Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinded the May 18, 2026 order that established the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," posting a copy of the rescission on X on Sunday. The withdrawal of the order occurred ahead of a scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Tuesday to consider his nomination for attorney general.
Republican senators had been delaying Blanche's confirmation. Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina placed holds on the nomination while seeking written assurances from the Department of Justice that the fund would not be created. Opponents of the fund have criticized it as a mechanism that could be used to direct taxpayer money to political allies, language that has been used by some of former President Trump’s critics to describe the proposal.
The rescinded order was the same May 18, 2026 directive that initially established what was referred to publicly as "The Anti-Weaponization Fund." Blanche's public posting on X provided a copy of the document specifying the rescission.
Context and timing
The decision to rescind the order occurred in the narrow window before the Senate Judiciary Committee convenes to consider Blanche’s nomination. The committee scheduled the meeting for Tuesday. The sequence of events - senators placing holds, requests for written assurances, and the subsequent rescission - is reflected in the timeline as communicated publicly by the parties involved.
Political objections
Republican objections to the fund were central to the hold on the nomination. Senators Cornyn and Tillis sought explicit, written commitments from the Justice Department confirming that the department would not establish the fund. Critics have characterized the fund in strongly negative terms, asserting the potential for it to serve as a source of taxpayer-funded rewards for supporters.
Summary of the factual record
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinded the May 18, 2026 order that established the "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
- Blanche posted a copy of the rescission order on X on Sunday.
- Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis had held up Blanche’s nomination while seeking written assurances the Justice Department would not set up the fund.
- The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee had scheduled a meeting on Tuesday to consider Blanche’s nomination.
Key points
- The rescission removes the specific May 18, 2026 order that established the fund; the order was publicly posted by Blanche.
- Senatorial holds by Cornyn and Tillis were explicitly tied to concerns over the fund and requests for written assurances.
- Timing is significant - the rescission was issued just before the Judiciary Committee's scheduled consideration of Blanche’s nomination.
Risks and uncertainties
- Confirmation uncertainty - Blanche’s nomination had been delayed by Republican holds, creating uncertainty about the timing and outcome of the confirmation process.
- Political controversy - objections to the fund and characterizations of it by critics introduced political friction that shaped the confirmation process.
- Future departmental actions - while the rescission removes the May 18, 2026 order, the article does not provide information about any other potential or future departmental proposals related to the subject.