RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Sen. Thom Tillis said Saturday morning that new comments by President Trump about his "anti-weaponization" fund mean that attorney general nominee Todd Blanche won't be confirmed by the Senate next week.
Why it matters: Tillis's comment escalates the fight between the White House and holdout Senate Republicans over whether Trump's fund — for people he considers victims of political persecution — is dead or not.
What they're saying: " Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against," Tillis (R-N.C.) posted to X.
"It's unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal. Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday."
For the record: The White House was not immediately available to comment on Tillis's remarks.
The big picture: The "anti-weaponization" fund has been the red line for Tillis and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). The lawmakers have refused to vote for Blanche until the DOJ put into writing that aspects of the deal aren't moving forward .
Tillis and Cornyn both sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and at least one of their votes is needed to advance Blanche's nomination to a confirmation vote before the entire Senate.
Yes, but: Earlier Saturday, Trump posted to Truth Social that if Tillis and Cornyn weren't going to vote for Blanche, he would maintain Blanche as acting attorney general and revive a bill to establish the fund.
"Todd Blanche was a voice of reason! It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done," Trump said.
Background: 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.
But on Friday, Trump said Blanche should be "immediately approved," a call seconded by members of his administration.
The bottom line: The fights over Blanche, the fund, and Trump's influence over Senate Republicans are converging, with no clear end in sight.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.
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