Trump administration retreats on $1.8 billion slush fund
President Donald Trump is retreating from plans for a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” after a fierce backlash from congressional Republicans, according to two people granted anonymity to describe the decision.
White House officials communicated the move Monday to top Republicans on Capitol Hill, the people said.
The Justice Department, which was set to administer the fund, also indicated Monday it would “abide by the Court’s ruling” to halt progress after a federal judge in Virginia on Friday temporarily halted any payouts or other work to establish the fund. But the White House has not stated publicly yet whether it would move to make changes to the fund or kill it altogether — or seek to revive it later should Trump change his mind.
The fund has emerged as a roadblock for advancing the GOP’s immigration enforcement bill. A planned Senate vote on that bill was abandoned last month after the Justice Department announced the creation of the fund, which could be used to pay Trump allies who had been prosecuted under prior administrations — including those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Democrats pledged to force votes on amendments related to the fund, creating a serious political dilemma for congressional Republicans. A vote on the package has not yet been rescheduled.
Asked Monday about the possibility that Democrats could still force Republicans to take politically tough votes related to the fund, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters, “If the administration effectively shuts it down — makes that very, very clear — then that, to me, should answer the question hopefully, at least for most Republicans.”
But he added that the administration needs to make it clear that if it drops the fund that it won’t attempt to bring it back in the future: “That would be the ideal outcome.”
The DOJ statement Monday defended the fund but was silent on its future status. A hearing on the Virginia suit is set for June 12, while several other legal challenges are pending. [Continue reading…]