Two Republican Senators Just Torpedoed Trump’s AG Pick Over Massive DOJ Slush Fund

Liberty Check

• Senate Judiciary Committee postpones vote on Todd Blanche as Attorney General after GOP rebellion
• Republican Senators demand dismantling of $1.8 billion DOJ fund they call a left-wing slush fund
• Internal Republican division threatens to derail Trump’s key cabinet appointment

The Senate Judiciary Committee hit the brakes Wednesday on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation, throwing President Trump’s cabinet plans into uncertainty. Two Republican senators are blocking the nomination until the Department of Justice axes a controversial billion-dollar fund.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are demanding the DOJ formally terminate a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund before they’ll green-light Blanche’s advancement. The senators are also insisting on rewritten language in a settlement agreement that they argue enables partisan abuse of the justice system.

The holdup reveals growing fractures within the Republican caucus over how aggressively to reform the Department of Justice. While conservatives broadly support cleaning house at the DOJ, disagreement over tactics and timing is creating roadblocks for Trump’s nominees.

Cornyn and Tillis argue the fund represents exactly the kind of weaponized government spending that voters rejected in 2024. They’re refusing to advance any nominee until concrete steps are taken to dismantle what they view as a slush fund for left-wing initiatives.

The postponement puts Blanche’s nomination in limbo at a critical moment when the Trump administration is pushing to install loyalists across key departments. With Democrats unified in opposition, Trump can’t afford to lose even a single Republican vote.

The standoff underscores the delicate balance Trump faces in working with a Senate where every Republican vote counts. While the GOP holds the majority, individual senators wield enormous leverage when they’re willing to buck leadership on principle.

Democrats are watching the Republican infighting with barely concealed glee, hoping the internal division will derail more Trump nominees. The longer Blanche remains in limbo, the more emboldened the opposition becomes.

Conservative activists are now pressing Senate leadership to broker a deal that satisfies Cornyn and Tillis while keeping the confirmation process moving. Every delayed confirmation means another day the administrative state remains in the hands of holdovers.

The Constitution must be defended.