President Donald Trump's sudden about-face on his so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund" stunned critics who argued he threw a dangerous "tantrum" ahead of a crucial political contest.
Trump's Truth Social claim — that he no longer considers his controversial $1.8 billion fund to be "dead," as he asserted at Camp David just the day before — swiftly drew criticism on Saturday morning.
"Trump doesn’t have the votes for this," Bloomberg reporter Steven Dennis. "Republican senators have already voted against the fund, and even more against paying rioters who beat police officers who Trump pardoned."
The president did not address the problem of support in his early morning post, he simply asserted he would "push hard" to get the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" passed.
His assertion came after a vote to confirm acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was delayed by two Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, both of whom demanded written proof that the fund was dead.
"If Senators Cornyn and Tillis, both upset because I wouldn’t Endorse them (they lost, and quit, respectively!), aren’t going to approve Todd Blanche," Trump wrote, "then I will keep Todd as Acting A.G., and push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill."
NBC correspondent Julie Tsirkin responded Saturday morning with a social media post quietly supportive of the senators' push for physical proof the fund was off the table.
"President Trump’s insistence that his anti-weaponization fund is not only not going away, but now he wants LEGISLATION to codify it, is exactly why Senators Cornyn and Tillis wouldn’t take Todd Blanche’s word for it," she wrote.
The group Republicans Against Trump slammed Trump's message as being poorly timed considering mounting conservative fears the could soon lose the majority in the Senate.
"Great messaging ahead of the midterms," the group quipped.
Tara Setmayer, CEO of the Democratic super PAC Seneca Project, argued Trump had just made a proven liar out of the man he wants to lead the Department of Justice.
"Trump throws another temper tantrum and vows to fight for the Jan 6th slush fund to be passed," she wrote. "Totally confirming the fund was never 'dead' like Blanche claimed. This is why Cornyn & Tillis couldn’t get it in writing. This is outrageous and should be a campaign issue."
George Conway, the longstanding Trump critic, took aim at his old foe's mental stamina.
"Trump is utterly, completely detached from reality," he wrote.
Tillis (R-NC) vowed to block Blanche's nomination over what he described as Trump's "payout for punks."