Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination was delayed after two Republican senators sought written guarantees over a proposed settlement involving Trump's tax records.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026. (Photo: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
31 Jul 2026 04:25AM
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Thursday (Jul 30) he could temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination for US attorney general after two Republican senators forced the postponement of a crucial confirmation vote.Trump said Blanche, his former personal lawyer and current acting attorney general, could be renominated after Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina leave office 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," Trump wrote on his website, Truth Social.Blanche would remain acting attorney general in the meantime, Trump said, calling him a "star" with the potential to become one of the greatest holders of the office.The Senate Judiciary Committee had been due to vote Thursday on advancing Blanche's nomination, but Republican leaders postponed the meeting after negotiations failed to win over Cornyn and Tillis.Republicans control the panel 12-10, meaning either senator could join unified Democratic opposition and block the nomination from reaching the Senate floor.The dispute centres on an extraordinary settlement between Trump and the administration he controls over the illegal disclosure of his tax records.The agreement proposed a US$1.8 billion fund for people claiming they had been victims of politically motivated prosecutions and offered Trump, his family and businesses broad protection from tax audits and other government claims.Blanche has said the so-called anti-weaponization fund will not proceed, but Cornyn and Tillis demanded a formal written commitment preventing its revival and language narrowing the tax protections.Cornyn accused the Justice Department of "stonewalling" his requests, saying officials had "simply refused to cooperate."
