Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., on Thursday dismissed a threat from former President Donald Trump to withdraw the nomination of Todd Blanche as acting attorney general, asserting that the White House must fulfill what Tillis described as an earlier commitment.
Trump had publicly called out Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Truth Social, accusing them of blocking Blanche's confirmation and threatening to withdraw the nomination until the senators leave office. Tillis, who is retiring, and Cornyn, who lost his primary re-election bid, are both set to leave the Senate next year.
"That's his prerogative," Tillis said regarding Trump's threat, according to Fox News Digital. He added that the nomination standoff cannot be resolved "unless we fulfill what we thought was the commitment from the administration."
Tillis has withheld his support for Blanche's confirmation, demanding the administration permanently eliminate a nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and rewrite audit immunity language in the settlement agreement. Negotiations over these demands are reportedly ongoing.
"The best thing is, take the win, get Blanche confirmed and get this agreement out of the way," Tillis told Fox News Digital, emphasizing that the confirmation hinges on Blanche adhering to what he committed to during the process.
Tillis indicated that he does not believe Blanche is the source of the impasse, stating, "It's clear to me that Blanche was honest when he answered without hesitation, working with us to end this." He suggested that an advisor on Trump's team is responsible for the problem.
The North Carolina senator also noted that the political landscape in the Senate might not be more favorable for Blanche's confirmation next year, especially given potential Republican losses.
Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, acting officials can serve for up to 210 days. Withdrawing a nomination resets this clock, meaning Blanche could potentially remain in his role until late February even if the nomination is pulled. Despite Trump's public statement, Tillis stated that negotiations with the administration continue and he is "not a no" on Blanche's confirmation.
"In this place, nothing's ever as good or as bad as it seems, so we're continuing to negotiate," Tillis said.