Donald Trump pursues Federal Tort Claims Act to compensate 'weaponization' victims

The Justice Department has confirmed that the $1.8 billion “anti‑weaponization” fund created in a settlement with former President Donald Trump is dead. Trump allies, however, are studying alternative ways to compensate supporters—particularly those prosecuted for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot—by filing claims under the 1946 Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows lawsuits against the U.S. government.

Legal experts say the FTCA route offers the most flexible method, and allies such as Michael Caputo say they are continuing to explore it. “At my level, the fund is dead,” said Stanley Woodward, the third‑ranking official at the Justice Department. Critics warn that any revival of the scheme would be seen as a “huge middle finger to Capitol Hill” and could trigger legislative action to block it.

Republican lawmakers previously voted down measures to prevent the fund, but they retain options—such as new statutes or appropriations language—to stop any future payouts. The controversy remains a focal point of the ongoing political battle over Trump’s claims of “weaponization” by the Biden administration.