Blanche can remain acting AG indefinitely
Under current law, Blanche can remain as acting attorney general indefinitely until Trump leaves office even if not confirmed by the Senate.
Snapshot · The Daily
From Trump’s Attorney to Attorney General: The Rise of Todd Blanche
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Jul 15, 2026
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The Confirmation Math: One Vote Can Sink Him
At 27:02 · chapter starts 23:55
The confirmation math is merciless. One Republican vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee is all it takes to bottle up Blanche's nomination and kill it without a full Senate vote. [1] — Glenn Thrush "One Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is all it takes to kill Blanche's nomination in committee. Senator John Cornyn — ousted fr…" 24:29 Thrush identifies three senators as potential stumbling blocks. John Cornyn of Texas, ousted in his primary largely because Trump turned on him, has refused to commit to supporting Blanche and is deeply troubled by a deal Blanche signed granting immunity to Trump and his family for tax investigations. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, another lame duck with nothing to lose, has shown a willingness to buck the administration. And Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, chronically independent and openly critical of Trump, has given no indication of which way she'll go. Unlike the anti-weaponization fund, which Blanche has tried to walk back, he has not backed away from the IRS immunity deal — because Trump cares about it. That refusal may prove fatal to his confirmation.
The Confirmation Math: Just One Republican Could Sink Blanche
One Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is all it takes to kill Blanche's nomination in committee. Senator John Cornyn — ousted from his primary partly due to Trump — has refused to commit to supporting Blanche, and the IRS immunity deal for Trump's family is the sticking point. The math is tight.
One Republican vote can kill nomination
It only takes one Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote against Blanche to kill the nomination by boxing it in committee.
IRS immunity deal for Trump family
Blanche signed a deal granting immunity to Donald Trump and his family for tax investigations — a major sticking point for Senator John Cornyn.
Blanche Can Stay Indefinitely Without Confirmation
Under the law, Blanche can remain acting attorney general indefinitely even without Senate confirmation. But confirmation matters deeply — to Blanche personally and to Trump, who views Senate approval as a stamp of legitimacy for the power he considers central to his presidency.
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