GOP Infighting Stalls Trump’s AG Nominee Todd Blanche

Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas have emerged as the primary obstacles to the administration’s timeline. Both lawmakers are demanding ironclad guarantees that the Justice Department will formally abandon the proposed $1.776 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund.' This controversial pool of money, originally tied to a settlement in a lawsuit against the IRS, drew intense public backlash for its potential to benefit January 6 insurrectionists and other Trump allies.

While Blanche has signaled the department will no longer pursue the fund, Cornyn remains unconvinced, insisting on concrete documentation to ensure the administration’s promises hold weight. 'There is no deal,' Cornyn stated on social media, emphasizing that the administration must meet his specific conditions before he offers support. The pressure is mounting as Democrats on the committee, alongside advocacy groups like the Not Above the Law coalition, continue to highlight Blanche’s record as acting attorney general, citing everything from the handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files to the dropping of bribery charges against billionaire Gautam Adani.

As the White House pushes for a swift confirmation, the committee’s narrow margin means the defection of even one Republican could derail the process. Sen. Cory Booker and other Democrats have slammed the nominee as a rubber stamp for the president, warning that confirmation would remove the final check on a department already accused of shielding the president's inner circle from scrutiny. With a vote expected as soon as Thursday, the Senate is forced to weigh the political cost of backing a nominee whose tenure has been marked by persistent allegations of self-dealing and impunity.