Key Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis announced Monday they will support Todd Blanche's nomination for Attorney General, following his decision to formally rescind President Donald Trump's "Anti-Weaponization Fund." The move by Blanche, who is currently acting Attorney General, came after significant pressure from the two senators who had been blocking his confirmation.

Blanche posted two orders on X Sunday night, one officially terminating the nearly $1.8 billion fund and another clarifying the scope of a prior arrangement that had shielded Trump and his family from further IRS audits of past tax returns. This action appears to have satisfied the concerns raised by Cornyn and Tillis, who had previously voiced objections to the fund and the settlement's language.

In a joint statement, Cornyn and Tillis expressed satisfaction with the Department of Justice's actions. "We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund," they stated. They also acknowledged the binding written order that limits the audit settlement's scope to specific plaintiffs and defendants, addressing fears that it might extend audit immunity to broader organizations.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Blanche's nomination on Tuesday morning. His confirmation is considered likely, as he is expected to secure the support of all Republicans on the committee, paving the way for a final vote on the Senate floor later in the week. The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" was established as part of a settlement in a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS.

Last week, Senator Cornyn had indicated that written documentation was needed to ensure the settlement did not grant tax audit immunity to affiliated organizations beyond those explicitly named in the lawsuit. Blanche's Sunday announcement signals a successful negotiation with these key Republican holdouts, who had been engaged in closed-door discussions with Blanche and his team.

Natalie Yezbick, a spokesperson for Senator Cornyn, confirmed in a statement that an agreement had been reached. The Department of Justice's forthcoming formal order will permanently terminate the fund and clearly define the audit settlement's limited scope to the specified plaintiffs and the IRS.

The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" was intended to prevent what Trump's allies described as the "weaponization" of federal agencies against political opponents. However, its creation and the related audit settlement terms drew scrutiny and opposition from within the Republican party, particularly concerning its potential implications and beneficiaries.

With the support of Cornyn and Tillis now secured, Todd Blanche is poised to move forward with his confirmation process. The resolution of the contentious issues surrounding the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and the IRS audit settlement appears to have removed the final obstacles to his appointment as the nation's top law enforcement official.