President Donald Trump announced Friday that his proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is effectively “dead,” though he continued to defend the concept, further complicating negotiations with two Republican senators who are blocking his attorney general nominee in protest.
Speaking to reporters at Camp David, Trump said administration officials had agreed not to move forward with a fund intended to compensate his political allies. However, he expressed disagreement with that decision. The comments followed an early morning social media post in which Trump argued that individuals prosecuted by the Justice Department—many connected to the violent January 6, 2021, Capitol attack—“are suffering still, many ruined,” and deserved compensation.
The standoff centers around the nomination of Todd Blanche, the current acting attorney general. Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have withheld their support for Blanche’s confirmation, demanding a written guarantee that the anti-weaponization fund will not be created. The two senators have engaged with the White House and Blanche for several weeks in efforts to secure such a document but remain unsatisfied.
Senator Tillis underscored his position following Trump’s social media remarks, stating, “The President made it clear today that the so-called Anti Weaponization Fund is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it.” Trump has called for Blanche’s immediate confirmation, describing the nominee as “a pawn in this whole thing.”
Blanche had testified at a hearing two months ago that the fund would not move forward after Republican opposition stalled an immigration funding bill. Despite that, both Cornyn and Tillis, with Tillis retiring in January and Cornyn having lost his reelection bid after Trump’s endorsement of a primary challenger, remain wary of future reversals, especially given Trump’s continued public support for the fund.
In addition to concerns about the fund, Cornyn and Tillis have sought clarity on another aspect of a pending settlement that would grant Trump and his family immunity from ongoing tax audits. Cornyn recently stated his understanding that more than 100 Trump Organization subsidiaries could still be subject to audits moving forward. He said Blanche had indicated the immunity was limited to the parties involved in the litigation and applied retrospectively, not prospectively. Cornyn emphasized that the senators are simply seeking that commitment in writing.
The impasse has extended the confirmation process for Blanche and highlights ongoing tensions within the Republican ranks over the handling of prosecutions related to January 6 and broader issues concerning oversight of Trump’s legal and financial matters.