Republican holdouts say they will back Blanche's attorney general nomination after striking deal

Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis have dropped their opposition to Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general, announcing they will now back his bid for the permanent post. The reversal follows a deal in which Blanche provided written assurances that he will drop Donald Trump's controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.

Previously, the holdout senators had refused to support Blanche's confirmation unless official action was taken to dismantle the compensation fund, which was intended for individuals who believed they were unfairly prosecuted by the Justice Department. With Blanche's written commitment to scrap the fund, the path for his nomination to advance has cleared.