Trump floats pulling Blanche nomination to circumvent Cornyn, Tillis

President Trump on Thursday floated the possibility of temporarily pulling Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general to circumvent the opposition of Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and then resubmitting Blanche’s name after Cornyn and Tillis leave Congress.

“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,” Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social.

Trump suggested that he could leave Blanche as acting attorney general for the next five months and then resubmit his nomination after Cornyn and Tillis leave in early January. Tillis announced his retirement last year, and Cornyn lost his GOP primary to a Trump-backed challenger.

“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,” he added.

The danger with that strategy is that Republicans could lose control of the Senate in the midterm elections or lose enough seats to shrink their majority in a way that would complicate Blanche’s path to confirmation in 2027.

Tillis said Thursday that Trump is “perfectly entitled” to hold Blanche’s nomination........

© The Hill