According to multiple U.S. media reports on the 29th, President Trump’s nomination of Todd Blanche as Attorney General is still hanging in the balance, as the administration struggles to win over a handful of stubborn Republican holdouts. U.S. media commentary suggests the nomination is not only under Democratic scrutiny but is also meeting resistance from some Republican senators, turning it once again into a flashpoint of bipartisan rivalry.
On July 29, Todd Blanche leaves a meeting in Washington, D.C.
Blanche’s nomination faced unified Democratic obstruction from the start. This time, however, the pushback comes from two Republican lawmakers—Senator John Cornyn of Texas and Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina. They have warned they may vote against Blanche in committee unless the Trump administration fully scraps a contentious $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. The fund was established under an agreement between Trump and the government that resolved a lawsuit Trump had filed against the IRS.
Back in June, Blanche said he would rescind the proposed $1.8 billion fund, which was meant to compensate victims allegedly harmed by improper actions of the Justice Department during the Biden administration. But he also stated that provisions in the agreement protecting Trump and his family from tax investigations would remain intact. Now, Cornyn and Tillis are demanding written assurances that the “anti-weaponization fund” has been completely eliminated, and are also seeking clarification on the scope of the tax exemption agreement. Cornyn has indicated he wants the administration to amend that part of the settlement, making clear it applies only to existing audits and would not shield the president’s future tax filings from review.
The New York Times reported on the 29th that after a full day of chaotic, back-and-forth negotiations, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley announced a delay in the vote that evening to allow further talks and build “sufficient support” for Blanche’s uncertain nomination. The committee had been scheduled to vote on the 30th on whether to send Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, but with Republican opposition lingering and no resolution in sight, whether the vote will proceed as planned remains anyone’s guess.
