Trump AG Nominee’s Confirmation In Limbo

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday postponed a vote to advance acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to become the next attorney general.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina demanded that the Department of Justice (DOJ) formally end a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and rewrite language in a settlement that restricts Trump and his family from tax audits. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley postponed the scheduled vote for Thursday after Cornyn claimed the DOJ did not meet his demands.

“Chairman Grassley works to set President Trump’s nominees up for success in committee, not failure,” a spokesperson for Grassley said. “Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement. Tomorrow’s markup is postponed as work continues to secure sufficient support in committee to favorably report Attorney General-nominee Todd Blanche, who is highly qualified for the job.”

Blanche would need Cornyn and Tillis’ vote to get across the finish line, especially since the late Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s passing. It is unlikely that any Democrat on the committee would vote in favor of Blanche’s nomination.

Blanche intended to meet with the Texas senator Wednesday, though the meeting was abruptly cancelled. Grassley gave Cornyn until 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday to decide on how he would vote.

Cornyn and Tillis wanted the DOJ to provide them written assurances they would meet their demands. The DOJ told the Daily Caller News Foundation Wednesday that they sent Cornyn a written proposal, though Cornyn said it did not meet his demands and sent it back with notes.

Cornyn reportedly sent the DOJ a counter-proposal Wednesday.

Following his Wednesday meeting with Grassley, Cornyn told the DCNF and other reporters that he would not speculate on whether the markup would occur the following day.

“The key there is exactly what I’ve said. That this agreement, the 1776 fund, needs to go away, and the language with respect to audits needs to be very tightly tailored,” Tillis said. “It doesn’t include anybody but the parties of the agreement, and it can only be retroactive. You do that, and I’m prepared to support.”

Tillis demanded that Blanche meet with alleged victims of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in exchange for his support. Blanche complied with the demand and met with several of the alleged victims at DOJ headquarters, which appeared to satisfy Tillis.

Cornyn lost his primary in May after Trump endorsed Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton one week before the runoff. Tillis announced in June 2025 that he would not seek reelection after Trump threatened to back a primary challenger over the senator’s vote against the One Big, Beautiful Bill.

Trump accused Cornyn of being “very disloyal,” arguing the senator did not support him during difficult moments and did not fight hard enough to pass the Safeguard America Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.