The nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as the Attorney General had turned into a high stakes standoff in Washington. President Trump is currently weighing the possibility of pulling Blanche’s nomination for now and potentially waiting until next year to resubmit it. According to The Hill, this move is being framed as a way to circumvent the resistance from GOP Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
The core of the issue is a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund linked to a settlement between Trump and the IRS. While Blanche has testified that the fund is “dead,” the administration hasn’t provided assurances to that effect. That has left the lawmakers feeling uneasy. However, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, isn’t sold on the strategy of waiting until 2027 to get Blanche through.
When asked if it would be “risky” to delay the process, Kennedy responded, “Well, duh. Yeah.” He went on to explain the stakes, noting, “This place could be very different.” Per The Hill, Kennedy’s warning highlights the reality that control of the Senate is up for grabs in November. Waiting could leave the administration in a much weaker position if the chamber’s makeup shifts.
Blanche is just leverage in a larger fight
The Hill reported that Trump took to Truth Social to vent his frustrations. He wrote, “Todd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it! He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time. However, John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting.”
It’s clear that the friction isn’t just about Blanche himself, but about the settlement. NBC News reported that the controversy over this fund has already impacted other bills. It has reportedly delayed a $70 billion bill intended to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. Interestingly, Blanche has been personally well-regarded by the senators. However, the lack of a formal agreement to scrap the fund is causing a real bottleneck.
Tillis, who is retiring, has been vocal about the danger of Trump’s gamble. “He’s perfectly entitled to do that,” Tillis said of the threat to delay. However, per The Hill, he warned that the president “just needs to game out what the numbers look like in the next Congress versus a willing group of people who wants to confirm him now if they do nothing more than follow up on what we all thought was true, that [the fund] is inoperative.”
The situation turned even more tense on Friday. According to NBC News, Trump addressed the status of the fund during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David. When asked if the fund was dead, he said, “It is dead, but you know, I wish it weren’t. To be honest with you, I think people were horribly treated, horribly abused. This has nothing to do with Todd.” That comment didn’t exactly soothe the concerns of those who want the fund permanently off the table.
For his part, Cornyn has reportedly pushed back on the idea that this is just a personal vendetta. In fact, this fund, when announced, caused a revolt within the GOP. He posted on X that, “POTUS is mistaken if he believes concerns about the provisions in his tax lawsuit settlement are limited to me and Senator Tillis.”
Cornyn also told The Hill that he suspects the resistance to clarifying the settlement is coming from other advisors at the White House rather than Blanche himself. “Basically I get the sense that Todd Blanche is not the problem, it’s other folks at the White House who are resistant to any changes, any additional documentation. But they need to make a fundamental decision whether they want him confirmed or not,” Cornyn said.
Todd Blanche’s nomination hearing was earlier this month, and rather combative thanks to the Democrats. The Senate Judiciary Committee then had its vote on Blanche postponed last Thursday. It has now scheduled for Tuesday morning, but the path forward remains murky.
Published: Aug 1, 2026 09:56 am