Trump Administration Scraps $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund
5 verified2 unconfirmed1 contested
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers on Tuesday that the Justice Department is abandoning plans for the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” ending a controversial program that had drawn sharp criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Blanche stated during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing that the fund is “not moving forward, period,” and confirmed it would not be revived. The fund was created as part of a settlement between President Donald Trump and the IRS to drop Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax returns. The program was intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were targeted by the previous administration for political reasons. However, it faced bipartisan backlash over concerns it could reward participants in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Blanche’s announcement signals the end of the fund, though a separate immunity order from the settlement remains in place.
What’s verified
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing that the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is not moving forward.
The fund was valued at approximately $1.8 billion as part of a settlement between President Donald Trump and the IRS to resolve Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax returns.
The fund faced bipartisan criticism, including from Republican lawmakers who raised concerns it could compensate January 6 rioters.
A federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the fund from being created or operated.
Blanche stated that a separate immunity order in the settlement, which bars the IRS from auditing Trump and certain family members, will remain in place.
Where accounts differ
One source reported the fund amount as $1.8 billion, while another source reported it as $1.776 billion. The sources otherwise agree on the core facts.
Not yet confirmed
It is unclear whether the cancellation of the fund affects any claims already submitted or planned by individuals such as former Trump advisers Roger Stone and Mike Lindell, as reported by one source.
The legal challenges to the settlement, including one before a federal judge in Florida who ordered briefing on allegations of collusion, remain unresolved.
Key figures
Todd Blanche – Acting Attorney General
Grace Meng – U.S. Representative (D-N.Y.)
Donald Trump – President of the United States
Leonie Brinkema – U.S. District Judge (Eastern District of Virginia)
Kathleen Williams – U.S. District Judge (Southern District of Florida)
Sources: reason.com, newrepublic.com, realclearpolitics.com, rollcall.com
