On May 18, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the establishment of the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” after Trump and his sons, Eric and Trump Jr., ceased their $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department. The establishment of this fund is a settlement of that lawsuit, with Trump controlling the DOJ, was defending the IRS and Treasury.
Trump would effectively control this fund, as he can remove any of its five committee members. One is appointed by the Attorney General, and another one is appointed in consultation with Congress. The DOJ vaguely stated that the $1.776 available was based “upon the projected valuation of future claimants’ claims.” It is very much possible that Trump will use that control to “compensate” himself and his family. Another provision of the fund allows it to give “formal apologies” to those “who made claims against the government,” which can include the terrorists that attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to stop the democratic process of former President Joe Biden from taking office, and killed a police officer in the process.
DOJ leadership provided cynical statements on the matter:
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who issued a memo establishing the fund, said that the “machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American” and that the Justice Department intended to “make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again.” Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter said the “use of government power to target individuals or entities for improper and unlawful political, personal, or ideological reasons should not be tolerated by any Administration.”
NBC
Blanche stated this despite weaponizing the DOJ against former Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Director James Comey; while Deputy Attorney General, he made no apparent effort to resist former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s political persecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James and former National Security Adviser John Bolton, to name a few.
The settlement of Trump’s IRS case also likely spares him from humiliation, as his administration would have to explain the pressing Article III concerns that arise with a President suing his own government by a May 20 court deadline.
“The Court might ask why DOJ’s approach to litigating this case appears to depart from its approach in similar cases, as well as what steps Defendants are taking to ensure that settlement discussions are conducted at arm’s length and without risk of collusion,” they continued.
NBC
This approximately $2 billion payout comes at a time when most Americans are having difficulty with the cost of living, especially as it pertains to housing and healthcare. Among those who could potentially rake in millions from the fund include a January 6 terrorist, Sean McHugh, who raped a fourteen year old girl. Another terrorist, Bryan Betancur, creepily touched the hair of women on the Washington D.C. Metro. Robert Packer, who infamously wore the Camp Auschwitz shirt during the attack, was arrested in 2025 for mishandling packs of dogs that injured several people.
