Republican holdouts say they will back Todd Blanche for attorney general

Move comes after Blanche gives senators written assurance he will drop Trump's $1.8bn anti-weaponization fund

Two Republican senators who threatened to block Todd Blanche's bid to permanently become US attorney general announced they will advance his nomination after he said in writing that a planned $1.8bn slush fund for Donald Trump's allies was dead.

The US Senate judiciary committee is due to vote on Tuesday on whether to approve the nomination of Blanche, who is already acting attorney general, and send it to the wider Senate for a vote.