Questions over ‘anti-weaponization fund’

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Well, tonight lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have questions over a new billion-dollar fund by the Justice Department. It was created as part of a settlement agreement in President Trump's lawsuit against the IRS that he filed with his sons. The Anti-Weaponization Fund is available for those who claim they were victims of politically motivated acts by the Justice Department under past administrations. Reporter Alexandria Huff has the story. Plenty of strong reaction on Capitol Hill and beyond following the announcement of a $1.7 billion anti-weaponization fund, which will pay reparations to President Trump's allies for what they call judicial abuse by the Biden administration. More than a few Republicans are asking tough questions about using taxpayer money to compensate those who have been convicted of crimes.

[00:00:47]>> What I want to know is uh the how the fund is created and what its purpose is and uh the legality of creating a fund that uh Congress hasn't had anything to say about.

[00:00:57]>> Democrats going even further, calling it a slush fund with no oversight.

[00:01:00]>> We've gotten to the point where Donald Trump is just stealing in broad daylight from the American people.

[00:01:07]>> And some experts are warning paying reparations for something that happened so recently could set a dangerous precedent.

[00:01:13]>> It's our previous president. It's it's it's his predecessor in the office. And and so that's what makes this, I think, particularly unusual and raising eyebrows. But the administration is defending the move, claiming the president and his family will not receive funds. Anybody can apply. The commission will set The commissioners will will set rules, I'm sure.

[00:01:32]>> And it's unlikely the president will lose much political ground with his base. I think it will be seen as kind of another instance of him sort of putting what's important to him personally, the transactional element of a lot of what he does, you know, these people got hurt, I think, I'm going to give them money.

[00:01:49]Democrats say they will challenge the fund in court. We'll be right back.