White House directly involved in Blanche order rescinding ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

The White House was directly involved in acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s order to formally rescind the president’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Specifically, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and the director of legislative affairs, James Braid, were “deeply involved,” one official said. Blanche worked with the White House throughout the process, and kept top officials briefed on the negotiations and key sticking points. President Donald Trump was aware of the deal struck between Blanche and the two key holdout Senate Republicans on his nomination, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, to formally rescind the controversial fund and limit a prior agreement with the IRS regarding tax investigations into the president and his family members to retroactive actions, the official said.