Trump may pull Todd Blanche attorney general nomination

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he could temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general after two Republican senators forced a delay in a key confirmation vote.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had “no objection” to withdrawing Blanche's name temporarily if Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina did not “do the right thing”. He said Blanche, his former personal lawyer and current acting attorney general, could be renominated after the senators leave office in January and would remain acting attorney general in the meantime.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had been due to vote Thursday on whether to advance Blanche's nomination. Republican leaders postponed the meeting after talks failed to win over Cornyn and Tillis.

Republicans control the committee 12-10, so either senator could join united Democratic opposition and block the nomination from reaching the full Senate.

The dispute centres on a proposed settlement involving Trump and his administration over the illegal disclosure of his tax records. The agreement proposed a $1.8 billion fund for people who say they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions and offered Trump, his family and businesses broad protection from tax audits and other government claims.

Blanche has said the so-called anti-weaponization fund will not proceed. Cornyn and Tillis demanded a formal written commitment preventing its revival and language narrowing the tax protections.

Cornyn accused the Justice Department of “stonewalling” his requests, saying officials had refused to cooperate. The administration said it had provided new language and remained in talks with the senators, leaving open the possibility of rescheduling the vote before the Senate's August recess.

The settlement has intensified wider concerns that Blanche has acted and would continue to act as Trump's personal attorney rather than an independent chief law enforcement officer. Before joining the administration, Blanche defended Trump in criminal proceedings.

Trump criticised Cornyn and Tillis as politicians whose careers he said he had ended by refusing to endorse them. Cornyn reposted Trump's statement on X and said the president was mistaken if he believed concerns about the tax lawsuit settlement were limited to him and Tillis.