President Donald Trump announced Thursday, July 30, 2026, that he is considering the temporary withdrawal of Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general as the confirmation remains stalled in the Senate.
Blanche, who has served as acting attorney general since April, requires support from all Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance his nomination.
However, Texas Senator John Cornyn and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis are withholding their support over concerns regarding a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.
Disputed Fund and Stalled Confirmation
The fund was established to settle a lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns, intending to allow Trump allies to claim compensation for alleged politically motivated prosecutions.
Following bipartisan backlash, Blanche abandoned the deal, and a federal judge subsequently blocked the fund over ethical concerns.
Cornyn and Tillis are demanding written assurance that the Justice Department will not revive the fund in the future.
Trump addressed the ongoing dispute regarding the stalled confirmation process during recent remarks.
"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 said.
The terms of both opposing Republican senators are set to expire in January.
Blanche met with the two lawmakers on Thursday, though no agreement was announced following the meeting.
Tillis expressed strong opposition to any possibility that the compensation fund could be reinstated later.
"The only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable [the fund] at the right time," Tillis said.
He described such potential plans as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin indicated to USA TODAY that other Republican colleagues likely share similar concerns but have refrained from speaking out publicly.
Trump's plan to renominate Blanche after the departure of Cornyn and Tillis faces potential political hurdles if Democrats secure a Senate majority in the upcoming November midterm elections.
Nevertheless, federal regulations allow an acting official to remain as interim law enforcement chief for up to 210 days while the nomination process proceeds.
