On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, US senators voted along party lines to advance Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer to US President Donald Trump, as attorney general. Blanche, who has served as acting attorney general since April following Pam Bondi's resignation, formally scrapped a controversial $1.8 billion fund linked to a lawsuit settlement initiated by Trump.

The fund, known as the “Anti-Weaponisation Fund,” originated from the Trump administration’s settlement of a lawsuit the president filed against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over leaked tax records. It was designed to compensate individuals who claimed they were targeted by politically motivated government investigations. However, critics warned the fund could have been used to benefit Trump allies, including defendants charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote followed two hours of debate over Blanche’s ties to Trump and the unusual settlement, which nearly derailed his confirmation. The committee advanced his nomination by a 12-10 vote, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. Blanche did not participate in the meeting as it was not a hearing.

Republican senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina had delayed the vote for a week, threatening to oppose Blanche unless he dismantled the fund and narrowed an agreement limiting IRS audits of Trump and his family. Blanche confirmed in writing that the $1.8 billion settlement for Trump’s allies was scrapped.

Sources