Two Republican senators who had previously threatened to block Todd Blanche’s confirmation as the next US attorney general said they are now ready to support his nomination. The senators, Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, made clear their change of position after Blanche, currently serving as acting attorney general, formally withdrew a plan for a $1.8bn “anti-weaponisation” fund. The fund had been intended to compensate people prosecuted in connection with the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot, following prosecutions involving supporters of former President Donald Trump. “We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” Tillis and Cornyn said in a joint statement. Fund Terminated With DOJ OrderThe termination of the scheme clears the way for Blanche to be confirmed to the role on a permanent basis. A meeting of the US Senate judiciary committee is scheduled for Tuesday, where lawmakers could hold a vote on his nomination. Tillis said the senators looked forward to supporting progress for Blanche “out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon”. The fund had been announced earlier this year as part of a deal linked to Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Trump had sued the IRS after a leak of his tax returns. Under the proposed arrangement, Trump allies could seek compensation for prosecutions they argued were politically motivated by prior administrations. The plan was framed as a settlement measure tied to the IRS dispute. Senators Cited Wider IRS Audit ProtectionAlongside objections to the compensation element, Tillis and Cornyn said they were concerned the deal would also limit IRS audits of tax returns for Trump, his family and their businesses. They sought the scope of any protection to be narrowed. After the withdrawal, the order issued by the Department of Justice stated there was “no Fund”, according to a copy attached to Blanche’s social media post on Sunday. In a separate, unsigned memo accompanying Blanche’s post, Blanche said the IRS immunity would apply only to the “named parties in the lawsuit”. The plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit were Trump, his two sons Donald Jr and Eric, and the Trump Organization. Backlash Over January 6 ProsecutionsThe fund plan triggered alarm among Democrats and some Republicans, who argued it could lead to payments connected to the Capitol riot prosecutions. Those prosecutions included people convicted of assaulting police officers during the events on 6 January 2021. After the backlash, Blanche dropped the proposal. A federal judge also blocked the fund and warned it may have breached ethical guidelines. The decision to withdraw the plan followed a period of uncertainty. Prior to Blanche’s posts on Sunday, Trump gave conflicting signals about both the fund and the attorney general nomination. On Friday, Trump said the fund was “dead”, but he later threatened to put it back on the table over the weekend if Republicans did not advance Blanche’s confirmation. Tillis had earlier said he wanted assurances that the scheme would not be revived, describing the situation as an impasse between the administration and the senators. He said he still considered Blanche qualified for the post. Senate Timetable and Political StakesThe confirmation process had stalled because Tillis and Cornyn said earlier verbal reassurances were not sufficient. Their focus on whether the fund was truly over reflected broader concerns about how the arrangement could operate if it returned in another form. Tillis and Cornyn are due to leave the Senate when their terms expire in January. In recent days, Trump had also floated the idea of withdrawing Blanche’s nomination and renominating him later, depending on the political timetable. Analysts had noted another factor: if Democrats win control of the Senate in November midterm elections, Blanche’s chances of becoming the 88th US attorney general would likely be damaged. Join the discussion? 4 August 2026
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