{"id":2638003,"date":"2026-07-30T18:38:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T22:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bannon-predicts-ag-fight-could-be-final-straw-for-trump-and-thune\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T18:39:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T22:39:16","slug":"bannon-predicts-ag-fight-could-be-final-straw-for-trump-and-thune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bannon-predicts-ag-fight-could-be-final-straw-for-trump-and-thune\/","title":{"rendered":"Bannon predicts AG fight could be final straw for Trump and Thune"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbannon-predicts-ag-fight-could-be-final-straw-for-trump-and-thune%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2638003&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Steve Bannon predicts that the growing tension between President Donald Trump and senate Majority Leader John Thune will likely lead to a serious leadership conflict, especially over the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Bannon believes Thune will be blamed for any failure of Blanche\u2019s nomination, which is currently blocked by senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis due to disagreements over an IRS settlement and an anti-weaponization fund. The dispute has further damaged Trump\u2019s relationship with Thune, with Trump criticizing Thune&#8217;s leadership and expressing uncertainty about Thune&#8217;s future as Senate Republican leader. The standoff is also tied to frustrations over the Senate\u2019s inability to pass the SAVE america Act, and it occurs as Republicans prepare for the midterm elections. Bannon suggests Thune&#8217;s position is vulnerable, and Trump may consider withdrawing Blanche&#8217;s nomination if the deadlock persists, though this is expected to be a consideration only after the elections. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >ongoing conflict highlights divisions<\/a> within the Republican Party and could impact its prospects in upcoming races.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EXCLUSIVE \u2014<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/steve-bannon\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"779\">Steve Bannon<\/a> is predicting that President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> increasingly strained relationship with Senate Majority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"178\">John Thune<\/a> (R-SD) is headed toward an irreparable break, arguing that a showdown over acting Attorney General Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination may be the final straw.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bannon, Trump\u2019s former chief strategist and a close outside ally, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Thune \u2014 not Trump \u2014 will be blamed if Blanche\u2019s nomination collapses because of resistance from Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"965\">John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thom-tillis\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"973\">Thom Tillis<\/a> (R-NC).<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4668115\/steve-bannon-blanche-confirmation-final-straw-trump-thune-relationship\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Steve Bannon predicts Todd Blanche fight could be final straw for Trump\u2019s relationship with Thune<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4669677\/fetterman-andy-beshear-mcconnell-health\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fetterman says Beshear trying to put his \u2018name in the news\u2019 with McConnell health scrutiny<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4669549\/senators-support-cancelling-recess-save-america-act\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Here are the 14 senators who support canceling recess over SAVE America Act<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be rebuilt,\u201d Bannon told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> of Trump\u2019s relationship with Thune. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to lead to a leadership throwdown here, and particularly if he pulls the nomination of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/todd-blanche\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"20883\">Todd Blanche<\/a>, he\u2019s going to go to war with Thune because this is Thune\u2019s responsibility to handle these senators, not Trump\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has long been frustrated with the Senate GOP over its inability to pass the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/save-america-act\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"22939\">SAVE America Act<\/a>, an election integrity measure that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a voter ID to cast a ballot nationwide. Thune has repeatedly said there is insufficient Democratic support to overcome the Senate\u2019s 60-vote filibuster and insufficient Republican support to eliminate it. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That simmering frustration has now collided with Blanche\u2019s nomination to become attorney general after serving in the role on an acting basis.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cornyn and Tilis are demanding that Blanche and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"167\">Justice Department<\/a> amend an IRS settlement over Trump\u2019s leaked tax returns. The duo wants the agreement to nix the creation of a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund that could have paid out to Jan. 6, 2021, defendants and put guardrails into place over Trump\u2019s immunity from prior audits.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blanche has already told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the anti-weaponization fund is dead, but the lawmakers want more than just a verbal assurance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because Cornyn and Tillis sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, their opposition forced the panel to scrap a vote on advancing Blanche\u2019s nomination. Given the committee\u2019s 11-10 Republican majority, the two senators are critical to sending Blanche to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/senate\/\">Senate<\/a> floor. Without committee approval, Republicans would need Democratic support to overcome a filibuster and bring the nomination up for a vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday to stand behind Blanche. \u201cTodd Blanche is a STAR, and everyone knows it! He has the potential to go down as one of the Greatest Attorney Generals of All Time,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/117009581290419286\">wrote Trump<\/a>. \u201cHowever, John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Thillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Blanche standoff and the impasse over the SAVE America Act have further strained Trump\u2019s relationship with Thune. Trump on Wednesday declined to say whether Thune was still the right person to lead Senate Republicans, telling reporters only that \u201cwe\u2019ll find out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response, Thune underscored on Thursday that Senate leadership was determined by its members, not the president.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe doesn\u2019t vote in our elections,\u201d Thune said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dispute also comes as Republicans prepare to defend their Senate majority in the November <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11675\">midterm elections<\/a>, with Bannon arguing Thune\u2019s leadership is putting the conference at risk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThune\u2019s clueless. He\u2019s going to lose the Senate,\u201d Bannon warned. \u201cHis guy\u2019s down 9 points in North Carolina. Right now, in polling, we\u2019re going to lose North Carolina, Ohio, and Maine, and \u2026 maybe Alaska, maybe Iowa. And that\u2019s not including, we\u2019re not going to take back Georgia, Michigan, toss up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bannon suggested that Thune would have to be removed to save the Senate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4669106\/trump-floats-withdrawing-todd-blanche-nomination\/\">TRUMP FLOATS WITHDRAWING TODD BLANCHE NOMINATION \u2018TEMPORARILY\u2019 AMID CORNYN STANDOFF<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think that\u2019s why it\u2019s going to be dramatic. There has to be a dramatic resolution,\u201d he said. \u201cSo it can\u2019t be repaired. The president\u2019s tried.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Republicans close to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/white-house\/\" data-type=\"category\" data-id=\"125\">White House <\/a>cautioned that Trump is unlikely to move against Thune until Blanche\u2019s nomination is resolved, and more likely not until after the midterm elections. One Republican added that Thune\u2019s fundraising ability could ultimately preserve his position if Republicans retain control of the Senate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bannon predicts Trump-Thune rift over Blanche may break<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2920,"featured_media":2638004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-zn01dk6it-1785447593498-e1785448150307.jpg?1785433745&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32319,34319,5894,3740,32102],"class_list":["post-2638003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-donald-trump","tag-legal-battles","tag-politics","tag-senate","tag-steve-bannon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-zn01dk6it-1785447593498-e1785448150307.jpg?1785433745&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2638003"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638003\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2638007,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2638003\/revisions\/2638007"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2638004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2638003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2638003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2638003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}