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Todd Blanche Defends Trump Fund and Tax Deal at Senate Hearing/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced intense Senate questioning over a scrapped compensation fund tied to President Donald Trump, a tax settlement benefiting the president, and the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Republican and Democratic senators challenged Blanche as he sought enough support to secure confirmation as attorney general.

Todd Blanche Confirmation Hearing Quick Looks

• Todd Blanche testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Senators questioned the canceled $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.
• Blanche insisted the compensation fund is permanently dead.
• Republicans sought written guarantees the fund cannot return.
• Blanche defended Trump’s tax settlement with the IRS.
• Democrats criticized Justice Department investigations under Blanche.
• Lawmakers also scrutinized the Epstein files release.
• Blanche admitted mistakes but defended the department’s transparency.
• Jan. 6 pardons and political prosecutions surfaced during questioning.
• Judiciary Committee support remains uncertain ahead of a vote.

Senate Confirmation Hearing Examines Justice Department Leadership

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced hours of skeptical questioning Wednesday as senators examined his handling of controversial Justice Department decisions while considering his nomination to permanently lead the department.

The confirmation hearing focused heavily on a canceled compensation fund tied to President Donald Trump, a tax settlement benefiting the president and his family, the release of Jeffrey Epstein investigation files, and concerns over the department’s independence.

Blanche argued that his leadership has restored fairness to the Justice Department after what he described as years of politically motivated investigations during the previous administration.

Senators Challenge Anti-Weaponization Fund

One of the hearing’s central issues involved the proposed $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.

The program was created following the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of his tax returns but was abandoned after strong bipartisan opposition.

Blanche repeatedly assured lawmakers that the fund would not move forward.

However, Republican Sen. John Cornyn questioned why the administration has never formally committed in writing that the proposal has been permanently abandoned.

Cornyn indicated afterward that he still has concerns and has not decided whether he will support Blanche’s confirmation.

Tax Settlement Draws Continued Scrutiny

Lawmakers also questioned Blanche about provisions in the IRS settlement that protect President Trump and certain family members from existing tax audits.

Blanche defended the agreement, explaining that it applies only to current examinations and does not shield future tax filings from review.

He also rejected criticism from the federal judge who questioned his role in negotiating the settlement and suggested Blanche may have provided misleading testimony during earlier proceedings.

Blanche said he strongly disagrees with those conclusions.

Epstein Files Release Under Fire

Another major focus centered on the Justice Department’s release of records to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The disclosure process drew criticism after redaction mistakes exposed identifying information and photographs connected to potential victims.

Blanche acknowledged that errors occurred.

He maintained, however, that the administration had demonstrated greater transparency than previous administrations by making the documents public.

Blanche said only about one percent of released documents required correction because of redaction errors.

Democrats Raise Concerns About Political Independence

Democratic senators argued that Blanche continues to operate more as President Trump’s personal attorney than as an independent attorney general.

Sen. Chris Coons accused the Justice Department of pursuing investigations targeting Trump’s political opponents while dismissing career prosecutors and FBI personnel.

Blanche rejected those accusations.

He argued that the department is correcting what he described as years of politicized law enforcement during the Biden administration.

Jan. 6 Pardons and Comey Investigation Discussed

The hearing also touched on President Trump’s sweeping pardons to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Democratic lawmakers questioned Blanche about previous comments that appeared supportive of the administration’s clemency decisions.

Blanche responded that while he does not celebrate violence against law enforcement officers, the Constitution grants the president broad authority to issue pardons.

Lawmakers additionally questioned him about the Justice Department’s prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey, who was charged after posting a social media image displaying the numbers “86 47.”

Comey has denied any intent to threaten the president.

Republican Support Remains Critical

Blanche’s confirmation depends heavily on support from every Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

With the committee now divided 11 Republicans to 10 Democrats following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, even one Republican defection could derail the nomination.

Cornyn continues to withhold his decision, while Sen. Thom Tillis signaled he is leaning toward supporting Blanche despite his own criticism of the canceled compensation fund.

A committee vote is expected after senators complete their review of Blanche’s testimony.

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