{"id":22442,"date":"2026-07-30T22:23:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22442"},"modified":"2026-07-30T22:23:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:23:22","slug":"trump-says-he-has-no-objection-to-withdrawing-todd-blanches-nomination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22442","title":{"rendered":"Trump Says He Has \u2018No Objection\u2019 to Withdrawing Todd Blanche\u2019s Nomination"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"font-graphik\" data-testid=\"paragraph-content\">\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color dropcap text-left\">President Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/117009581290419286\" target=\"_self\">said Thursday<\/a> that he might pull Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination as attorney general, after two Republican senators threatened to withhold their support.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">\u201cI have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd\u2019s name, if they do not do the right thing,\u201d Trump posted on Truth Social.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">His comments came after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote Thursday that would have advanced Blanche\u2019s nomination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, one of the key holdout votes, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mkraju\/status\/2082485551223951707\" target=\"undefined\">told<\/a> reporters Wednesday that he had not received a written confirmation from the Department of Justice that it would eliminate provisions in a proposed settlement between Trump and the department over a lawsuit he filed concerning <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/05\/16\/trump-irs-lawsuit-weaponization-fund\/\" target=\"_self\">the leak of his tax returns<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"font-graphik\" data-testid=\"paragraph-content\">\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">The most contentious provisions would have created a $1.8 billion \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d for Trump allies and Jan. 6 defendants, and shielded Trump and his family from future audits by the Internal Revenue Service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">\u201cI think they [the administration] realizes that we are serious,\u201d Cornyn, who <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/05\/26\/paxton-defeats-cornyn-trump-texas-talarico\/\" target=\"undefined\">lost<\/a> his reelection bid in May after Trump endorsed his opponent, said after canceling an in-person meeting with Blanche.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">The committee did not immediately announce a new date for a confirmation vote. Shortly after the postponement, Cornyn <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mkraju\/status\/2082841823232291085\" target=\"undefined\">said<\/a> negotiations between the committee members and the DOJ were still ongoing, and that the DOJ had received \u201csome pushbacks\u201d from the White House.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">\u201cI thought we were pretty close to landing the plane last night, but this morning there&#8217;s been some more complications. I think if this were just between me and Todd Blanche, we would have worked this out,\u201d Cornyn added.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"font-graphik\" data-testid=\"paragraph-content\">\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is not seeking reelection over his <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/7298637\/thom-tillis-retirement-reelection-north-carolina-senator-trump-republican-obbb\/\" target=\"undefined\">disagreement<\/a> with the Trump administration, has also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6TdsDtoiVW8\" target=\"undefined\">made<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=91AvlaL6N38\" target=\"undefined\">clear<\/a> his opposition to the Anti-Weaponization Fund.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">\u201cHe [Blanche] is a qualified candidate. We just need to get the issues off the table,\u201d Tillis <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ReubenJones1\/status\/2082587469627674960\/video\/1\" target=\"undefined\">said<\/a> on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2 id=\"what-happens-if-blanche-is-not-confirmed\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 font-editorial text-black-coffee text-mobile-h2 lg:scroll-mt-28 lg:text-h2 mb-4\">What happens if Blanche is not confirmed?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">Todd Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general for the DOJ since <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/02\/pam-bondi-out-as-trump-s-attorney-general\/\" target=\"undefined\">Trump removed Pam Bondi in April<\/a> over her handling of the Epstein files. Unlike interim U.S. prosecutors, who can lawfully serve 120 days without a Senate confirmation, an acting attorney general can serve for as long as a president wants.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">That is because of U.S. Code \u00a7 508, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/USCODE-2024-title28\/pdf\/USCODE-2024-title28-partII-chap31-sec508.pdf\" target=\"undefined\">states<\/a> that \u201cthe Deputy Attorney General may exercise all the duties of that office\u201d if the office of Attorney General is vacant and the law does not state a time limit for how long the acting attorney general can legally serve. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"font-graphik mt-8\" data-testid=\"paragraph-content\">\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">The law, which was passed decades before the Federal Vacancies Reform Act (VRA) of 1998, takes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/crs-product\/R44997\" target=\"undefined\">legal precedence<\/a><strong>. <\/strong>While the FVRA generally limits officials serving in a temporary capacity to no longer than 210 days after the position becomes vacant, the law also made exceptions to agency-specific laws that had been previously codified.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">A similar arrangement existed under the Biden administration. In 2023, after Marty Walsh resigned as labor secretary, President Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6263673\/biden-labor-secretary-pick-julie-su-unions\/\" target=\"undefined\">nominated Julie Su<\/a> to fill the vacancy. Su, who had served as deputy labor secretary, ultimately <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2023\/07\/20\/white-house-confirmation-su-labor-00107485\" target=\"undefined\">failed<\/a> to get confirmed by the Senate due to the lack of support from Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">Su served as acting labor secretary for the rest of the Biden administration under a similar statutory provision, despite Republicans&#8217; objections. In 2023, the Government Accountability Office, which oversees the federal government\u2019s compliance with vacancy laws, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/870\/861240.pdf\" target=\"undefined\">concluded<\/a> in a letter that time limitations \u201cdo not apply\u201d to Su\u2019s case.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-graphik mt-8\" data-testid=\"paragraph-content\">\n<p><h2 id=\"what-did-blanche-say-about-the-demands\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 font-editorial text-black-coffee text-mobile-h2 lg:scroll-mt-28 lg:text-h2 mb-4\">What did Blanche say about the demands?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">During his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Todd Blanche <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=a2EmFWaqQ4o&amp;vl=en\" target=\"undefined\">said<\/a> the Anti-Weaponization Fund was \u201cdead.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">However, Sen. Cornyn pointed out during the hearing that the settlement agreement made between Trump and the Department of Justice that included the fund could only be modified through \u201ca written agreement\u201d between two parties.\u00a0When pressed by Cornyn, Blanche said Trump could potentially enforce the agreement if he decides to do so.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">\u201cThey [Trump\u2019s legal counsel] could say that we breached by not moving forward,\u201d Blanche said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p data-testid=\"paragraph-element\" class=\"rich-text mb-6 font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee mt-8 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left\">TIME has also reached out to the Department of Justice for comment. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Trump said Thursday that he might pull Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination as attorney general, after two Republican senators threatened to withhold their support.\u00a0 \u201cI have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd\u2019s name, if they do not do the right thing,\u201d Trump posted on Truth Social.\u00a0 His comments came after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22443,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.time.com\/v3\/assets\/bltea6093859af6183b\/blt9689193f192b5220\/6a6b7f23d0a80fdff3f1f506\/GettyImages-2288170287.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}