WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump said Friday that his is 鈥渄ead鈥� while also continuing to defend it, further complicating his administration鈥檚 negotiations with two Republican senators who are blocking his in protest.
Trump told reporters at Camp David on Friday morning that administration officials had 鈥渁greed not to have a fund鈥� that compensates his political allies, yet made clear that he disagrees with that decision.
The comments came hours after an early morning social media post in which Trump said people who had been prosecuted by the Justice Department 鈥� many of them for their 鈥� 鈥渁re suffering still, many ruined, and I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 reluctant declaration that the fund won’t be created came as Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, say they won鈥檛 support Todd Blanche鈥檚 nomination for attorney general until they see that promise in writing. They have been working for weeks with the White House and Blanche, who is now the acting attorney general, to produce a document to that effect, but both senators have said they aren鈥檛 satisfied so far.
鈥淭he President made it clear today that the so-called Anti Weaponization Fund is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it,鈥� Tillis said after Trump鈥檚 initial social media post.
Trump said in his post that Blanche should be immediately confirmed and is a 鈥減awn in this whole thing.鈥�
Cornyn, Tillis want promises in writing
Blanche said at a hearing two months ago that the anti-weaponization fund would not move forward after Republican senators revolted and held up an immigration funding bill.
But Tillis, who is when his term ends in January, and Cornyn, who this year after Trump endorsed his primary opponent, said they want to ensure that the White House doesn鈥檛 reverse course, especially as Trump continues to argue that a fund is needed.
The Justice Department has provided the senators with language that says Blanche鈥檚 May 18 order establishing the 鈥淎nti-Weaponization Fund鈥� is 鈥渞escinded and shall have no force or effect,鈥� according to a document reviewed by The Associated Press.
Cornyn and Tillis have said they also want some clarifications on a separate piece of the settlement that would grant Trump and members of his family immunity from tax audits. Cornyn said this week that it was his understanding that the audits could extend to more than 100 different Trump organization subsidiaries into the future.
鈥淭odd Blanche said it was limited to the parties to the litigation 鈥� and it was retrospective, not prospective,鈥� Cornyn said. 鈥淎nd all we鈥檙e doing is asking them to put that in writing.鈥�
Blanche nomination is delayed in the Senate
The Judiciary Committee that had been scheduled for Thursday morning after Tillis and Cornyn said they needed more from the administration before they could provide the necessary votes.
After the meeting was delayed, Trump said in a social media post that and resubmit it after Cornyn and Tillis leave office next year. But the two sides continued to negotiate through Thursday afternoon, when Blanche, Cornyn and Tillis met on Capitol Hill.
On Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations said talks had been positive but the senators were still awaiting a new offer from the Justice Department. The person requested anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.
The two senators have repeatedly said the Justice Department seemed interested in reaching an agreement, but the White House wouldn鈥檛 budge even to aid the confirmation of Trump鈥檚 loyal former personal attorney, who has as acting attorney general.
鈥淚 think as far as Blanche and the Department of Justice, we were pretty much on the same page,鈥� Cornyn said Thursday. 鈥淏ut then when the president got wind of it, he wasn鈥檛 willing to go along with it.鈥�
Tillis said Blanche has been 鈥渉as been forthright, thoughtful and patient鈥� but attributed the holdup to an 鈥渋ncompetent personal adviser鈥� to the president, even as Trump himself continued to advocate for the fund.
Behind the scenes, Trump legal adviser Boris Epshteyn is being blamed as an obstacle to an agreement that would let Blanche move forward, according to three people who have direct knowledge of the discussions and requested anonymity to discuss them.
Saying the AP鈥檚 鈥渟ources are wrong,鈥� White House communications director Steven Cheung said 鈥渁nyone trying to assign blame to the President or his team has no earthly idea of what is going on and clearly is trying to deflect from the issue at hand 鈥� Todd Blanche will be an exceptional Attorney General and he should be confirmed immediately.鈥�
Also on Friday, Trump鈥檚 attorneys notified a court it would appeal a judge鈥檚 scathing ruling that characterized the settlement of the president鈥檚 lawsuit against the IRS as an The judge in her order earlier this month referred one of Trump鈥檚 attorneys for potential disciplinary action and criticized Blanche鈥檚 involvement in the settlement, given his prior representation of Trump.
Blanche has said he disagrees 鈥渨ith the judge鈥檚 insinuations鈥� about him.
Settlement fund could have benefited Jan. 6 rioters
Even as they are usually deferential to Trump, a number of Republican senators have expressed strong objections to the settlement.
鈥淭he criminals who assaulted police officers and defiled our nation鈥檚 Capitol are not 鈥榞reat American patriots鈥� who are 鈥榲ictims of government abuse,鈥欌�� Tillis said, echoing Trump鈥檚 comments about the rioters who could potentially have received payouts. On his first day back in office, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people who had been charged in the attack.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Thursday that the majority of Senate Republicans aren鈥檛 comfortable with the settlement fund.
鈥淏lanche said it鈥檚 dead, and he testified that it鈥檚 not coming back,鈥� Kennedy said. 鈥淏ut for whatever reason, somebody didn鈥檛 want to put it in writing.鈥�
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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
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