Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's Senate confirmation as deputy attorney general drew sharp scrutiny from Democrats, who questioned whether his former role as President Donald Trump's personal attorney would outweigh the independence required at the Department of Justice.

Trump said Wednesday he expects a quick confirmation process for Blanche, but many Republican senators are not expecting Blanche to face an easy path to replace Pam Bondi, whom Trump fired in April.

Opposition from just one Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee could torpedo Blanche's nomination.

Politico reported Thursday that Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the committee, expressed optimism "based on the proposition that every Republican on the committee voted for him less than a year ago."

But other Republicans on the committee, including Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, aren't so sure.

"What we need to do right now is focus on the [Anti-Weaponization] Fund, or he's not going to have a very good time in Judiciary Committee," Tillis, who is retiring at the end of the year, told reporters when asked about Blanche's expected nomination, according to Politico. "Just think about what the Democrats would do to him."

Blanche said Tuesday that the Trump administration is scrapping the $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund that would pay individuals deemed victims of "lawfare" by the federal government.

Cornyn, who lost last week's Republican primary to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and will leave office in January, said of Blanche's prospects, "I think it depends on his answers to questions that I intend to ask him at the Judiciary Committee."

"The attorney general is not the president's private lawyer, so it's sort of by its nature, it's a really hard job to do, but I want to make sure he understands the difference and is committed to making sure that the law is enforced," Cornyn said, according to Politico.

Another committee Republican, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, said "I really don't know" when asked if he thought Blanche could get through committee or be confirmed by the full Senate, according to Politico, adding, "I'm keeping an open mind."