Trump administration scrapping 1.8 billion-dollar compensation fund – Blanche

The US acting attorney general said the administration was ‘not moving forward with the fund, period’ (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

US acting attorney general Todd Blanche has said the Trump administration was scrapping plans to create a 1.8 billion US dollars (£1.3 billion) fund meant to compensate allies of the Republican president after widespread political backlash and setbacks in the courts.

“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Mr Blanche said in response to questions at a house hearing on the justice department budget.