Senators Cornyn and Tillis Withdraw Opposition to Trump’s Justice Department Nominee

Two influential Republican senators have decided to support President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Justice Department, ending their opposition. Senators John Cornyn from Texas and Thom Tillis from North Carolina have been holding out against confirming acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the permanent head of the department. Their resistance was part of an attempt to gain assurances from the administration in return for their votes.

On Sunday, the administration met their demands, which prompted Cornyn and Tillis to announce their support for Blanche. This came as Blanche faces an upcoming key confirmation test. Despite previous conflicts with Trump, the two senators are now ready to back his choice to replace the former Attorney General, Pam Bondi.

“We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon,” stated Cornyn and Tillis in a joint announcement.

The senators had pushed for two main objectives. First, they wanted a written guarantee that the anti-weaponization fund, nearly worth $2 billion, would not be revived. Second, they sought to ensure that Trump’s audit immunity would not extend beyond him and his lawsuit defendants against the IRS. Blanche declared that the anti-weaponization fund was permanently eliminated and that the audit protection would be limited to Trump and his family.

Cornyn and Tillis expressed their satisfaction with the Justice Department’s formal action to address these issues. They noted that other Republican colleagues shared similar concerns. These issues arose from a settlement Trump and his family negotiated with the IRS earlier in the year, which Blanche facilitated.

The support of Cornyn and Tillis is crucial to advance Blanche’s nomination from the committee to the Senate floor. Without their backing, the nomination could stall.

In the days leading up to this decision, there was tension between the senators and Trump. Trump threatened to withdraw Blanche’s nomination if Cornyn and Tillis did not relent. Over the past weekend, Trump pressured them by threatening to bring back the anti-weaponization fund and urging Congress to formalize it. Trump announced on Truth Social that he intended to keep Blanche as Acting AG and push for the bill’s passage through Congress.

Tillis responded by criticizing Trump’s plans. He mentioned Trump aimed to revive unnecessary funds and Congress would largely oppose such actions. Though he acknowledged Blanche’s qualifications, he expressed concern about the confirmation process being hindered by these politics. He hoped for a resolution by the upcoming Tuesday.

With the current issues settled, Blanche’s nomination is set for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee’s chair, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, has rescheduled the vote for Tuesday. Grassley’s spokesperson confirmed that he aims for Blanche’s confirmation before the August recess, citing Blanche’s record in upholding law and order.