Summary
President Donald Trump publicly defended a proposed "anti-weaponization" fund on Friday as his effort to have Todd Blanche confirmed as U.S. Attorney General encountered resistance from key Republican senators in the Senate. The dispute centers on written guarantees sought by Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis that the Justice Department will not institute the $1.8 billion program, which was included in a legal settlement tied to a broader agreement between Trump and the Justice Department.
Standoff in the Senate
Trump used a social media post to press for Blanche's immediate confirmation, writing: "Todd Blanche, a good man, should be immediately approved as U.S. Attorney General." The post came a day after Trump said he might withdraw Blanche's nomination until next year, a conditional move linked to the departure of "two key opposing senators" from office.
Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis have withheld support for Blanche's permanent appointment while they seek explicit, written assurances from the Justice Department that it will not establish the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. Critics of the program have labeled it a potential slush fund that could direct taxpayer money to political allies; supporters argue it would compensate individuals whom they say were mistreated by government actions.
Meetings and maneuvering
After a late-afternoon meeting on Thursday, Cornyn and Tillis were reported to be closer to an agreement with Blanche, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity. Blanche has also held a meeting with Republican Senator John Curtis.
Despite the impasse, Blanche can likely continue to serve as acting attorney general through the remainder of Trump's term. Acting officials are permitted to serve while their nomination is pending in the Senate, provided the nomination has not been formally rejected or withdrawn.
Origins and stakes of the fund
The $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund was devised as part of a legal settlement between Trump and the Justice Department intended to resolve his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over alleged mishandling of his tax records. Congressional Republicans have placed the fund on hold while they seek more clarity about its implementation.
The program could extend payments to supporters of Trump who say they were unfairly targeted by federal authorities in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol after Trump lost the 2020 election. In his Friday post, Trump said the fund "will not benefit me, but rather the great American Patriots who were hunted down like dogs and whose lives were unfairly and illegally destroyed." He added: "I will always feel that these victims of government abuse should be paid back for what they were forced to endure, their lives have been ruined!"
Additional objections
Beyond the fund itself, Cornyn and Tillis have also objected to an IRS-related component of the agreement that would bar tax audits of Trump and his associates. Cornyn said on Thursday he was awaiting formalized assurances from the Justice Department that it would not implement the fund.
Reporting here presents the proceedings and statements as they were reported; the account does not assert outcomes beyond what has been stated by the parties involved.