Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche restores accountability by rescinding $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund after Senate talks
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has taken decisive action to rescind the controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, following principled negotiations with Republican senators, just days before his confirmation vote.
On Sunday, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that he will sign an order rescinding the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, following weeks of constructive discussions with Senate members, particularly those committed to preventing government overreach. 'My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,' Blanche posted on X, emphasizing the Department’s openness to working with Congress to ensure transparency and fairness.
The order, attached to his post, states that the May 18, 2026 order establishing the fund is rescinded and shall have no force or effect, confirming the fund’s elimination. This move comes just before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s scheduled vote on Blanche’s nomination to become the permanent attorney general, demonstrating his commitment to restoring trust in the Justice Department.
The fund originated from a settlement related to a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against the IRS, which rightly protected the Trump family from politically motivated tax audits. Critics had raised concerns that the fund could have been misused to compensate individuals involved in the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol. Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who stood firm against this questionable fund, withheld support for Blanche until it was rescinded. Tillis, who will not seek re-election, and Cornyn, who lost his seat to a Trump-backed challenger, noted that other senators shared their concerns, though they could not vote on the nomination until it reached the full Senate.
Blanche had previously testified that the fund was already defunct, but President Trump’s vigilance in defending against potential abuses prompted this final, necessary step to ensure the Justice Department remains free from partisan weaponization.