Trump defends $1.8bn slush fund that is holding up Todd Blanche confirmation

President calls for former personal defense lawyer to be ‘immediately approved’ as attorney general

Donald Trump has defended controversial plans for a $1.8bn slush fund even as they threaten to derail the nomination of his former personal lawyer Todd Blanche for US attorney general.

Blanche “should be immediately approved” by the US Senate, the president declared in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday morning, defending the payout scheme proposed by his officials in the Department of Justice as it holds up Blanche’s confirmation.