President Trump is not playing games with his Attorney General pick. He blasted Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn on Saturday for blocking Todd Blanche’s nomination. The President made it clear he will keep Blanche in the job as Acting A.G. if the Senate says no. He also promised to push hard to pass the Anti-Weaponization Bill. This bill would create a massive compensation fund. According to Fox News Politics, Trump said he will get the bill done if the senators refuse to approve Blanche.
The money at stake is huge. The proposed fund totals $1.8 billion. This money would go to people who claim they were treated badly by the government. Trump called Todd Blanche “one of the most respected professionals” in the country. He wrote on Truth Social that Blanche was a “voice of reason.” The President is angry because these two senators opposed him before. He noted that Cornyn lost a primary and Tillis quit after drawing his ire. Per NBC News, both senators are leaving Congress soon anyway.
This fight centers on a fund that the Justice Department already tried to kill. The original fund was created through a settlement Blanche reached with the IRS and Treasury. It was meant to help victims of political persecution. But critics said the executive branch could not make such a program without Congress. Accordingly, the Justice Department stated it would not proceed with the fund. According to Fox News Politics, they effectively shelved it. Now Trump wants to bring it back through new legislation. (more on that in Trump Reveals What Actually Replaces The Star Wars Trams)
The senators are worried about who gets paid. Per NBC News, the two senators conditioned their support on the administration dropping the fund plans. The fund would pay Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump. They claim the government overreached. Tillis blamed the President for the stalled confirmation in a post on X. He did not want to approve Blanche while the fund threat loomed. Trump called that excuse “convenient” and “untrue.” He feels the senators are just upset he did not endorse them.
Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would… https://t.co/OSoFTAKUkE
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) August 1, 2026
The Senate Judiciary Committee has a new date to vote. They will try a do-over on advancing Blanche’s nomination. According to the Washington Times, a committee vote is scheduled for Tuesday. If they fail again, the President has a clear threat. He will keep Blanche as Acting A.G. and force the bill to the floor. This puts the senators in a tough spot. They are leaving office, but they still hold the keys to the nomination.
Trump’s message is simple: approve Blanche or face the fund. He is willing to fight for the money if he has to. He said the bill will “immediately be back on the table.” The President wants to help those he says were “so badly treated” by the Biden administration. He even mentioned Obama in his post, spelling it “Obuma.” This shows how deep his frustration runs with the past years. Per Fox News Politics, he wants to get it done no matter what. (For background, see Trump Stuns Michigan GOP With Massive Endorsement for Rogers.)
This fight is about more than one job. It is about who controls the money and the message. The President is telling his base that he will not back down. He is using his power to protect his nominees. If the senators block him, he will bypass them with legislation. This is a test of loyalty in the Republican party. The outcome will decide if the party stays unified or splits further.
Watch the vote on Tuesday. The answer will determine if Blanche becomes Attorney General. It will also decide if a $1.8 billion fund becomes real. The Washington Times reports the committee will try to move the nomination forward. The clock is ticking. The President has made his choice. Now the Senate must make theirs. This is a clear line in the sand for the party. We will see where the senators stand when the roll is called.
