Trump Administration Proposes $1.776 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, Todd Blanche Testifies

The Trump administration unveiled an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” housed within the Department of Justice, proposing up to $1.776 billion drawn from the federal government’s Judgment Fund to compensate alleged victims of “lawfare” and political persecution.

“What to know about Trump’s nearly $1”

AP News

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified on Tuesday before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that “This is unusual, that is true,” while arguing the approach was “done to address… years of weaponization.”

AP News

The fund is tied to Trump’s long-running $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns, which the administration settled as part of a broader effort to create a government-administered restitution program for Trumpworld.

Democrats and ethics critics denounced the plan as a taxpayer-funded slush fund, while the Justice Department said it would provide a “lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.”

Vice President JD Vance suggested Tuesday that former President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden could be eligible for a payout from the Trump administration’s new $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, saying, “If Hunter Biden wants to apply for this particular fund, he is welcome to.”

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also raised Hunter Biden as a potential beneficiary during a congressional hearing on Tuesday, after an anonymous federal official first floated Biden’s name to The New York Post on Monday.

CNN

The Hill reported that Blanche defended the fund by arguing it’s not limited to Republicans, telling senators, “There’s no limitation on the claim,” while Sen. Chris Coons pressed Blanche to commit to prohibiting Trump campaign donors or members of groups like the Oath Keepers from gaining money.

Critics also focused on the possibility of payments to Jan. 6 defendants, with WASHINGTON Examiner reporting that Senate Majority Leader John Thune said, “I don’t see a purpose for that,” and questioned how the arrangement would be used.

The Justice Department said the fund would be overseen by a five-member commission appointed by Blanche, with one member chosen “in consultation with congressional leadership,” and it would operate through Dec. 15, 2028.

“Donald Trump once again made history this Monday in American democracy by becoming the first president of the United States to create a fund of public money to reward his own supporters”

El País

The Hill reported that Blanche faced scrutiny after news that the DOJ may soon pay President Trump’s allies who claim they have been wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration through a $1.776 billion compensation fund, and that Blanche refused to commit to a pledge sought by Sen. Chris Coons.

AP reported that the fund would be able to review claims, issue formal apologies, and award monetary compensation to approved applicants, while also noting that Trump told reporters, “It’ll all be dependent on a committee,” when asked about individuals who committed violence on Jan. 6, 2021.

As the political and legal stakes sharpen, WETM said the fund will stop processing claims after Dec. 1, 2028, and any money left over will go back to the U.S. government, while the Associated Press contributed to coverage of the announcement.