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source_url: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-rips-loser-gop-senator-drawing-red-line-on-blanche-confirmation-12038808
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President Donald Trump took a swipe at Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Friday when asked about Tillis' red line on potentially nominating acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent position.
"Senator Tillis is a loser. That's why he didn't run. He didn't run because I wouldn't support him. And he's just an angry man because he's not going to be a senator any longer. He wasn't respected in the Senate," Trump said in part to reporters while aboard Air Force One.
Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee whose vote could prove crucial to Blanche's confirmation, has made clear that [he will not support any attorney general nominee ](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-plans-to-nominate-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-12029923)who appears to justify or downplay the violence against law enforcement during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
"The key for Todd, or anybody going through judiciary committee, is being pretty tight on January the 6. They better not have said for one minute that the people that beat up police officers, like these right down here, were righteous people. You come even close to saying that, you don't have a [chance] of getting my vote in judiciary," Tillis told reporters.
He added that eliminating the "issue" of the anti-weaponization fund would likely improve Blanche's prospects of making it through the Senate confirmation process.
Newsweek reached out to Tillis' office via email on Friday for comment.
What To Know
The nomination of Blanche immediately sparked concerns among some lawmakers, as he previously represented Trump in several high-profile cases before joining the administration.
The White House has defended Blanche as a loyal and effective leader, arguing that he and the entire DOJ team are doing a great job. The president's decision seemingly signals his continued preference for close allies in key administration positions and sets up what could be a contentious confirmation battle on Capitol Hill.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Newsweek on Thursday: “Todd Blanche has done an excellent job as acting Attorney General and will continue doing so as Attorney General. President Trump has a great relationship with Todd and is very pleased with the job he’s done so far. Todd Blanche is an American patriot who fearlessly fought on behalf of President Trump against the Democrats’ illegal and unprecedented lawfare campaign. The President’s entire team at the Department of Justice is doing a great job advocating for sanity, law and order, and policies that keep Americans safe.”
Blanche has been serving as acting attorney general since April, after Pam Bondi was fired.
Trump added while speaking with reporters on Friday that Tillis "Fought a lot of people, he fought Pete Hegseth, Pete Hegseth turned out to be a gem. No, Senator Tillis is a loser, stone cold, and he's an angry man because I basically, he was forced to leave the Senate because I wouldn't support him, and he quit. So now he's trying to make trouble by, you know, opposing anybody.
"Todd Blanche is a brilliant guy who everybody likes, and everybody respects," Trump added while later calling Blanche "fantastic."
Blanche's Confirmation Test
The confirmation fight could become a major test of Trump's influence over Senate Republicans.
Because Republicans hold only a slim Senate majority, even a small number of defections could complicate the nomination process. As lawmakers prepare for hearings, the debate is expected to focus not only on Blanche's qualifications but also on broader concerns about the relationship between the White House and Justice Department under Trump's leadership, including likely pushback on the "anti-weaponization" fund.
The fund was designed to compensate people who claimed they were unfairly targeted by the government. But the proposal faced bipartisan criticism and legal obstacles, leading the administration to ultimately comply with a federal court order temporarily blocking it.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota spoke on Blanche's confirmation process, saying he's unsure of how the outcome will go, [according to The Washington Post. ](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/04/trump-says-he-plans-nominate-todd-blanche-serve-attorney-general/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
“Most of our members are pretty deferential to who the president wants in some of those key positions. And he’s obviously serving in the role already and clearly has experience in it. So, that’ll serve him well,” Thune told reporters, per the Post. “But this is an environment where nothing’s a safe or sure bet.”
Texas Senator John Cornyn, a Republican who lost his primary election to Trump-backed Ken Paxton, told Punchbowl News correspondent Laura Weiss earlier this week that he's not deciding whether to back Blanche just yet.
"The problem with the office of Attorney General is that there's basically, well, you are a member of the president's cabinet. But you're also the chief law enforcement officer for the country. And you're not the president's lawyer. So I'll be asking some questions about getting commitments on that," Cornyn said, according to Weiss' X post.