Attorney General Todd Blanche stated during television interviews Sunday that a proposed \"anti-weaponization\" fund intended to compensate individuals who claim political persecution is \"dead.\" Blanche, who was confirmed by the Senate last week, appeared on \"Fox News Sunday\" and NBC’s \"Meet the Press\" to address the status of the fund and other Department of Justice (DOJ) policies.
The statements follow a period of internal and external scrutiny regarding the proposed fund. Earlier in the week, Blanche had sought to distance himself from the proposal, and during his confirmation process, he faced skepticism from a group of Republican senators, including Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), regarding his performance in previous roles at the DOJ.
During his interview on Fox News, Blanche addressed suggestions from Democrats that other DOJ measures might be used to achieve the fund's goals, telling host Shannon Bream that the president is aware the fund does not exist. Blanche also defended a recent DOJ opinion concerning executive privilege for communications between the president and private advisors outside of government, stating the opinion does not involve any \"novel legal concept.\"
For American families, the broader policy landscape includes changes to healthcare and energy costs. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) stated Sunday that a recent executive order to split the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots would increase insurance costs and require children to receive six shots instead of two. Simultaneously, Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) acknowledged that high energy prices are impacting constituents but described them as a necessary result of the ongoing conflict with Iran. These changes in vaccine protocols and energy markets represent immediate shifts in household expenses and medical routines for families across the country.
What happens next involves both legislative and electoral deadlines. In the Senate, President Trump has called for an immediate vote on the \"Sunshine Protection Act of 2025\" to make daylight saving time permanent. On the electoral front, the Democratic Socialists of America face a primary test in Florida this Tuesday, August 18, where DSA-backed Oliver Larkin is challenging Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.). Additionally, U.S. Central Command is addressing reported mental health concerns aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln following a visit by Adm. Brad Cooper on Saturday.