Trump Says IRS Settlement Anti-Weaponisation Fund Is Dead, Defends Agreement
Trump defends IRS deal despite fund cancellation.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said his proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund was no longer moving forward, while continuing to defend the idea and arguing that people prosecuted by the Justice Department deserved compensation. The conflicting remarks have added uncertainty to negotiations between the White House and two Republican senators who are opposing the confirmation of Trump’s attorney general nominee Todd Blanche. Speaking to reporters at Camp David, Trump said administration officials had agreed not to create the fund, which was intended to provide compensation to individuals who he believes were unfairly targeted by government agencies.
However, the president also indicated that he disagreed with abandoning the proposal, saying he believed some people affected by Justice Department actions had suffered unfair consequences. Trump’s comments came after an earlier social media post in which he argued that individuals prosecuted by the Justice Department, including many involved in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, were still facing hardships. He said those people had been "ruined" and suggested they should receive compensation for what he described as government overreach. The proposed fund has become a point of contention in the Senate confirmation process for Todd Blanche, who is currently serving as acting attorney general.
Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have said they will not support Blanche’s nomination unless they receive written confirmation that the fund will not be established. Blanche had previously indicated during a congressional hearing that the anti-weaponisation fund would not proceed after Republican senators opposed it and blocked an immigration funding measure. However, Trump’s later comments defending the proposal created fresh concerns among lawmakers seeking a formal commitment that the initiative would be abandoned. Tillis responded to Trump’s remarks by saying the president’s comments suggested the fund was still active, which was why senators were attempting to secure a formal agreement ending it. He argued that written assurances were necessary before moving forward with Blanche’s nomination.
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Trump has pushed for Blanche’s confirmation and criticised the senators’ objections, saying the nominee had become caught in the middle of the dispute. The president described Blanche as being unfairly affected by the disagreement and urged lawmakers to approve his nomination without delay. The controversy highlights tensions within the Republican Party over the Justice Department, accountability for past prosecutions and the limits of presidential influence over federal institutions. Trump and his supporters have repeatedly accused parts of the government of being politically motivated, while critics have raised concerns about proposals they view as targeting the independence of law enforcement agencies.
The Senate Judiciary Committee plays a key role in reviewing and advancing attorney general nominations before they reach a full Senate vote. The ongoing dispute over the proposed fund has complicated the process for Blanche, whose nomination now depends partly on whether the White House can satisfy Republican senators seeking additional guarantees. For now, Trump’s statement that the fund is "dead" has not fully resolved the issue, as lawmakers continue to seek a formal commitment. The disagreement remains a test of the administration’s relationship with Senate Republicans and could influence the timeline for confirming the next permanent US attorney general.
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