Topline
President Donald Trump is expected to halt his $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” multiple outlets report, as the controversial settlement has drawn scrutiny from even Republican lawmakers and threatened the GOP’s chances of passing billions in funding for Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.
President Donald Trump looks on during a Cabinet meeting on May 27 in Washington, DC.
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Key Facts
The Trump administration is intending to kill the fund entirely, at least temporarily, Axios first reported Monday and other outlets confirmed, after Politico and ABC News previously reported nixing the fund was under consideration (the White House has not yet responded to a request for comment).
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Monday lawmakers were in discussions with the White House about the fund—which was created as part of Trump’s settlement with the IRS and allows people who feel they’ve had the judiciary system “weaponized” against them to apply for relief—but he did not know whether the administration planned to kill it entirely.
Democrats have said they plan to add amendments to the immigration enforcement bill—which would direct some $70 billion to immigration enforcement agencies—that would either limit the “anti-weaponization” fund or get rid of it entirely.
The $1.8 billion fund has attracted widespread criticism from even GOP lawmakers and some are expected to vote in favor of Democrats’ amendments as a result, according to Politico, which has so far stopped congressional leaders from voting on the legislation and could threaten it entirely.
Axios’ reporting that the Trump administration intends to stop the fund comes shortly after Trump met Monday morning with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., multiple outlets reported.
The $1.8 billion fund is currently not disbursing any funds, after a court ruled Friday to pause the fund temporarily, but if the White House doesn’t get rid of it now, it’s still possible it could be reinstated while litigation against it moves forward.
What To Watch For
It’s unclear when the White House could announce any moves to restrict or kill the anti-weaponization fund. Even if it does say the fund is dead, it’s also possible it could try to revive it in the future, as an anonymous administration official told Axios on Monday the fund was “dead for now.”
What Have Democrats Said?
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed in a letter to his Democratic colleagues Monday to wage a campaign to kill the $1.8 billion fund. “This week, Senate Democrats will launch a coordinated effort to kill the slush fund before one cent goes out the door,” Schumer wrote, adding Democrats will “force” their GOP colleagues to vote on the issue. Republicans voting on the fund would force them to publicly state they support or oppose it, which could be a liability ahead of the midterms. “Democrats are forcing Republicans to make one simple choice: kill the slush fund or own it,” Schumer wrote.