Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has secured support from two key Republican senators after rescinding a contentious fund that had threatened to derail his nomination to lead the Department of Justice. Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis announced on Monday they would advance Blanche’s nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee following his decision to cancel the $1.8 billion initiative, which they said raised significant concerns.
The fund in question was established as part of a settlement between President Trump and the Internal Revenue Service stemming from Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the agency. Critics expressed alarm that beneficiaries could include individuals who participated in the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault, sparking bipartisan opposition. Cornyn and Tillis had previously conditioned their support on written assurance that the fund would not move forward, a threshold Blanche has now met through an official order issued on Sunday.
Blanche, serving in an interim capacity as attorney general, had stated during a June hearing that he would not pursue the fund, yet uncertainty persisted given Trump’s continued public advocacy for it. The rescission order explicitly confirmed the fund’s termination, stating no members were appointed, no funds transferred, and no claims were processed or paid. The Justice Department characterized the action as establishing “beyond any doubt” that the fund no longer exists.
President Trump indicated limited concern about the cancellation, telling reporters he had not reviewed the order and saw no alternative avenues for dispersing compensation through other means. His weekend social media post had threatened to advance legislation and keep Blanche as acting attorney general, bypassing Senate confirmation, if the two senators withheld support. With their backing now secured, Blanche’s path to Senate confirmation has cleared a major procedural hurdle.
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