Trump administration suspends $1.8 bn weaponization compensation fund

The White House put on hold a proposed $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate people who claim they were victims of government "weaponization," a proposal that stemmed from a settlement with the Justice Department over a $10 billion IRS lawsuit. The fund, which earmarked $1.776 billion for alleged victims, faced swift opposition from Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who demanded the program be scrapped amid negotiations over a $72 billion border‑security spending package. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified to Congress that the fund was no longer being pursued, and federal judges in Virginia and Florida issued temporary injunctions against it.

Despite the Senate pushback, President Donald Trump later said he was still open to reviving the initiative, while some GOP officials such as Rep. Barry Loudermilk and Sen. Ron Johnson expressed support for compensating individuals they deem unfairly targeted by government investigations. The controversy underscores growing dissent within the Republican Party over the use of taxpayer money for the so‑called "Judgment Fund" or anti‑weaponization payouts.