Exclusive CNN Update: Tillis Says He’s Leaning Yes on Todd Blanche’s Confirmation

— In a notable development that could ease the path for one of President Donald Trump’s most high-profile cabinet nominations, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told CNN on Wednesday that he is leaning toward voting to confirm Todd Blanche as the next U.S. Attorney General.The North Carolina Republican, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been closely watched as Democrats and some within the GOP have raised questions about Blanche’s suitability for the nation’s top law enforcement position.

Tillis’ comments represent a significant step forward for the Trump administration’s efforts to fill the Justice Department’s leadership ranks.“I’m leaning yes,” Tillis said in the interview, according to CNN. While he stopped short of a full-throated endorsement, the senator’s language signals he is moving in the direction of supporting the nominee after weeks of private discussions and public hearings.

Background on the NomineeTodd Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and longtime Trump defense attorney, emerged as the president’s choice to lead the Justice Department earlier this year. Blanche represented Trump during his New York hush-money criminal trial and has deep experience in both criminal prosecution and high-stakes litigation. Supporters praise his prosecutorial background and argue he will restore impartiality to a department they believe became politicized in recent years.

Critics, however, point to Blanche’s close ties to Trump and question whether he can maintain independence when overseeing investigations that might touch on the president or his allies. Some progressive groups and Democratic senators have also raised past client representations and legal strategies employed during Trump’s cases as potential conflicts of interest.

During recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, Blanche faced pointed questions on a range of issues, including the proposed “weaponization fund” (sometimes referred to in discussions as the “1776 fund”), potential mass pardons related to January 6, and the Department of Justice’s role in ongoing national security matters.

Several Republican senators, including Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, have expressed reservations about certain policy ideas floated by the administration.