Trump eyes tactical retreat on Blanche nomination as party resists
US President Donald Trump is considering temporarily withdrawing his nomination of former personal lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general in order to sidestep resistance from within his own party in the Senate, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.
The move would be tactical, aimed at creating more favourable conditions for a later Senate vote on the nomination. Trump said he would re-nominate Blanche at a later date.
A delayed nomination would have no immediate impact on day-to-day business, as Blanche is already serving as acting attorney general under Trump's appointment. The US president called him a "STAR."
The dispute in Congress shows that pressure on Trump is mounting and that discontent within his own ranks is being openly displayed. If Trump ultimately fails to push through his preferred candidate, it would seriously damage his standing in office.
The resistance comes from two Republican senators: John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently postponed a meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday, at which Blanche's nomination was also to have been discussed.
A spokesman for the committee said work was first needed to secure sufficient support within the committee to issue a positive recommendation.
Cornyn and Tillis are demanding written assurances related to a settlement between Trump and the tax authority in a resolved legal dispute, meaning their objections are not primarily about Blanche himself.