Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that a planned DOJ anti-weaponization fund is dead.
The testimony comes as lawmakers scrutinize the Department of Justice's intended use of resources to support groups aligned with Donald Trump. The controversy centers on whether the federal government is attempting to institutionalize political support through a dedicated financial vehicle.
During the confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) pressed Blanche on the status of the fund. The fund was intended to counter perceived threats from Trump allies, with reports on its size varying between $1.8 million [3] and $1.8 billion [1].
"The fund is dead," Blanche said [1].
Blanche testified that the initiative has not moved forward. However, the underlying agreement for the fund has not been formally rescinded. This distinction led to further questioning from the committee regarding the actual status of the project.
Sen. Cornyn expressed skepticism regarding the Acting Attorney General's characterization of the situation. "He’s putting the best spin on it he can, but I can read," Cornyn said [4].
Lawmakers sought clarification on whether the fund remains an active possibility or has been completely abandoned. While Blanche maintained the project is defunct, other reports suggest the fund may not be as dead as the Acting Attorney General claims [5].
“"The fund is dead."”
The disagreement over the fund's status and its valuation—ranging from millions to billions of dollars—highlights a significant tension between the DOJ's current leadership and congressional oversight. If the agreement remains unrescinded despite Blanche's testimony, it leaves a legal and administrative door open for the fund to be revived, potentially fueling further allegations of political weaponization within the Justice Department.
