What was the fund?
The DOJ announced the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” on May 18, 2026, as part of a settlement agreement in President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service — a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS following the leak of his tax returns. The fund was designed to provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims from people who alleged they suffered from government “weaponization.” U.S. Department of Justice
Why it became controversial
The Trump administration said the fund would be available to those who alleged the federal government had been weaponized against them — a refrain popularized by Trump supporters, particularly during the Biden era. Democratic lawmakers called it a “slush fund” for Trump supporters, and even some Republican lawmakers were reluctant to back it. NPR
Lawmakers were particularly concerned that payouts would go to rioters, including those who assaulted police officers during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack — something the Trump administration didn’t immediately rule out. CNN
Courts step in
A federal judge blocked the DOJ from taking any action to create or disburse money from the fund while a lawsuit challenging it played out in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia. CNBC
Congress pushes back — even Republicans
It became a setback for Trump after Republican senators made clear they did not have the votes to advance a Homeland Security funding bill unless the White House either scaled back or eliminated the fund entirely. PBS
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who spoke with Trump about it, told reporters, “I believe it is off the table for consideration,” and said he informed the president they did not have the votes. He added: “I told him it was a difficult prospect right now given our vote tallies. I understand the intent behind it was a very noble thing… I don’t think it was fully understood and that’s what made it a difficult thing.” CNN
Acting AG kills it — permanently
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified before a House subcommittee, flatly stating: “We are not moving forward with the fund, period.” He further clarified that the DOJ would not operate the fund regardless of the outcome of the ongoing lawsuits. NPRCNBC
The DOJ then put it in writing to two federal judges, saying the cases challenging the fund are now moot because the administration has abandoned the program — the first time the Trump administration formally stated in writing it was no longer pursuing the fund. CNN
Trump himself disagrees
In a dramatic twist, President Trump stormed out of a taped interview on NBC’s Meet the Press after being pressed on the fund and on his persistent claims of election fraud. During the interview, Trump said he would still like to see the weaponization fund proceed, despite the setbacks that led Blanche to declare it permanently halted. CNBC
Other Key White House & DOJ Developments
- Trump named housing official Bill Pulte — who has played a leading role in stoking the president’s retribution campaign — as acting director of national intelligence. CNN
- Trump issued a full pardon for Steve Buyer, a former Indiana Republican congressman convicted of insider trading in 2023. The Washington Post
- The DOJ also asked a federal appeals court to vacate seditious conspiracy convictions of leaders of far-right groups who had their sentences commuted by Trump but did not receive full pardons. Additionally, the DOJ removed hundreds of news releases related to January 6 prosecutions from its website. Time
- Cabinet officials have been taking turns at the White House podium during press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s absence. On June 2, it was Dr. Mehmet Oz’s turn — and he reportedly struggled with straightforward questions from reporters.