Trump weighs withdrawing Attorney General nominee amid Senate holdout

President Donald Trump indicated he could temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general after the Senate Judiciary Committee stalled the vote. Blanche, who has served as acting attorney general since April, requires the backing of all Republican committee members to move forward.

Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose terms end in January, are refusing to support the nomination until they receive written assurance that the Justice Department will not revive a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund. The fund, announced earlier this year, was intended to compensate Trump allies in a lawsuit against the IRS over a tax-return leak and was later abandoned after bipartisan criticism and a federal judge's injunction.

"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 said.

Blanche met with the two senators on Thursday, but no agreement was reported. Tillis warned that any attempt to revive the fund would be "unacceptable."

If the nomination is withdrawn, Blanche could remain in an acting capacity for up to 210 days while the confirmation process continues. The political calculus is complicated by the upcoming midterm elections, which could shift Senate control to Democrats, potentially limiting Trump's ability to re-nominate Blanche after Cornyn and Tillis leave office.