Trump Threatens To Temporarily Withdraw AG Nominee Todd Blanche Amid GOP Revolt Over $1.8B Fund

President Donald Trump said Thursday he would consider temporarily withdrawing Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general after two Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — signaled they would not support confirmation unless the White House addresses provisions related to a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund and an addendum to a tax-settlement agreement involving Trump and his family.

Standoff Over Fund And Tax-Settlement Language

On Truth Social, Trump suggested he could pull Blanche's nomination now and renominate him once Cornyn and Tillis leave the Senate next year: "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." That prospect intensifies the political stakes: changes in the Senate's composition after the new year could make confirmation harder, not easier.

US Sen. John Cornyn answers questions from reporters while walking to a vote in the U.S. Capitol on July 30. Cornyn is withholding support for President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. attorney general, Todd Blanche. - Win McNamee/Getty Images

Cornyn and Tillis have demanded written assurances that the "anti-weaponization" fund cannot be resurrected and that tax-settlement language protecting certain parties would be narrowed so it applies only to specified, past tax investigations. They have also sought clarity about which entities count as the "named parties" in the settlement, noting the Trump family's complex web of businesses.

Negotiations And Pushback

Blanche met privately with Cornyn and Tillis Thursday afternoon; sources said there was progress but no final agreement. Cornyn accused the White House of complicating a potential deal and suggested other senators share reservations. Tillis said someone in the administration is resisting changes because that adviser may want the option to revive the fund later.

US Senator Thom Tillis attends a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on July 30. - Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images

"It's maybe a convenient excuse, but it's certainly not true," Cornyn said when pressed on whether his objections were political. "We spend too much time talking about personalities up here and not enough about the facts."

Multiple sources told CNN some in Trump's orbit see adviser Boris Epshteyn as a roadblock in negotiations; other participants said the impasse reflects inflexibility on both sides rather than the influence of any single aide.

Procedural Implications

The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote to advance Blanche's nomination amid the objections. If Trump temporarily withdraws the nomination, Blanche — who serves as deputy attorney general and currently acts as head of the Justice Department — could still exercise the authority of a Senate-confirmed attorney general while serving in an acting capacity, subject to statutory limits (typically a 210-day window that can be extended under certain conditions).

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said he intends to try to advance Blanche through the committee and work to resolve outstanding differences, but he did not provide a timeline. The situation remains fluid as Republicans, the White House and Blanche continue negotiating.

This story has been updated with additional developments. CNN's Annie Grayer, Kristen Holmes, Ellis Kim, Logan Schiciano, Casey Riddle and Abigail Rodersheimer contributed reporting.