Why Two Republican Senators Backed a Controversial Attorney General Nominee
Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, after initially opposing Todd Blanche’s confirmation over a proposed $1.776 billion fund, have agreed to support him following a non-binding pledge.
Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas initially threatened to withhold their votes on acting attorney general Todd Blanche unless he guaranteed the abandonment of a $1.776 billion slush fund for Trump supporters. Blanche later provided a non-binding statement indicating he would not advance the fund, prompting the senators to announce they would now back his confirmation. Nick Catoggio of The Dispatch contends that the senators’ brief resistance was largely symbolic, aimed at preserving a veneer of independence while still aligning with Trump’s agenda.
He notes that neither faces primary challenges nor owes allegiance to the party’s donor network, reducing the political risk of their ultimate support. Catoggio further suggests the deal still permits Trump and his family to evade tax liabilities, and that the senators’ actions amount to a calculated concession rather than a principled stand.
Why it matters
It shows how senior GOP senators may stage opposition to appease critics while still enabling Trump-aligned appointments.
In this story