Full Breakdown
Attorney General Todd Blanche Declares Anti-Weaponization Fund Defunct
8/13/2026, 2:29:27 AM
Core Event
On August 5, 2026, newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche held a press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. to announce that the Justice Department’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund” – a $1.776 billion compensation program created under the previous administration – “does not exist” and will not be revived. Blanche repeatedly emphasized that the fund is “dead,” citing his sworn testimony before Congress and his rescission of the original order that established the fund.
Background & Context
The Anti-Weaponization Fund was proposed in 2024 as a settlement mechanism for individuals claiming they were harmed by a “weaponized” Justice Department. Critics on both sides of the aisle described it as a “slush fund” that could reward participants in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Federal judges raised procedural concerns, and members of Congress questioned the legality of the settlement that created the fund. During Blanche’s confirmation battle, Republican senators John Cornyn (Texas) and Thom Tillis (North Carolina) withdrew their opposition after Blanche issued an order rescinding the fund’s authorization.
Data & Statistics
- Fund size: $1.776 billion (approximately $2 billion as referenced by some senators).
- Legislative vote: Blanche’s confirmation passed the Senate by a 50-49 margin.
- Senate support: Senators John Cornyn, Thom Tillis, and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) voted in favor; Senators Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) opposed.
Official Statements & Responses
He added that while the President and he both feel strongly that victims of a “weaponized” Justice Department should be made whole, any compensation would have to come through legislation, not the defunct fund. President Donald Trump reiterated earlier in the week that the future of the initiative is “up to” Blanche.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I keep on saying this over and over again, but I'm happy to say it one more time,” — General Todd Blanche, acting US attorney
- “The president feels very strongly, as do I, that there were people who were victims of a Department of Justice that was absolutely weaponized, and he feels very strongly that that he would want to -- to make them whole, as do I, but it will not be through the Anti-Weaponization Fund,” — General Todd Blanche, acting US attorney
- “I keep on saying this over and over again, but I’m happy to say it one more time. I have testified under oath that it’s dead. I have testified in front of the House where I wasn’t under oath, where I said it was dead,” — General Todd Blanche, acting US attorney
These statements capture Blanche’s repeated insistence that the fund is dead and his alignment with the President’s view on compensating alleged victims.
