US President Donald Trump is experiencing headwinds.Image: keystone
July 30, 2026, 7:48 p.mJuly 30, 2026, 7:48 p.m
When reshuffling his cabinet, US President Donald Trump is facing headwinds in the Senate from his own party. Trump, who wants to appoint his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche as attorney general, is considering withdrawing the nomination for the time being in the face of ongoing criticism. Trump wrote this on the Truth Social platform. It would be a tactical step with the aim of creating a different starting point for the vote on the personnel in the Senate. Trump said he would nominate Blanche again at a later date.
Trump wants to make Todd Blanche attorney general.Image: keystone
Trump sticks to Blanche and calls him a “STAR”
Blanche’s subsequent nomination would have no impact on day-to-day business. Blanche has already been appointed acting attorney general by Trump. The US President called him a “STAR”. However, the dispute in parliament shows that the pressure on Trump is increasing and discontent from within his own ranks is being openly displayed. If the US President ultimately fails to get his preferred candidate through, it would seriously damage his office.
Why Trump is facing headwinds
Trump is facing headwinds from within his own ranks from two senators: John Cornyn from Texas and Thom Tillis from North Carolina. The Senate Committee on Justice recently postponed a meeting that was originally scheduled for Thursday and was also supposed to be about Blanche’s personality. A spokesman for the committee said: Work will first be done to secure enough support in the committee so that a positive recommendation can be made. Cornyn and Tillis are therefore demanding written assurances in connection with the agreement between Trump and the tax authority in a settled legal dispute – so it is not primarily about Blanche’s personality.
Essentially, the senators are pushing for more reliable assurances that a compensation fund for alleged victims of politically motivated criminal prosecution, which has been pushed forward by the Trump administration, will never actually be established. The plan, which has already been officially rejected, attracted massive criticism in Washington – critics spoke of “bribes” for Trump loyalists and corruption.
Regarding Trump’s post on Platform X, Cornyn himself emphasized that the president was wrong if he believed that the concerns were limited to him and Tillis.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that Cornyn and Tillis refused to vote for the candidate. He would later bring Blanche back to the Senate as a staff member when the two Republicans are no longer in office. Their terms expire in January 2027.
Why the move would be remarkable
If Trump actually decides to temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination, that would be notable. It is not certain that Republicans will be able to defend or expand their slim majority in the Senate in the midterm elections on November 3rd. Accordingly, it is by no means clear whether a vote on Blanche’s personality at a later date would have a better chance of success. (hkl/sda/dpa)