Tillis says Todd Blanche must satisfy his January 6 demands to win confirmation.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is once again putting himself at odds with President Trump’s America First movement.

The longtime Republican establishment figure is now threatening to block President Trump’s nomination of Todd Blanche for Attorney General unless Blanche embraces Tillis’s preferred narrative about January 6.

During a Thursday appearance on CNN, Tillis suggested Blanche’s confirmation could hinge on whether he publicly condemns January 6 protesters strongly enough to satisfy members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tillis warned that nominees who fail to take the “correct” position on January 6 should not expect his support.

“The key for Todd or anybody going through Judiciary Committee is being pretty tight on January 6,” Tillis said.

He continued by insisting that any nominee who appears sympathetic toward January 6 defendants would have “not a prayer” of receiving his vote.

The comments immediately raised eyebrows among Trump supporters, who have watched Tillis repeatedly side with the Washington establishment against key America First priorities.

Tillis has long been viewed as one of the Republican Party’s most unreliable senators. He has repeatedly broken with conservatives on immigration, judicial nominations, spending battles, and other issues important to the Trump base.

Now he appears prepared to use his position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to pressure President Trump’s Attorney General nominee over January 6.

In a separate interview with the Washington Examiner, Tillis doubled down, claiming Blanche was entering “dangerous waters” because of previous comments regarding January 6 defendants.

“It’s not a gray area for me,” Tillis said.

The remarks come after Tillis previously helped derail Ed Martin’s nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., citing concerns over Martin’s views regarding January 6.

For many grassroots conservatives, Tillis’s latest comments are further evidence that some establishment Republicans remain more interested in policing January 6 rhetoric than advancing President Trump’s agenda.

With President Trump moving to install loyal America First officials throughout his administration, Tillis’s threat sets up what could become another major showdown between the Republican establishment and the MAGA movement.

The question now is whether Senate Republicans will stand with President Trump’s Attorney General nominee—or allow Thom Tillis to once again play gatekeeper for the Washington establishment.