President Donald Trump is expected to abandon his controversial $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund following mounting backlash from Republicans, according to a report from Axios’ Marc Caputo.
An administration source told Axios that the fund is “dead for now.”
The fund was announced by the Department of Justice last month after the Trump administration settled the president’s lawsuit against the IRS. According to a DOJ press release, the fund was intended to “provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare” and would have the authority to issue “formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants.”
Critics quickly labeled the initiative a “slush fund” for Trump allies.
Former Vice President Mike Pence called on Trump to eliminate the fund during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press over the weekend.
“Let’s get rid of this fund,” Pence said. “I mean, it’s deeply offensive to me that you could have a fund that could even possibly compensate people who assaulted police officers or vandalized the Capitol on January 6th.”
According to Mediaite, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) discussed the fund with Trump at the White House on Monday as criticism intensified on Capitol Hill.
The development comes after U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ordered the Justice Department on Friday not to establish the fund while litigation surrounding the proposal remains ongoing.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Win the case, collect the judgment and then set up a separate fund. Easy peasy.
He should be able to do whatever he wants with his settlement.
I am however, for not allowing any true lawbreakers, access or opportunity to any compensation, but for their jail sentences.
Keep kicking them in the Balls for us Mr. President! MAGA!🇺🇸
Some Republicans still act like the protestors were the one that were most at fault! In most cases it seems like their reactions were because of actions taken against them!