Trump defends DOJ weaponization fund and attacks Cornyn, further imperiling Blanche nomination
President Trump is complicating the confirmation of his attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche, by publicly defending a controversial 'anti-weaponization' fund that GOP senators are demanding be dismantled. Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are withholding their support until they receive written assurances that the fund will be permanently closed.
Why it matters
The standoff highlights internal friction within the Republican party regarding executive power and the oversight of federal agencies during the transition of power.
President Donald Trump is further complicating negotiations as White House and Justice Department officials try to unstick Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general, saying Friday that a controversial fund behind the holdup is “dead” but that “I wish it weren’t.” Key GOP senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina— have indicated they’ll withhold their needed votes to confirm Blanche until they get written assurances that the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund won’t be resurrected, along with certain commitments about tax investigations. Trump defended the fund at length during a Cabinet meeting Friday, echoing comments posted on Truth Social earlier that day in which he called for Blanche to “be immediately approved” as his permanent pick for for the role. Just a day earlier, the president had said he wouldn’t object to “temporarily withdrawing” Blanche’s nomination until Tillis and Cornyn leave Congress early next year.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in