Trump says he 'may' pull Blanche AG nomination temporarily
President Trump has indicated he may temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general due to opposition from Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis. Trump plans to keep Blanche as acting attorney general and renominate him after the senators leave office in January.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican party regarding executive appointments and the politicization of the Justice Department.
President Trump says he is willing to pull Todd Blanche 's nomination for attorney general. The news comes as two key Republicans are withholding their support over concerns about the Justice Department's deal with President Trump to end his IRS lawsuit.
Trump said Thursday he was willing to end the nomination, but he was by no means conciliatory in his tone, saying he would keep Blanche on as acting attorney general and renominate him later. In addition, Trump took aim at the two Republican senators withholding their support — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both of whose support Blanche would need to advance in his nomination in committee.
"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," Trump wrote in a social media post.
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