Cracks in powerful Senate GOP group put Trump in a 'wild card situation': analysis

President Donald Trump has enjoyed an effective rubber stamp from the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee throughout his time in office — but that could be coming to an end, Roll Call's Savannah Behrman wrote on X Monday.

This comes as a result of two key senators on the committee, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX), being effectively freed to speak and vote their minds as they prepare to leave office.

" Trump officially nominated acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the role on Monday. But two Republicans, who lost primaries to Trump-backed challengers, may create a headache on the Judiciary Committee," wrote Behrman.

This comes a few days after Roll Call's Michael Macagnone analyzed how these two defections could shape the Senate GOP's relationship with Trump.

The Judiciary Committee "presides over some of the most intense, highly partisan matters that Congress faces in the modern era, as well as processing judicial nominations and Justice Department officials. The current 12-10 partisan split allows one Republican defection to deadlock the panel," said the report. However, former Senate GOP staffer Gregg Nunziata told Roll Call, two defections “open up even more of a wild card situation” where some of Trump's agenda could be rejected outright.

While Blanche's nomination today could pose challenges for the Judiciary Committee's unity, GOP insiders said Tillis and Cornyn, both of whom are routinely degraded and attacked by Trump for perceived disloyalty, are unlikely to break ranks if a Supreme Court vacancy becomes available, which is one of the most well-known vetting roles of the Judiciary Committee, said Senate staffer Lee Holmes, because they are still "committed conservatives" at the end of the day.