• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinds the "anti-weaponization fund" before his nomination vote.
• The decision follows negotiations with GOP Senators Cornyn and Tillis, who sought written assurances.
• The fund aimed to compensate political allies of Trump and was criticized as an improper "slush fund."

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally rescinded the plans for a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" intended to financially support allies of former President Trump. This decision came shortly before a scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Blanche's nomination as permanent attorney general, amid concerns from Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who had threatened to block his confirmation pending assurances regarding the fund's termination, according to CBS News and Reuters.

The Justice Department clarified in a statement, “the Acting Attorney General has repeatedly advised Congress... that the Fund is not moving forward,” and emphasized that today's order "officially rescinds" the prior establishment of the fund, further stating "no funds were transferred; no claims were paid," according to NPR and Los Angeles Times.

Senators Cornyn and Tillis expressed their support for the rescission in a joint statement, noting that their backing of Blanche's nomination hinged upon this outcome. The representatives emphasized the need for a formal written order terminating the fund to alleviate their concerns about the implications of the fund, which they described as a "slush fund" for political supporters of Trump, according to CBS News and Reuters.

Blanche's earlier claims that the fund would not proceed faced bipartisan scrutiny, particularly from Cornyn and Tillis, due to fears that the fund could extend to individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots. As Trump expressed ongoing support for the initiative, Blanche's revocation of the fund was viewed as a crucial step towards securing enough votes for his confirmation as attorney general, as confirmed by LA Times and NPR.