Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a formal order late Sunday ending President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” intended to compensate his political allies, following weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who had been blocking his nomination to become permanent attorney general.
A spokesperson for Texas Senator John Cornyn, one of the senators supporting Blanche’s nomination, confirmed the agreement ahead of Tuesday’s confirmation vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The other Republican senator involved, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, did not immediately comment.
During a June hearing, Blanche said the Department of Justice would not move forward with the fund, which was designed to compensate people who believe they were unfairly prosecuted. The proposal faced bipartisan criticism over the possibility that individuals involved in the violent January 6, 2021, Capitol attack could potentially receive payments.
Cornyn and Tillis had demanded a written commitment that the fund would be abandoned before supporting Blanche’s nomination, especially as Trump continued to publicly support the idea.
In a statement, Blanche said the decision came after “good-faith discussions” with lawmakers.
“My team and I have met with members of the committee and senators over the past several weeks and addressed every concern or unresolved question,” Blanche said.
The Department of Justice stated that although the acting attorney general had repeatedly informed Congress that the fund would not move forward, the new order formally rescinds the May 18, 2026 directive that created it.
The move comes as Republican senators Cornyn and Tillis echoed concerns raised by other members of their party while delaying Blanche’s confirmation. Both had argued that the administration needed to provide clearer guarantees before they would support the nomination.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal criminal defense lawyer, joined the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general. He became acting attorney general after Pam Bondi was removed from the position by Trump in April.
Despite insisting that he was not seeking the permanent role, Blanche has aggressively pursued the administration’s priorities, including investigations targeting Trump’s perceived political opponents.
Trump has continued to defend the idea of the fund, arguing that people charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack had “their lives destroyed” and deserved compensation.
“This would be reimbursement for the pain they suffered. A lot of people like it,” Trump said.
The cancellation of the fund represents a setback for one of Trump’s controversial initiatives and highlights tensions between the White House and some Republican senators over the direction of the Justice Department.
