Trump Reaffirms Support for Controversial $1.8 Billion Fund, Casting Doubt on Todd Blanche Nomination
President Trump said the proposed anti-weaponization fund for Jan. 6 defendants is "dead" but expressed regret, while Republican senators block Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation over the settlement that created the fund.
President Donald Trump told a Cabinet meeting on Friday that the administration’s $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund for Jan. 6 defendants is "dead, but you know, I wish it weren’t," adding that he believes the individuals targeted were "horribly treated, horribly abused." The remarks contradict assurances from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that the proposal had been abandoned and have heightened tensions with Republican senators who are holding Blanche’s nomination for chief law-enforcement officer.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have blocked the nomination, citing concerns about a settlement between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service that created the fund. Tillis said on social media that the president’s comments indicate the fund is still alive, which is why the Senate is working to end it. Cornyn warned that the administration’s lack of a written statement confirming the fund’s termination raises doubts about the credibility of Blanche’s testimony at his confirmation hearing.
The dispute has delayed a $70 billion appropriations bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol and pushed Blanche’s confirmation beyond the Senate’s upcoming summer recess. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley postponed a vote on the nomination pending resolution of the IRS settlement issues.
Trump also used his Truth Social platform to criticize Cornyn, suggesting the senator’s opposition stems from Trump’s endorsement of a primary challenger in Texas. The president called the individuals affected by the fund "great American Patriots" whose lives were allegedly ruined by the Biden administration and urged immediate approval of Blanche.
In addition, Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization filed an appeal against a district court ruling that found their IRS lawsuit was filed in bad faith to secure immunity for the president and his affiliates. The appeal adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing confirmation battle.
Other Republican senators, including Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, have voiced concerns about the potential weaponization of the Justice Department, further complicating Blanche’s path to confirmation.