Trump Criticizes Senators Over Attorney General Nominee, Links to Anti-Weaponization Bill

President Donald Trump recently criticized Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas for opposing his nomination of Todd Blanche as the permanent Attorney General. He suggested maintaining Blanche in the temporary role at the Justice Department and emphasized passing the Anti-Weaponization Bill.

Trump connected the nomination dispute with the proposed Anti-Weaponization Bill. This bill would establish a congressionally approved compensation program for alleged victims of political misuse, replacing the contentious DOJ-created Anti-Weaponization Fund. This fund emerged from a settlement that Blanche reached with the IRS and the Treasury Department, creating a $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of alleged political persecution. Amid criticism over the executive branch’s lack of authority to initiate such a program without congressional endorsement, the Justice Department stated it would not proceed with it, effectively halting the fund.

Trump criticized Senators Cornyn and Tillis in a post on Truth Social, attributing their opposition to Blanche’s nomination to his non-endorsements, claiming, “If Senators Cornyn and Tillis, both upset because I wouldn’t Endorse them…aren’t going to approve Todd Blanche…then I will keep Todd as Acting A.G., and push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill…PASSED.”

Both Cornyn and Tillis indicated resistance to voting for Blanche’s nomination, requiring written confirmation of the fund’s termination before providing support. Cornyn questioned Blanche during the July confirmation hearing about formalizing the fund’s demise. Tillis, who declared he wouldn’t seek reelection a day after Trump threatened to support a primary challenger, criticized the fund as “a payout pot for punks” and expressed dissatisfaction with its proposed revival.

Cornyn faced electoral opposition from Trump when he lost his GOP primary to Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Trump theorized Cornyn’s opposition to Blanche was motivated by this loss and his endorsement of Paxton. Cornyn dismissed this theory as untrue, considering it a convenient excuse. Despite allegations of the fund’s connection to Trump, he expressed regret over the fund’s demise, wishing for compensation to those allegedly mistreated.

Blanche is scheduled for a vote in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee to determine if his nomination advances to the full Senate. Fox News Digital reached out to the involved parties for additional comments.