Republican Senator Thom Tillis, whose vote will be crucial for advancing the nomination of Todd Blanche as attorney general, demanded Thursday in the Senate that he meet with victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's abuses in order to obtain his support.

Blanche, nominated by President Donald Trump for the permanent position, held his confirmation hearing before the Senate on Wednesday and Thursday and defended the Justice Department's handling of the release of documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case. However, in Thursday's session, Tillis set as a condition for his support a meeting between Blanche and some of Epstein's victims, who have unsuccessfully attempted for months to meet with the acting attorney general.

Tillis's vote is crucial for the appointment because if all Democrats on the Judicial Committee vote against Blanche, a single "no" from a Republican could block the nomination. "I hope that meeting takes place before I am willing to vote against the committee," Tillis stated, adding that he was "trying to reach an agreement."

First as deputy attorney general and then as acting head following Pam Bondi's departure in April, Blanche has been involved in managing the case and the release of these documents, in which the president is mentioned more than a thousand times. He was also tasked with leading a prison interrogation of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former partner and chief collaborator.

Following Thursday's session, the Senate Judiciary Committee will deliberate on whether to recommend his candidacy for a full floor vote.