In brief
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche officially withdrew Donald Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion fund that would have paid former Capitol riot defendants. The move clears the last obstacle for his permanent confirmation, after two Republican senators stalled due to concerns about the fund’s political motives and IRS audit provisions. In a tweet on Sunday, Blanche posted a written order stating the fund does not exist and that the proposal is dead. The withdrawal is expected to open the door for a Senate judiciary vote on his nomination, as Trump remains divided on the issue.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche officially withdrew Donald Trump’s planned fund that would have paid people prosecuted in the 2021 Capitol riot.
With the withdrawal, Blanche’s remaining hurdle for permanent confirmation from the Senate is removed after two Republican senators held out over the fund.
The proposal, called an anti‑weaponisation fund, imagined a $1.8 billion pot for Trump allies who claim prosecutions were motivated by politics.
Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis opposed the fund, citing that it would also shield Trump and family from federal tax audits and could provide payouts to former riot defendants.
Blanche’s tweet on Sunday included a signed written order that the fund does not exist, marking the plan as dead.
The attached memo limited IRS audit immunity to the named parties in the lawsuit—Trump, his sons, and the Trump organization.
Democrats and other Republicans warned that the fund could undermine justice and enable political overreach, leading a federal judge to block it.
With the plan scrapped, the Senate judiciary committee will next consider the AG nomination, likely moving toward confirmation.
Trump remains divided on Blanche’s appointment and threatened to revive the fund if his party fails to secure the nomination.
The final decision will hinge on whether remaining senators reconcile the fund’s legacy with Blanche’s role as chief law‑enforcement officer.
