<p>The <a href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">Trump</a> administration is still pushing lawmakers to confirm acting Attorney General <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/15/todd-blanche-federal-agents-polling-places-voters-ice" target="_blank">Todd Blanche</a>, even as President <a href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">Trump</a> defends the "anti-weaponization" fund holding Blanche's confirmation hostage.</p><p><strong>The big picture:</strong> The <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/13/judge-trump-irs-settlement-anti-weaponization-fund" target="_blank">"anti-weaponization" fund</a> has been the red line for Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The lawmakers have refused to vote for Blanche until the DOJ put into writing that aspects of the deal <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/01/trump-weaponization-fund-drop" target="_blank">aren't moving forward</a>.</p><hr><ul><li>Trump <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/2083225390777024963" target="_blank">said</a> Friday the fund is dead, but he didn't seem happy about it.</li><li>"I wish it weren't [dead]," Trump said of the fund. He added that he wanted to see people who "were horribly treated, horribly abused" by the government be compensated. </li></ul><p><strong>Friction point: </strong>Tillis seemed to take issue with Trump defending the fund on Truth Social, retweeting a screenshot of the president's words on Friday and <a href="https://x.com/SenThomTillis/status/2083210673819881724" target="_blank">writing</a> that Trump had "made it clear" that the fund "is still alive."</p><ul><li>"I will continue working in good faith to put an end [to] this legal and political albatross and prevent any potential misallocation of taxpayer dollars," Tillis wrote, adding that Blanche had been forthright in discussions.</li></ul><p><strong>Earlier Friday, </strong>the president went <a href="https://truthsocial.com/%40realDonaldTrump/posts/117014253232654593" target="_blank">after</a> Cornyn, and said he would "always feel that these victims of government abuse should be paid back for what they were forced to endure."</p><ul><li>Cornyn also re-shared a <a href="https://x.com/StevenJDuffield/status/2083196822328090746" target="_blank">post</a> Friday that said it "does not sound like citizen Trump has agreed to end the Fund."</li></ul><p><strong>Catch up quick: </strong>The president on Thursday floated withdrawing Blanche's name and keeping him on in an acting capacity until Cornyn and Tillis leave the Senate this January.</p><ul><li>But on Friday, Trump said Blanche should be "immediately approved," a call seconded by <a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/2083265983930826875" target="_blank">members</a> of his administration. </li><li>Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/2083257792656199742" target="_blank">wrote</a> in a Friday post that the Senate shouldn't go on recess until Blanche is confirmed.</li><li>The White House also <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/07/icymi-confirm-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general/" target="_blank">released</a> a demand to confirm Blanche "without delay" on its website Friday with a list of endorsements from law enforcement groups, former DOJ officials and members of Congress, among others.</li></ul><p><strong>What we're watching: </strong>While the battle over Blanche plays out in Washington, attorneys for the president <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172.113.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">said</a> Friday that they'd appeal a Miami-based federal judge's order that blasted the extraordinary deal to drop the IRS suit against his own government.</p><ul><li>U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172/gov.uscourts.flsd.706172.106.0.pdf" target="_blank">wrote</a> in her scathing order earlier this month that the lawsuit had been a "bad faith" means to an end and blocked the parties from referring to the settlement in any official proceedings — but Trump is still fighting.</li></ul><p><strong>Go deeper: </strong><a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/30/todd-blanche-nomination-issues-trump" target="_blank">The major controversies stalling Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination</a></p>