Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has dismissed President Donald Trump’s threat to retract acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination. Tillis insists that the White House should uphold a previous agreement to gain his vote.
Tillis stated, “That’s his prerogative,” referring to Trump’s threat to halt Blanche’s nomination. This comment followed Trump’s criticism of Senators Tillis and John Cornyn for stalling his nominee on Truth Social. Trump threatened to hold Blanche’s nomination until both senators are out of office, with Tillis retiring and Cornyn having lost his primary.
Tillis maintains that the nomination impasse cannot be resolved without fulfilling the commitments made by the administration. The senator is holding back his support until the White House agrees to abolish the near $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and adjust Trump’s audit immunity terms. Discussions on these conditions continue.
“The best thing is, take the win, get Blanche confirmed and get this agreement out of the way,” Tillis remarked to Fox News Digital.
When questioned on his conditions to confirm Blanche, Tillis specified, “exactly what Blanche committed to.”
During Blanche’s confirmation hearing, Tillis emphasized that the nominee is not at fault for the deadlock, noting Blanche’s honesty and shifting the blame to Trump’s advisors. He asserted, “This is not Blanche’s problem. It’s clear to me that Blanche was honest when he answered without hesitation, working with us to end this.”
Tillis also expressed skepticism that the Senate would be more supportive of Blanche’s nomination next year, especially with Republicans facing more vulnerable seats than Democrats.
The Federal Vacancies Reform Act allows Blanche to serve as acting attorney general for up to 210 days, with a reset of this period if nomination is rescinded. Thus, Blanche could remain in position until February even if Trump revokes his nomination.
Despite Trump’s threat, Tillis confirmed ongoing negotiations with the administration. He clarified that his stance is not a definitive “no.” In his words, “In this place, nothing’s ever as good or as bad as it seems, so we’re continuing to negotiate.”