{"id":38924,"date":"2026-05-23T07:57:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T07:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=38924"},"modified":"2026-05-23T07:57:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T07:57:13","slug":"ted-cruz-says-senators-were-screaming-at-todd-blanche-during-anti-weaponization-fund-briefing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/?p=38924","title":{"rendered":"Ted Cruz says senators were \u2018screaming\u2019 at Todd Blanche during \u2018anti-weaponization\u2019 fund briefing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-8f2086\" class=\"body-graf\">Screaming, yelling and accusations of self-dealing.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free    <\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-803c2a\" class=\"body-graf\">That\u2019s how Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Friday described a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/justice-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">acting Attorney General Todd Blanche<\/a> on the Trump administration\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-voluntarily-drops-10-billion-lawsuit-irs-leaked-tax-records-rcna345193\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund<\/a> that\u2019s drawn bipartisan opposition.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-5342b8\" class=\"body-graf\">On his podcast \u201cVerdict with Ted Cruz,\u201d the Texas senator described the meeting as \u201cone of the roughest meetings I\u2019ve seen in my entire time in the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4a69c2\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cFiery does not begin to cut it,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cMy guess is there\u2019re probably 45 senators in the room, at least half of them were blasting the attorney general, and they were pissed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-1c5ba0\" class=\"body-graf\">Senate Republicans met with Blanche on Thursday to discuss the fund, which ultimately derailed a vote on a Republican bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/republicans-cancel-votes-fight-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund-rcna346113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBC News previously reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"inline-video inline-video--in-body\" data-testid=\"inline-video\" id=\"anchor-abf21a\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__background\">\n<div class=\"inline-video__player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc styles_videoContainer___xc7B video-container paused\" data-testid=\"gamma-video-player\">\n<div class=\"styles_gridStackWrapper__Z_AMc videoSlate styles_videoSlate__IvkAP\"><picture class=\"\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"focal\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1240px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-860x484,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/1779405737298_nn_gha_trump_ballroom_250521_S3_1920x1080-g0h6rh.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 758px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-1000x563,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/1779405737298_nn_gha_trump_ballroom_250521_S3_1920x1080-g0h6rh.jpg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/1779405737298_nn_gha_trump_ballroom_250521_S3_1920x1080-g0h6rh.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_05\/1779405737298_nn_gha_trump_ballroom_250521_S3_1920x1080-g0h6rh.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p id=\"anchor-76a9aa\" class=\"body-graf\">Cruz said several of his GOP colleagues felt that they could not politically defend the fund because it appeared as though President Donald Trump \u201ccut a deal with himself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-77b2fa\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThere were multiple senators yelling at the attorney general, saying this feels like self-dealing,\u201d Cruz said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c042dc\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cI got to tell you, the Republican senators were pissed \u2014 people were the entire meeting. They were screaming at the acting attorney general, and he was trying to lay out the legal basis,\u201d Cruz said, adding \u201cthe legal basis is quite sound.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-5b38e8\" class=\"body-graf\">The Justice Department did not immediately respond to request for comment on Cruz\u2019s characterization of the meeting.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-283c49\" class=\"body-graf\">The fund was announced Monday after Trump said he would drop his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/federal-judge-questions-basis-trumps-10-billion-irs-lawsuit-rcna341984\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$10 billion lawsuit against the IRS,<\/a> along with other claims of damages related to a 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago and the Russian collusion scandal connected to the 2016 presidential election. Justice Department officials said Monday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-voluntarily-drops-10-billion-lawsuit-irs-leaked-tax-records-rcna345193\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">that the fund came \u201cin exchange\u201d for Trump dropping those claims <\/a>and would involve a \u201csystematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-eac89c\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260521-Acting-Attorney-General-Todd-Blanche-vsb-1821-04a648.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260521-Acting-Attorney-General-Todd-Blanche-vsb-1821-04a648.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260521-Acting-Attorney-General-Todd-Blanche-vsb-1821-04a648.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260521-Acting-Attorney-General-Todd-Blanche-vsb-1821-04a648.jpg 1x\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-05\/260521-Acting-Attorney-General-Todd-Blanche-vsb-1821-04a648.jpg\" alt=\"Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Meets With Lawmakers On Capitol Hill Over President Trump's 1.8 Billion Compensation Fund\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Win McNamee \/ Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-64013c\" class=\"body-graf\">Cruz said on his podcast that if the Senate had gone forward with planned series of votes pertaining to the ICE and Border Patrol bill Thursday night, roughly half of the Republican caucus would have voted with Democrats in favor of amendments seeking to rein in the fund.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-982304\" class=\"body-graf\">He emphasized \u201cthe degree of the jailbreak of Republicans who were bolting, who were saying we\u2019re going to vote with the Democrats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4fe46a\" class=\"body-graf\">Cruz warned that if the administration does not modify the anti-weaponization fund by the time Congress comes back into session, \u201cthey\u2019ve got a full-on revolt in the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-34f08f\" class=\"body-graf\">When reached for comment on Cruz\u2019s remarks,<strong> <\/strong>a White House official told NBC News in a statement Friday that \u201cthe Administration appreciated yesterday\u2019s conversation and feedback. We look forward to additional conversations as needed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-5927a4\" class=\"body-graf\">The Senate is scheduled to return to session June 1 \u2014 the date Trump said he wanted to sign ICE and Border Patrol funding bill into law.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-e7e4c0\" class=\"body-graf\">A growing number of Republicans have raised concerns over the fund.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-cc85ec\" class=\"body-graf\">Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the fund a \u201cpayout pot for punks,\u201d referencing the fact that the Trump administration had not ruled out the possibility that people convicted of participating in the Jan. 6 riot could be compensated by the fund.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-da1515\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cI think the administration is putting itself in a bad spot,\u201d Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said Thursday, adding, \u201cCongress has had no input.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-d2ea88\" class=\"body-graf\">Democrats have widely condemned the fund since it was announced. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/dick-durbin-warns-doj-jan-6-rioters-new-trump-fund-rcna346211\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wrote in a letter to Blanche<\/a> Wednesday that \u201cthe notion of the federal government doling out compensation to rioters\u201d is \u201cabsurd and offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-1ef038\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">On the other side of the Capitol, Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at prohibiting federal money from being used by the anti-weaponization fund. It came after Fitzpatrick demanded answers on the fund\u2019s legal authority and who is eligible for compensation in a Wednesday letter to Blanche.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/ted-cruz-senators-screaming-todd-blanche-trump-anti-weaponization-fund-rcna346599\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Screaming, yelling and accusations of self-dealing. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. That\u2019s how Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Friday described a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on the Trump administration\u2019s $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund that\u2019s drawn bipartisan opposition. On [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38925,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-conditions"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38924"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38926,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38924\/revisions\/38926"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pickbydoc.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}