Trump Pushes Crony Nominee, Defends Dubious DOJ Slush Fund, Attacks Cornyn for Dissent
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President Donald Trump is demanding the Senate rubber-stamp his acting Attorney General pick, Todd Blanche, while fiercely defending a controversial $1.8 billion Justice Department fund. Trump lashed out at Sen. John Cornyn, accusing him of personal vendettas for standing in the way of unchecked executive power.
President Donald Trump on Friday once again demonstrated his disregard for checks and balances, insisting that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche be confirmed immediately, despite serious concerns over a $1.8 billion Justice Department fund. The fund, established through a questionable settlement with the IRS, has been labeled 'abandoned' by the department itself, and even Blanche has admitted it is 'dead.'
Trump took to social media to spin the fund as a means to compensate supposed victims of the Biden administration, claiming it had no personal benefit for him. This narrative conveniently ignores the lack of transparency and oversight surrounding the fund. Trump further escalated tensions by accusing Sen. John Cornyn of opposing Blanche out of personal spite, referencing his own endorsement of Ken Paxton in the Texas primary—a classic Trump tactic of personalizing political disputes.
“I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them,” Trump said, sidestepping the real issue of accountability for government funds.
“Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him. I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t heard that there’s a problem,” Trump added from the Oval Office, dismissing legitimate concerns.
Cornyn, refusing to be bullied, denied that Trump’s petty political games influenced his position. He insisted that withdrawing the nomination would not address the underlying issues and demanded written guarantees that the fund would not be resurrected. Cornyn underscored the urgent need for a Senate-confirmed attorney general, rather than another Trump loyalist.
“I think the DOJ needs a Senate-confirmed attorney general, and Todd Blanche is probably about as good as we’re going to get… They need to put that in writing so it’s enforceable,” Cornyn said, highlighting the need for real accountability.