Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn are in active negotiations with the White House over Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general, with the two Republican swing votes pressing the administration to address their concerns before the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on the nomination on July 30. The discussions, confirmed by both senators on Capitol Hill Monday evening, represent a critical moment in Blanche’s path to confirmation, as either lawmaker’s opposition could derail his nomination in the committee.
Blanche, the acting attorney general, has faced intense scrutiny from Tillis and Cornyn over two main issues stemming from a settlement agreement he brokered as deputy attorney general. The first shields Trump and his family from IRS audits; the second established a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” that critics argue could operate as a slush fund for the president’s allies.
Tillis has made clear that he will not vote to confirm Blanche unless the fund is permanently nullified. “I have to be convinced that there is no way that it could actually ever be resurrected again,” Tillis said Monday, “which is exactly why I talked about the legislation … that [Blanche] offered to help write the technical language for.” Blanche committed in writing to working with senators to develop legislation eliminating the fund, according to documents released Monday night.
Cornyn, facing political pressure after a bruising primary loss to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—whom Trump backed—is equally focused on the settlement terms. “Well, does he want to get confirmed or not?” Cornyn responded when asked whether he could extract concessions from Blanche. The senator is continuing discussions with the Trump administration about modifying the settlement agreement, though neither he nor Tillis has specified exactly how the administration might cut a deal.
Blanche has repeatedly insisted the fund is “dead” and has no plans to revive it. However, Cornyn pressed him during the confirmation hearing last week to acknowledge that the program could still be revived through a breach-of-contract lawsuit brought in the future by Trump, absent a written change to the underlying settlement. That legal vulnerability remains at the heart of the negotiations.
Tillis also demanded that Blanche meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, citing Blanche’s role in overseeing a botched release of the Epstein files that exposed victims’ identities. Blanche completed that meeting, though at least one survivor called it “insufficient” and said Blanche took no responsibility for the redaction failure. Tillis said he would seek clarification on what commitments, if any, Blanche made regarding opening FBI investigations into Epstein’s co-conspirators.
A White House official stated that “the Administration continues to have active conversations with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.” Insiders close to the process believe Tillis is likely to support Blanche, with Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley saying he heard “favorable comments over the weekend from Tillis.” Cornyn, however, has been less willing to offer praise, keeping his position uncertain.
Republicans hope to advance Blanche’s nomination out of committee on July 30 and secure a full Senate confirmation vote in early August before the chamber leaves for a monthlong recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday he “think[s]” the committee is prepared to move Blanche forward “in time to process him in this work period,” though he acknowledged uncertainty.
Sources
- Politico — Core reporting on Tillis and Cornyn’s negotiations with the White House, the status of their concerns, and the timeline for committee action
- Roll Call — Tillis’s condition that Blanche meet with Epstein survivors before voting to confirm
- PBS NewsHour — Tillis’s public statements on his concerns and conditions for support
- CNBC — Reporting on Blanche’s agreement to meet with Epstein survivors and the two senators’ undecided status
- The New York Times — Background on Tillis and Cornyn’s leverage as key swing votes and their reservations
- NPR — Details on the anti-weaponization fund, the settlement agreement, and senators’ concerns
