Trump Defends 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'

The nomination of Todd Blanche to be the next permanent attorney general has foundered in part over a controversial "anti-weaponization fund." On Friday, President Trump offered a strong defense of the fund, which could further complicate Blanche's road to confirmation, reports CNN. Blanche, the acting AG, has said the fund is "dead," but GOP Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn want a written guarantee he won't revive the $1.8 billion measure. Critics call it a slush fund for Trump allies.

In his Friday post, Trump insisted the fund wouldn't benefit him personally, but would compensate "victims of government abuse," per Reuters. The president stopped short of saying the fund should be revived, but his lengthy defense of it may give further ammo to other senators wary of its resurrection. Trump also insisted that Blanche, "a good man, should be immediately approved" as AG. On Thursday, the president floated the idea of temporarily withdrawing the nomination until Tillis and Cornyn leave the Senate in January. The fund stems from Trump's settlement of a lawsuit with the IRS, another source of controversy, and GOP senators on Thursday blocked an attempt to modify that deal.