Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) described a closed-door Senate Republican meeting on Thursday as “fireworks at an epic level,” with roughly half the conference unleashing fury on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. The Texas Republican said the confrontation in the Capitol’s Mansfield Room was one of the roughest he’s witnessed in his Senate tenure.
“There were a lot of Republican senators who were just pissed,” Cruz said on his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz.” Blanche had come to defend the administration’s plan to compensate individuals who claim they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted by the Biden-era Justice Department.
Cruz pointed to four GOP senators who he said are particularly unhappy: Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.). All have faced political fallout from Trump’s endorsement of primary challengers. Cassidy finished third in Louisiana’s Senate GOP primary after Trump backed Rep. Julia Letlow; Tillis, who has clashed with Trump, is retiring; Cornyn is the underdog in Texas’s Tuesday runoff after Trump endorsed state Attorney General Ken Paxton; and Paul saw his ally Rep. Thomas Massie lose his primary after Trump’s intervention.
Trump’s Endorsement Strategy Stirs GOP Anger
Cruz described Tillis as “pretty damn chippy” and Cornyn as “less than thrilled” with the president. He noted that Rand Paul was “pissed” after Trump “leaned in in a big way” against Massie, ending the Kentucky congressman’s House career. The internal GOP rift comes as the party holds a narrow 53-47 Senate majority. Trump’s backing of Paxton over Cornyn has stunned Senate GOP leaders, risking the Texas seat and complicating efforts to pass the president’s agenda.
“If you lose four senators, you’re below 50 and you can’t get anything done,” Cruz warned. “That is going to be a complicating factor for the rest of the year.” He added that the dynamic for 2026 will present “interesting challenges,” as he doesn’t foresee the four senators suddenly becoming happy.
Blanche Defends Controversial Fund
The meeting centered on Blanche’s defense of the $1.8 billion fund, which would compensate individuals who believe they were targeted by the Justice Department for political reasons. Blanche’s pitch to skeptical Senate Republicans failed to quell anger, with Cruz noting that even moderate Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) are not counted among the disgruntled. The fund has drawn bipartisan criticism, with some comparing it to compensating Capitol rioters. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Blanche over the proposal, arguing it could set a dangerous precedent.
Blanche, who took office in January, has defended the fund as necessary to restore trust in the Justice Department. But the explosive meeting underscores the deep divisions within the GOP as Trump continues to reshape the party through primary endorsements. Cruz’s warning suggests that the president’s agenda on policy priorities—from budget battles to judicial nominations—could face significant hurdles in the Senate.
“We have a 53-47 majority, if you lose four senators, you’re below 50 and you can’t get anything done,” Cruz repeated, highlighting the precarious math. The Texas senator’s blunt assessment signals that the White House may need to mend fences with its own caucus to avoid legislative paralysis.
