In brief
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally withdrew the controversial fund that would have compensated Trump supporters prosecuted after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The move dissolves a political roadblock that had prevented his nomination from moving forward, allowing a confirmation vote in the Senate. The fund, launched earlier this year as part of a lawsuit against the IRS, raised concerns that it could reward Jan. 6 defendants and grant tax immunity to the Trump family and organization. With the plan scrapped, Senate Judiciary Committee may now focus on Blanche’s credentials and the broader bipartisan debate over his appointment.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche has formally withdrawn President Donald Trump’s plan for a $1.8 billion fund that would have compensated people prosecuted over the Capitol riot. By striking down the proposal, Blanche clears the stumbling block that had kept his nomination stalled in the Senate.
The fund, announced earlier this year as a component of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, was intended to provide “anti‑weaponisation” compensation for the Trump family, his children Donald Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization. Critics feared the program could reward individuals who had been prosecuted for assaulting police on Jan. 6, 2021, and could extend tax‑audit immunity to the broader Trump network.
After a series of tweets and a X post declaring the fund dead, Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis remained unconvinced, citing unmet assurances about the fund’s termination and the scope of tax immunity. Blanche addressed their concerns publicly, posting an official order stating that no fund exists and attaching a memo limiting immunity to the named parties in the lawsuit.
With the controversy behind him, the Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to move forward with a confirmation vote. The decision highlights a broader bipartisan debate over the integrity of the appointment and the political ramifications of the Trump administration’s former personal lawyer’s candidacy for the nation’s top legal position.
