GOP Holdouts Reach Deal with Trump to Advance Todd Blanche AG Nomination

Republican holdouts in the Senate announced Monday morning a deal with the Trump administration to advance attorney general nominee Todd Blanche.

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Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina had sought concessions from the administration related to its so-called anti-weaponization fund and settlement agreement that limited IRS audits of Donald Trump and his family members. The administration addressed both of those concerns, and the two senators will both vote for Blanche, according to a joint statement.

“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” the statement read. “Additionally, the Department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the Treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.”

The deal creates a path for Blanche to clear the Senate Judiciary Committee, where a “no” vote from either Tillis or Cornyn would have stalled him, ahead of a meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning. It also represents a win for two senators who find themselves able to impact administration policy thanks to the independence they gained after being driven out of politics by Trump.

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Monday’s agreement follows days of negotiations in which Trump threatened both to pull Blanche until next year when the two holdouts were out of office and to push for legislation codifying the anti-weaponization fund.

In the end, it was the White House that blinked. In a Sunday night social media post, Blanche said he and his team “enjoyed good faith discussions” with Senators throughout his nomination process. “The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress,” he wrote.

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