Republicans delay vote on Trump’s US attorney general pick amid concerns

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that key Senate Republicans have forced a delay in a Judiciary Committee vote on President Donald Trump’s nominee for US attorney general, Todd Blanche. The committee had been expected to act on Thursday, but a spokesperson said the vote was postponed while members sought enough support to advance the nomination. Blanche is currently serving as acting head of the Department of Justice and previously worked as Trump’s personal criminal defence lawyer.

The immediate obstacle is concern from Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both of whom are leaving Congress. Al Jazeera says their objections centre on Blanche’s ties to Trump and on a disputed settlement involving Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. The agreement reportedly included protections for Trump and his family from future tax investigations and a $1.8bn “anti-weaponisation” fund for people claiming politically motivated federal prosecution.

According to the report, lawmakers from both parties criticised the fund as a potential way to direct public money to Trump’s allies. Blanche has said the plan was abandoned, and a federal judge has ruled the settlement unlawful, but critics want written assurances that it will not return. Cornyn accused the Justice Department of failing to provide requested information and said responsibility now rests with Blanche.

The delay matters because all Republicans on the committee would need to support Blanche to send the nomination to the full Senate. Trump suggested Cornyn may be motivated by resentment after Trump backed Cornyn’s primary rival, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Blanche has also faced scrutiny over DOJ independence and its handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.