Blanche would remain acting attorney general and described him as "a star" with the potential to become one of the best to hold the position in the country's history.
Trump defends Blanche against Cornyn and Tillis
The Senate Judiciary Committee had planned to vote on Blanche's nomination this Thursday, but Republican lawmakers decided to postpone the session after failing to secure the support of Cornyn and Tillis during negotiations.
Trump did not hold back when referring to Cornyn and Tillis. He accused them of being politicians whose careers he himself had ended by not backing them, and reminded them that both had voted to confirm Merrick Garland, the Democratic attorney general, during the Biden administration.
Despite the clash, the administration is keeping the talks open and has not ruled out rescheduling the vote before the August recess. Meanwhile, Blanche remains acting head of the Department of Justice (DOJ), with the explicit backing of the president, who appears willing to wait until January if necessary to secure his permanent confirmation.
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The fund for victims of political persecution that pits Trump against Cornyn and Tillis
Although Todd Blanche assured Congress that the fund would not be implemented, Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis demanded a written commitment preventing its reactivation. Both lawmakers, who did not have Trump's support in the recent primaries, accuse the Department of Justice of failing to cooperate.
The White House maintains that it has already submitted a new draft and that discussions with the senators are ongoing.
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