WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters the future of the proposed “weaponization” fund would be up to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Blanche, who previously served a personal attorney for the Republican president and deputy attorney general, was sworn in as Washington’s top lawyer earlier on Monday.
He was confirmed on Saturday after the U.S. Justice Department rescinded an order that would have established a $1.776 billion fund to pay people who said they had been the subject of government abuse.
The fund was created as part of a legal settlement to resolve a $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed against his own government. Blanche’s confirmation initially faced roadblocks by some Republicans in Congress over the proposed measure, which was widely criticized as a slush fund for supporters of Trump.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Jasper Ward;Editing by David Ljunggren)
