President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withdraw his nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as U.S. attorney general until next year, escalating a standoff with Senate Republicans who have objected to a proposed "anti-weaponization" fund that could benefit his allies.
The dispute highlights Trump's weakening grip on a Congress controlled by his own party, but it does not affect the tenure of Blanche, who can continue to head the Justice Department as acting attorney general.
Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis have held up Blanche's nomination while seeking written assurances that the Justice Department will not set up the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" program.
Trump critics have derided it as a slush fund to reward supporters with taxpayer money. Cornyn and Tillis met with Blanche together for 45 minutes late Thursday afternoon to try to salvage the confirmation vote, Reuters reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two sides are working "collaboratively," are closer to an agreement and that Blanche answered questions about his proposed resolution.
