Overview
- The Justice Department announced a roughly $1.8 billion “anti‑weaponization” fund as part of a settlement that led President Trump and his family to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS on May 18.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the fund will be managed by a five‑member commission paid from the DOJ Judgment Fund and that anyone may apply, language that left eligibility unclear and raised concerns about claims by Jan. 6 participants.
- Several leading Senate Republicans publicly condemned the plan with sharp language, and critics warned the fund could be seen as taxpayer money going to individuals convicted of violence at the Capitol.
- Senate leaders paused work on a major immigration enforcement reconciliation bill and sent members home for Memorial Day after lawmakers refused to risk votes tied to the fund and related Security Service funding on Thursday.
- Lawmakers from both parties have introduced measures and lawsuits to block or constrain the fund, and the dispute has heightened strains between President Trump and GOP lawmakers that could affect midterm politics and DOJ oversight.