President Donald Trump criticized Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas for opposing his choice of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for the permanent role. He suggested that he might keep Blanche in the interim position and push for the passage of the Anti-Weaponization Bill.
Trump connected the nomination issue with the Anti-Weaponization Bill, designed to introduce a congressionally approved compensation program for victims of political ‘weaponization,’ replacing the DOJ-established Anti-Weaponization Fund.
“If Senators Cornyn and Tillis aren’t going to approve Todd Blanche, I’ll keep Todd as Acting AG and push to pass the Anti-Weaponization Bill,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
The Anti-Weaponization Fund stemmed from a settlement Blanche reached with the IRS and Treasury Department, creating a $1.8 billion fund to compensate alleged political persecution victims. Due to concerns about the executive branch’s authority to establish the program, the DOJ later stalled the fund.
Both Cornyn and Tillis, who faced electoral challenges involving Trump, indicated their reluctance to support Blanche’s nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Cornyn mentioned he’s open to negotiating in good faith but leaned towards voting no, stressing the need for a formal confirmation that the controversial fund is defunct.
During a confirmation hearing, Cornyn probed Blanche about any written agreements modifying the settlement fund. Blanche confirmed, “No, the settlement fund is just not moving forward.”
Tillis, who decided not to run for re-election after Trump’s primary challenge threat, labeled the fund a “payout pot for punks,” highlighting a belief that Trump might revive the fund through improper means.
In a discussion at Camp David, Trump speculated that Cornyn’s opposition was due to losing his primary to Trump-supported Ken Paxton, expressing understanding for Cornyn’s stance.
“I endorsed his opponent, and as soon as I did, his opponent won. The man I didn’t endorse is angry, and I understand that,” Trump commented.
Cornyn dismissed the notion that his opposition stemmed from personal vendetta, terming it a “convenient excuse” and “untrue.” Despite declaring the fund “dead,” Trump expressed regret over this outcome, citing the need to compensate those “horribly abused.”
Blanche is expected to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a vote on advancing his nomination to the full Senate. Efforts to contact the White House, Justice Department, Cornyn, and Tillis for comments remained unanswered.