Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche withdraws order creating $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund after GOP holdout assurances

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said he has withdrawn the order that created the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, in a memo posted late Sunday on X, according to a report by The Hill on Monday. Blanche’s written assurances are described as a response to concerns raised by Senate Republicans who have demanded clarifications about the scope, legality, and implementation of the fund.

The Hill reported that Blanche’s memo followed discussions with “key senators,” naming Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Marco Moreno, and that the written assurances were intended to formally rescind the fund’s creation. Blanche’s action, as described by the report, indicates an effort to resolve objections that had complicated Blanche’s path to being confirmed permanently as attorney general.

The fund at the center of the dispute was created by an earlier order intended to provide payouts, The Hill said. Blanche’s withdrawal of that order, according to the report, is a shift from the original structure of the program and would require the Justice Department to stop actions tied to the order creating the fund.

The Hill’s account frames Blanche’s memo as part of an ongoing process in which Senate Republicans had asked for assurances about the fund and the legal authority supporting it. The report also described additional senators becoming involved as the discussions continued, including Sen. Miller, whose role was referenced in the same report package.

While Blanche’s withdrawal is presented as a step toward formal rescission, The Hill did not indicate in its summary any new replacement mechanism or alternative fund. The practical effect, as characterized in the reporting, is that the department would not proceed under the withdrawn order to establish or operate the $1.8 billion payout fund.

The confirmation process for Blanche, described by The Hill as potentially affected by the fund dispute, depends on resolution of those concerns in the Senate. Blanche’s memo, as reported, is aimed at addressing the objections in writing, giving senators an official record of the action taken and the department’s intent.

The next steps, based on The Hill’s description, would involve Senate consideration of Blanche’s nomination for attorney general and any follow-up questions related to the fund’s rescission. If senators accept the assurances, the withdrawal could clear a procedural hurdle that had been raised during the review of Blanche’s confirmation.