WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he may pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination for the full-time post to avoid making concessions to a few Senate Republicans who want him to scale back protections for his family business and potential payouts for his allies that the president negotiated with his own Department of Justice.
Trump doubled down on choosing his former personal lawyer as the nation’s top lawman, calling him “a STAR,” and said he will keep him in the role as acting attorney general until Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina leave office.
“I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name,” Trump posted on his social media site. “If they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.”
Cornyn and Tillis, who both leave office next year, have sought additional assurances in writing spelling a final end to an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.
Trump’s comments came after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a planned vote on Thursday to advance Blanche’s nomination. Two Republican senators on the committee, Tillis and Cornyn, have said they are withholding their support absent written assurances from the Blanche over the controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS that afforded the president and members of his family protection from tax audits.
