Blanche Secures GOP Deal

GOP holdouts back Todd Blanche after a deal over an anti-weaponization fund.

•Balanced

Cornyn, Tillis throw support behind Blanche for attorney general

Cornyn and Tillis back Blanche for attorney general after deal on "anti-weaponization" fund

‘Completely hollow’: critics denounce Blanche deal to halt Trump slush fund

Summary

A neutral summary of the key facts most outlets agree on, drawn from reporting across the political spectrum.

Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina said they will support acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination after he signed a Justice Department order rescinding President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund.” The fund was intended to compensate people who claimed they were targeted by political prosecutions, including Trump allies and Jan. 6 defendants. The agreement also narrowed language around a Justice Department tax settlement, but Trump’s protections from IRS audits for himself, his sons and the Trump Organization remain in place.

The Coverage

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Mostly commentary

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Coverage Angles

GOP CapitulationLeans Left

Republican holdouts folded after staging a confrontation over Blanche’s nomination. Accepting minimal assurances made their resistance look performative and could prove more damaging than openly defying Trump.

Hollow Fund DealLeans Left

Blanche’s written assurances do not actually bind Trump or reliably shut down the anti-weaponization fund. The deal gives senators political cover while leaving the money’s fate unclear, reversible, or still under Trump’s control.

IRS Protections RemainLeans Left

Trump’s tax-audit protections and IRS settlement remain an improper benefit dressed up as legitimate legal process. The Republican challenge to Blanche did not remove those extraordinary protections, leaving a major abuse intact.

Rightful Compensation FundLeans Right

The anti-weaponization fund was a justified effort to compensate people targeted by Biden-era federal abuses, including Trump allies and Jan. 6 defendants. Blanche and the Justice Department wrongly sacrificed that fund to overcome Republican obstruction and secure confirmation.