Trump Says He Wishes $1.8 Billion ‘Weaponization Fund’ Wasn’t Dead: ‘To Be Honest With You’
President Donald Trump went to bat during Friday’s Cabinet meeting for his highly controversial $1.8 billion “weaponization” fund, which he claimed is currently “dead” while making clear he wished it were not.
Trump’s Justice Department agreed to drop the fund earlier in the summer amid a bipartisan outcry, with critics claiming it would be a taxpayer-fueled “slush fund” for the president’s allies.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has refused to back Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, until Blanche provides written guarantee making clear the fund is dead once and for all.
Blanche conceded during his confirmation hearing that the fund in its current form could be revived at anytime.
“Just to be clear, do you agree with the acting attorney general that the anti-weaponization fund is dead? And why not just put that in writing?” a reporter asked Trump during the meeting.
“Well, it is dead, but, you know, I wish it weren’t, to be honest with you,” Trump replied, adding:
I think people were horribly treated, horribly abused — this has nothing to do with Todd, this was me — horribly abused. And I’d like to see them compensated for the pain. They lost their families. They committed suicide. Many people committed suicide. They went down for an innocent journey. And I’m not only talking about that — I’m talking about something that doesn’t even have to do with that — the way they were treated. The Biden administration and the Obama administration weaponized government and destroyed lives.
“But should they put it in writing? Do you agree to accept limits on the scope of the audit immunity deal in order to get Attorney General Blanche confirmed?” followed up various reporters yelling questions.
“Well, now, he should be approved forthwith. I mean, you’re never going to get a person like that. Everybody agrees to it. Don’t forget, Senator Cornyn thought he was phenomenal — until he lost. You know, when he lost — is that a correct statement? You come from Texas. I mean, he thought this was the most incredible person, and then, when he… Now he lost because of me. I endorsed somebody else. I mean, as soon as I endorsed the other person, the other became a rocket ship upward, and he lost,” Trump replied, jabbing Cornyn.
“And, you know, I think I’d be the same — I mean, I shouldn’t say that, but I’d be upset also, and so I fully understand it. He shouldn’t be that way, I shouldn’t be that way, but he is that way. He’s become a very angry person. And I understand you have a couple of others that… of course they’re the feed to, and you know, you’ll probably hear from them too,” Trump concluded, referring to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who has also insisted the fund be killed in writing before Blanche is confirmed.
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
The post Trump Says He Wishes $1.8 Billion ‘Weaponization Fund’ Wasn’t Dead: ‘To Be Honest With You’ first appeared on Mediaite.
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