The formal rescission of the $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponisation Fund removes a key obstacle to Todd Blanche’s Senate confirmation while clarifying the scope of a related legal settlement.
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche has formally rescinded the controversial $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponisation Fund, eliminating a major obstacle ahead of his confirmation vote before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The official order follows weeks of negotiations with Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who had withheld their support for Blanche’s nomination until the Justice Department provided written assurance that the initiative would be permanently abandoned.
Blanche had previously testified before Congress that the department did not intend to proceed with the program. However, lawmakers insisted on a formal rescission to ensure the initiative could not be revived by a future administrative decision.
The directive also provides clarification regarding a related legal settlement involving tax audit protections. According to the order, those protections apply only retroactively to claims that were already open when the settlement was reached. The protections will not extend to future tax filings, limiting the settlement’s scope and reducing uncertainty over its interpretation.
The decision is expected to strengthen Blanche’s position as he seeks Senate confirmation, addressing one of the primary concerns raised by key Republican members of the Judiciary Committee. By issuing a formal order rather than relying on prior testimony, the Justice Department has provided the legal certainty lawmakers requested during the confirmation process.
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