Ted Cruz Unleashes Fury: GOP Senators Go Wild on Todd Blanche Over Controversial Fund
Screaming, accusations, and a whole lot of chaos.
That’s how Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, described a fiery closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche regarding the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, which has sparked bipartisan backlash.
On his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” the senator didn’t hold back, labeling the meeting as “one of the roughest meetings I’ve seen in my entire time in the Senate.”
“Fiery doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Cruz exclaimed. “I’d estimate there were about 45 senators in that room, and at least half were laying into the attorney general. They were furious.”
The Senate Republicans convened with Blanche to hash out details of the fund, which ultimately derailed a vote on a Republican bill aimed at funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, as previously reported.
Cruz noted that many of his GOP colleagues felt politically cornered by the fund, suggesting it looked like President Donald Trump had “cut a deal with himself.”
“Multiple senators were yelling at the attorney general, claiming this feels like self-dealing,” Cruz recounted.
“I’ve got to tell you, the Republican senators were livid — people were screaming throughout the entire meeting. They were going off on the acting attorney general while he tried to explain the legal basis,” Cruz added, insisting “the legal basis is quite sound.”
The Justice Department has yet to respond to Cruz’s take on the meeting.
This fund was unveiled after Trump announced he would drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and other claims tied to the 2022 Mar-a-Lago search and the Russian collusion scandal from the 2016 election. Justice Department officials claimed the fund was established “in exchange” for Trump dropping those claims and would create a “systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.”
Cruz warned that if the Senate had proceeded with planned votes on the ICE and Border Patrol bill Thursday night, nearly half of the Republican caucus would have sided with Democrats on amendments aimed at curbing the fund.
He highlighted “the degree of jailbreak among Republicans who were bolting, saying they’d vote with the Democrats.”
Cruz cautioned that if the administration doesn’t adjust the anti-weaponization fund before Congress reconvenes, “they’re looking at a full-on revolt in the Senate.”
A White House official responded to Cruz’s comments, stating that “the Administration appreciated yesterday’s conversation and feedback. We look forward to additional conversations as needed.”
The Senate is set to return to session June 1 — coinciding with Trump’s desire to sign the ICE and Border Patrol funding bill into law.
Concerns over the fund are mounting among Republicans.
Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., slammed it as a “payout pot for punks,” alluding to the possibility that individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 riot could receive compensation from this fund.
“I think the administration is putting itself in a bad spot,” Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., remarked Thursday, adding, “Congress has had no input.”
Democrats have widely condemned the fund since its announcement. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., expressed outrage in a letter to Blanche, calling the idea of compensating rioters “absurd and offensive.”
Meanwhile, across the Capitol, Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at blocking federal funds from being used for the anti-weaponization initiative. This move followed Fitzpatrick’s demand for clarity on the fund’s legal authority and eligibility for compensation in a letter sent to Blanche.
