Blanche formally rescinds Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization fund’ ahead of nomination hearing

Acting US attorney general Todd Blanche issued a formal order late on Sunday terminating Donald Trump’s $1.8bn “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies, a move that follows weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who were blocking his nomination to become attorney general.While Blanche has repeatedly said publicly that the fund was dead, the Justice Department had resisted formally confirming that in writing. That had drawn concern from lawmakers that it could be revived in some form, especially after Trump expressed continued support for the idea.A spokesperson for Texas Senator John Cornyn, one of the senators holding up Blanche’s nomination, confirmed the agreement. The other GOP senator, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, did not have immediate comment.The announcement comes ahead of a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Blanche, which is scheduled for Tuesday.“My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche said in a post on X. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order.”The order says that “although the acting attorney general has repeatedly advised Congress through testimony, including under oath, as well as in written responses, that the Fund is not moving forward, and the Department has repeatedly represented to district courts that the Fund is not moving forward, today’s Order officially rescinds the May 18, 2026 Order.”The document released by Blanche on Sunday night also limits the scope of another provision of the settlement that provided broad immunity for Trump and members of his family from tax audits. It clarifies that the tax audit immunity agreement “applies only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.The two sides have been negotiating for weeks, but Trump has said repeatedly during the talks that he thinks the fund should go forward.Earlier on Sunday evening, Trump said that people who had faced charges from the January 6 attack on the Capitol and could have benefited from the fund had “their lives destroyed”.“This would be a reimbursement for the pain that they suffered,” Trump said. “A lot of people like it.”