Trump says he may 'temporarily' drop bid to make Blanche US attorney general | Trump administration
Cornyn sought written assurances about the disputed settlement before supporting Blanche’s confirmation.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYThe Guardian is an established national news organization with identifiable authorship and professional editorial standards. This article attributes key claims to named participants and a court ruling, though some reporting relies on an unnamed source.
- Track record — Established national newspaper with a substantial record of political reporting.
- Editorial standards — Reports and attributes statements from several participants, while distinguishing allegations and judicial criticism from established facts.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited, with an additional reporting contributor identified.
- Source type — National news outlet; one detail is attributed to an unnamed source familiar with the matter.
The report includes statements from Trump, Cornyn and Tillis, explains the confirmation obstacle and settlement dispute, and provides context from the presiding judge’s criticism. The Justice Department and Blanche are not directly quoted on the written-assurance dispute, and one detail relies on an unnamed source.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article presents Trump’s position and the senators’ concerns, with relevant procedural and judicial context. It offers limited direct explanation from Blanche or the Justice Department about why written assurances were refused.
- Counterarguments presented — Reports Trump’s response and the senators’ objections, but does not include a direct Justice Department response to their request.
- Source diversity — Includes remarks from three political figures, a source familiar with the matter, and the judge’s criticism.
- Omitted context — The rationale for Blanche’s refusal to provide written assurances is not directly presented.
- Loaded language — Uses some vivid descriptions, but attributes the most consequential criticism to the judge or other speakers.
The article primarily reports the nomination dispute and attributes the participants’ statements and criticism. Some descriptive language is evaluative, but it is limited and does not establish a discernible partisan framing.
- Language tone — Mostly reportorial language; stronger terms describing the dispute and agreement are not used to argue for a partisan position.
- Source selection — Includes statements from Trump and both senators, as well as criticism by the judge overseeing the lawsuit.
- Framing — Frames the event as a conflict over confirmation and assurances about the settlement.
- Headline — The headline neutrally describes Trump’s stated possibility of temporarily withdrawing the nomination.
Donald Trump said he may temporarily withdraw Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination while keeping him as acting attorney general, after Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis withheld support over a disputed settlement agreement. The Senate Judiciary Committee canceled its scheduled vote on Blanche’s confirmation.
Trump said he might temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination and submit it again after Cornyn and Tillis leave office next year, while keeping Blanche as acting attorney general. The senators had sought written assurances that the Justice Department would not proceed with an agreement involving a $1.8 billion fund and tax-related immunity for Trump and his family and businesses. Blanche had publicly said the fund was not moving forward but had refused to provide the requested assurances in writing.
The Senate Judiciary Committee canceled its scheduled confirmation vote after it became clear Blanche did not have enough votes to advance. Cornyn and Tillis later expressed willingness to vote for him, and the nomination’s fate remained uncertain. The agreement arose from Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS; the judge overseeing the case criticized the arrangement and the Justice Department’s handling of it.
Community verdict
15 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Senator withholding support for Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination pending written assurances
Acting attorney general and nominee for the permanent post
Blanche's version of this story ↗President threatening to temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination
Trump's version of this story ↗Senator withholding support for Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination pending written assurances
Tillis's version of this story ↗Former attorney general
Part of a bigger story
35 OUTLETS- ARTICLES
- 40
- OUTLETS
- 35
- AVG CRED
- 65
- Daily Mail · Trump announces controversial plan to keep Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General after Republicans torpedo confirmation
- Attack of the Fanboy · 'Trump has zero leverage': Fetterman explains why three retiring Republicans can't be pressured into backing his attorney general pick
- Yahoo News · Trump might pause Blanche nomination as GOP senators object to IRS lawsuit settlement
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