Sen. John Kennedy warns Trump against delaying Todd Blanche attorney general nomination

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) warned President Donald Trump that any attempt to delay the Senate’s review of Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general by withdrawing the nomination and resubmitting it in 2027 could carry political and procedural risk, including because Senate control could change after the November election, The Hill reported on Thursday.

Kennedy made the comment in response to questions from a reporter about Trump’s reported threat to withdraw Blanche’s nomination and re-send it in 2027, a move Kennedy said could change the character of Senate confirmation negotiations. Kennedy’s central concern, as described by The Hill, was that lawmakers’ leverage and committee dynamics could be different if voters shift control of the chamber.

The Hill reported that Kennedy framed the situation as a matter of Senate timing and control rather than personal views about any nominee. According to the report, Kennedy said the Senate environment could look different depending on election outcomes, pointing to the practical question of who holds power and how closely the confirmation process would be scrutinized at the time any new nomination is filed.

Blanche’s nomination would be subject to the Senate’s advice and consent process if it remains pending. If it were withdrawn and later re-submitted, the renewed nomination would restart the committee and Senate consideration cycle tied to that particular nomination’s timing, potentially extending the period before the Senate acts on the attorney general role.

Kennedy’s warning also highlights a procedural reality: Senate confirmations can be shaped by the majority’s calendar, committee work assignments, and the negotiating posture of leaders and rank-and-file members. The Hill’s account emphasized that Kennedy expects those factors to be influenced by November’s election results.

The Hill report did not provide additional official documentation within the submission for Trump’s rationale or the legal mechanics of any contemplated withdrawal and resubmission. Kennedy’s comments, as described, centered on the risk of giving opponents or uncertain majorities a different procedural path if a nomination is not allowed to proceed on the current timeline.

With Senate control widely viewed as a determinant of how quickly and under what conditions nominations move, the next step for the process will depend on whether Trump proceeds with the nomination as currently positioned or whether he directs an action to withdraw and later re-submit it, as discussed in the report.