Republican Sen. Kennedy says he 'wouldn't bet my house' on Blanche being confirmed
Tillis said he considers Blanche qualified but will oppose his nomination while the Justice Department leaves open the possibility of recreating the fund.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
The reporting appears to originate with The Hill, an established news outlet, and is attributed to a named author. Yahoo News republishes the material, so the reporting organization’s standards matter more than Yahoo’s role as the host.
- Source type — Reporting is attributed to an established national news outlet.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Editorial standards — The Hill is an established newsroom with recognizable editorial practices.
- Transparency — The page identifies the reporting outlet and includes a copyright notice.
The article gives specific context and attributes key claims to Kennedy, Tillis, and Trump. It offers limited independent perspective from the Justice Department or others involved in the dispute.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article explains the senators’ objections and includes Trump’s response, but provides little direct perspective from the Justice Department or supporters of the fund.
- Source diversity — Statements from several Republican officials are included, but there is no direct Justice Department response.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump’s position and Tillis’s view that Blanche is qualified offer some counterpoint to the opposition.
- Loaded language — The article relies mostly on attributed descriptions and quotations rather than loaded narration.
The article reports the senators’ positions and the surrounding dispute in largely neutral language, without a discernible partisan framing.
- Language tone — The language is descriptive and attributes opinions to their speakers.
- Source selection — It includes statements from Kennedy and Tillis as well as Trump’s position.
- Framing — The report centers on the confirmation impasse and its stated cause.
Republished with credit
Republished from The Hill, with credit to the original publisher.
194 stories · 78.5–79.2 · updated Oct 1, 2026
This is The Hill's own score, and this article is credited to The Hill. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.
Sen. John Kennedy said he doubts the Senate will confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, amid Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis’s opposition over the Justice Department’s anti-weaponization fund. Kennedy also opposed codifying the fund without limits.
Kennedy said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he thought the odds of a deal were against the Senate confirming Blanche. Cornyn and Tillis have opposed advancing Blanche’s nomination, citing the Justice Department’s potential to recreate its $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund. Their opposition led Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley to cancel a scheduled meeting to consider the nomination.
President Trump said he would keep Blanche as acting attorney general while Cornyn and Tillis oppose the nomination, and threatened to push for legislation codifying the fund. Tillis said he considered Blanche qualified but would oppose the nomination over the fund issue. Kennedy said he would consider improvements to the fund but would not support giving Trump a “blank check.”
Community verdict
10 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →North Carolina senator opposing Blanche’s nomination over the fund dispute
Louisiana senator questioning whether Blanche will be confirmed
Kennedy's version of this story ↗Texas senator opposing advancement of Blanche’s nomination
Cornyn's version of this story ↗Acting attorney general whose nomination is in doubt
Blanche's version of this story ↗Iowa senator and Judiciary Committee chair who canceled a scheduled meeting on the nomination
President who said he would keep Blanche as acting attorney general and push for legislation codifying the fund
U.S. district judge who reopened Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS
Part of a bigger story
36 OUTLETSOutlets agree Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn withheld support for attorney general nominee Todd Blanche, demanding the Justice Department rescind a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and clarify a tax settlement. Left-leaning outlets view the fund as a corrupt measure benefiting Donald Trump and question whether Blanche's concessions will hold. Center outlets focus on the committee standoff and the procedural negotiations that led Blanche to rescind the fund. Right-leaning outlets emphasize Trump's sharp clash with the senators and the political maneuvering over the nomination.
- ARTICLES
- 46
- OUTLETS
- 36
- AVG CRED
- 68
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