Trump Vows to Revive $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund Amid Blanche Nomination Stalling
President Trump announced on Saturday that he intends to revive a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” designed to compensate his supporters if the Senate fails to confirm his nominee for attorney general, Todd Blanche. The administration had previously retreated from establishing the fund in June following criticism that it functioned as a mechanism to reward political allies using taxpayer dollars. Reacting on social media to skepticism surrounding Mr. Blanche—his former defense lawyer—Mr. Trump stated that he would retain Mr. Blanche as acting attorney general if the confirmation fails and promised to “push hard” for legislation to create the fund, writing, “Todd Blanche was a voice of reason! It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done.”
Senators Block Confirmation Vote Over Tax Provision Dispute
The Senate has delayed an important vote on Mr. Blanche’s nomination, driven in part by the anti-weaponization fund proposal and objections from retiring Republican Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas. Both lawmakers are withholding their support until the White House provides written agreement to shelve a tax provision tied to a settlement brokered by Mr. Blanche. That settlement resolved a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump against the Internal Revenue Service over a 2019 leak of his tax returns. The Justice Department announced the May settlement, which originally proposed the compensation fund and a tax provision shielding Mr. Trump and his relatives from audits over past tax years. Although Mr. Blanche abandoned the compensation fund in June, the tax provision remained intact, becoming a chief point of contention as Senator Cornyn noted he has not received written assurances that the provision will not apply to future liabilities or expand to cover additional individuals.
Committee Postpones Vote as Negotiations Continue
To allow ongoing negotiations and secure sufficient support for the nomination, Senator Charles E. Grassley, the Iowa Republican leading the committee considering Mr. Blanche, postponed a vote on Wednesday. Senator Cornyn, who lost his Republican primary to Ken Paxton earlier this year, did not publicly comment on Mr. Trump’s recent social media post, and his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Similarly, the White House did not immediately respond on Saturday to requests for comment regarding the strategic plans behind the president’s latest statements.
Lawmaker Criticism Mounts Following President’s Payout Pledge
Responding directly to the president’s Saturday comments, Senator Tillis criticized the renewed proposal, stating that the president “clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against.” Mr. Tillis also expressed regret on social media, writing that it is unfortunate Mr. Blanche—whom he considers qualified for the role—will not be confirmed due to the reversal. Senator Grassley’s office also had not issued a statement regarding this latest development.
