The acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, testified at a House appropriations hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on 2 June 2026, declaring that the Trump administration's proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is dead. Blanche told the House committee that the federal government is ceasing its effort to create the controversial fund, which legal experts have decried as 'outright theft'.
Fund Abandoned
'We are not moving forward with the fund, period,' Blanche said during the hearing on Tuesday. The fund was intended to compensate allies of former President Donald Trump, but faced widespread criticism for its secretive nature and potential misuse of taxpayer money.
IRS Audit Immunity Unclear
It remains unclear whether Trump, his family, and related entities will continue to receive immunity from IRS audits, a benefit that was reportedly tied to the fund. The announcement marks a significant reversal for the administration, which had promoted the fund as a measure to prevent the 'weaponization' of government agencies against political opponents.
Legal experts have sharply criticized the proposal, with some calling it an unconstitutional use of federal funds to reward political allies. The decision to scrap the fund comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Trump-era policies and their impact on federal agencies.
More details are expected to emerge as the appropriations process continues. The hearing highlighted deep partisan divisions over the fund, with Democrats applauding its demise and Republicans expressing disappointment.
