Senate GOP Standoff Over DOJ 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' Delayed, Then Cleared, Blanche's AG Nomination

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination to serve as permanent U.S. Attorney General was delayed in late July and early August 2026 after Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina said they would oppose advancing him unless the Department of Justice eliminated a controversial $1.8 billion fund. The fund, referred to by multiple outlets as an "anti-weaponization fund," was intended to compensate individuals, including some Trump allies, who claimed they had been wrongfully prosecuted. President Donald Trump initially defended the fund publicly, calling on the Senate to "immediately approve" Blanche despite the dispute. As the standoff continued, reports indicated Trump considered withdrawing Blanche's nomination until 2027 rather than resolve the funding dispute. Blanche subsequently issued a formal order rescinding the $1.8 billion fund, a move reported by multiple outlets as a direct response to pressure from Cornyn and Tillis. Following the recission, Senate Republicans reached an agreement to end the holdup, and the Senate proceeded to advance Blanche's nomination in early August 2026. Blanche's nomination has moved forward following the resolution of the funding dispute, though the precise timeline for a final confirmation vote was not specified across reports. Details of the negotiated deal between Trump, Blanche, and the two senators, including any conditions beyond rescinding the fund, remain unclear. It is also not fully established what specific factors led Trump to ultimately support ending the fund after initially defending it.