'Never had a problem': Trump points to what changed before Cornyn opposed his DOJ pick

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is escalating his fight with Sen John Cornyn over acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's stalled confirmation, suggesting the Texas Republican's resistance may have emerged only after their political relationship soured.

In a Friday, July 31, post, Trump insisted Cornyn "never had a problem" with a controversial $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund but was now holding up Blanche's nomination.

The president then pointed to a potentially significant change between them: his decision to back Ken Paxton against Cornyn in Texas' Republican primary, a race Paxton ultimately won.

Cornyn denies Trump's endorsement influenced his position. Blanche's nomination remains stalled as Cornyn and Sen Thom Tillis demand stronger assurances from the Justice Department.

Trump points to primary fallout

Trump's latest intervention turns what had largely been a procedural fight over the Justice Department into an increasingly personal Republican feud.

"Maybe John Cornyn's upset with me because I didn't endorse him," Trump said from the Oval Office earlier this week, questioning why the senator had become a roadblock for Blanche.

On Friday, Trump doubled down, arguing Cornyn had not previously objected to the Anti-Weaponization Fund and again demanding Blanche be "immediately approved" as permanent attorney general.

The timing matters because Trump backed Paxton over Cornyn in the Texas Republican primary. Paxton went on to defeat the longtime senator, leaving Cornyn on his way out of Congress.

Cornyn, however, has rejected Trump's theory and maintains his objection is about the DOJ agreement, not political retaliation.

John Cornyn wants promise in writing

At the center of the standoff is the proposed $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, created in May as part of a settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax information.

The original plan would have established a process for people claiming they were victims of government "weaponization" to seek monetary relief. Trump himself would receive no monetary damages under the announced arrangement.

But the fund quickly faced legal and congressional opposition. DOJ subsequently said it would stop pursuing it, and Blanche has repeatedly declared it "dead."

That has not satisfied Cornyn.

He wants an enforceable written guarantee that the fund cannot later be revived, saying Thursday that the DOJ should simply put into writing what Blanche has already sworn the agreement means.

Todd Blanche confirmation hangs in balance

The dispute now threatens Trump's attempt to install Blanche permanently atop the Justice Department.

Cornyn and Tillis have withheld their support, forcing the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone action on the nomination. With Democrats also opposed, losing Republican votes creates a serious confirmation problem. 

Trump said on Thursday that he could even "temporarily" withdraw Blanche's nomination and submit it again after Cornyn and Tillis leave office. Blanche can meanwhile continue serving as acting attorney general.

But Trump's latest comments introduce another question into the impasse.

Cornyn says he wants one thing: a binding guarantee that the controversial fund is finished.

Trump is now publicly asking why that demand became a problem only after the president chose somebody else in Texas.