Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Todd Blanche held a closed-door meeting with Republican Senate leadership to address concerns about a $1.8 billion DOJ "weaponization fund" designed to compensate Trump allies and January 6 defendants, resulting in significant GOP opposition and procedural delays. — White House Counsel Todd Blanche met with Senate Republicans for nearly two hours to defend a $1.8 billion DOJ fund intended to compensate individuals deemed victims of political "weaponization," including January 6 Capitol riot defendants and Trump associates. The meeting was reportedly hostile, with as many as 25 GOP senators speaking in opposition. Multiple Republican senators publicly criticized the fund as fiscally irresponsible, legally unprecedented, and damaging to party electoral prospects. The controversy delayed completion of the reconciliation bill, with Senate leadership announcing a recess until June. Senators proposed conditions including restrictions on who could receive payouts and oversight of fund administration.
• Republican senators meet with acting attorney general over slush fund — Republican senators held a nearly two-hour meeting with acting attorney general Todd Blanche to express opposition to the slush fund and immunity agreement. Senators reported the meeting was "incredibly hostile." Republicans stated they had received no advance warning, questioned the legal basis for the fund, objected to Blanche's explanations of payment mechanisms, and declared they wanted no involvement. As many as 25 Republican senators spoke against the fund and proposed limits on it.
• Multiple Republican senators publicly opposed the $1.8 billion DOJ weaponization fund, with Sen. Thom Tillis warning the fund could damage GOP electoral prospects and Sen. Mitch McConnell calling it "morally wrong." — Republican senators including Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and John Curtis publicly criticized the $1.8 billion DOJ fund. Tillis warned that White House indifference to electoral consequences was "stupid" and would harm the president. McConnell called the fund "utterly stupid, morally wrong." Cassidy noted Americans prioritize basic needs over funding for presidential allies. Collins stated she opposed reimbursing individuals convicted of violence against police on January 6. Murkowski described the fund as a disruption to planned reconciliation efforts. Paul called the arrangement "unprecedented." Curtis expressed dissatisfaction with Blanche's explanations. One GOP senator texted that "our majority is melting down before our eyes."
• Senate Republicans Oppose Trump’s Anti-Weaponization Fund — Senate Republicans are in open revolt against President Trump's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, leading to the collapse of their own reconciliation bill. The fund, perceived as a slush fund, has caused significant division within the party, prompting Senate Majority Leader John Thune to send senators home until June. This internal conflict highlights the challenges facing the Republican Party in maintaining unity.
• Todd Blanche met with Republican senators over $1.8 billion criminal slush fund — Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Republican senators to discuss Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. Sen. Ted Cruz described the meeting as having "fireworks at an epic level" and "one of the roughest meetings" he had seen in the Senate, with senators "screaming at the AG." The fund has been the subject of intense criticism from GOP senators over its purpose and implementation.

Supporting reports

• Representative Raskin introduces legislation to prohibit taxpayer-funded settlement slush funds — Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) introduced the "No Taxpayer-Funded Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2026" in the House, which would prohibit the use of federal funds to pay off anyone claiming to have faced "weaponization" of the law by the federal government, including January 6 rioters. Raskin stated Congress must reassert control over federal spending to prevent what he characterized as "brazen looting of taxpayer funds."
• Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) drafted bipartisan legislation to eliminate the $1.8 billion DOJ weaponization fund and signaled intent to use discharge petition procedures to bypass House leadership if necessary. — Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Suozzi drafted legislation to kill the $1.8 billion DOJ fund created to compensate Trump allies and January 6 defendants. Fitzpatrick sent questions to DOJ Counsel Todd Blanche seeking details about fund eligibility and administration. The representatives indicated they would pursue discharge petition procedures to bring the bill to a House floor vote, circumventing Speaker Mike Johnson's expected opposition. Fitzpatrick has previously used discharge petitions to pass bipartisan bills over GOP leadership objections. The effort reflects bipartisan concern about the fund's legality and fiscal impact.