Trump Stands Firm Behind Todd Blanche, Defends Controversial Anti-Weaponization Fund
President Donald Trump reaffirmed his full support for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday, urging the Senate to confirm him immediately while defending the administration’s controversial $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund that has become the central obstacle to Blanche’s nomination.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump praised Blanche as “a very, very good man” and criticized Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina for delaying the confirmation process. Trump suggested Cornyn’s opposition was politically motivated after the president backed his primary challenger, describing the senator as “angry” and accusing both lawmakers of obstructing an otherwise well-qualified nominee.
The dispute centers on the proposed anti-weaponization fund, which was created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax records. The fund was intended to compensate individuals who claimed they had been unfairly targeted by politically motivated government actions. Trump defended the concept, arguing that many Americans had their lives “ruined” through government abuse and deserved a mechanism for compensation. He also emphasized that he personally would not receive any money from the fund.
Despite defending the idea, President Trump acknowledged that the fund is effectively “dead” because of political opposition. Acting Attorney General Blanche has repeatedly testified that the Justice Department is not moving forward with the program, but Cornyn and Tillis continue demanding written confirmation before allowing his nomination to advance. Their concerns prompted the Senate Judiciary Committee to postpone a scheduled confirmation vote.
Trump warned that if the impasse is not resolved, he could simply leave Blanche in the acting role and consider renominating him after the two senators leave office. Other senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have urged Republicans to quickly confirm Blanche, arguing he has played a key role in implementing the president’s law enforcement and Justice Department agenda.
For now, Blanche remains Acting Attorney General while negotiations continue between the Justice Department and the two Republican holdouts. With the Senate’s August recess approaching, the administration is facing increasing pressure to resolve the dispute if it hopes to secure Blanche’s permanent confirmation before lawmakers leave Washington.