CA, US & World
Trump Administration Signals Retreat From Controversial 1.8 Billion Dollar Anti-Weaponization Fund Following GOP Backlash
The Trump administration has signaled to Republican congressional leaders that it plans to back away from a controversial 1.8 billion dollar anti-weaponization fund, following a fierce intra-party revolt that has brought the broader GOP legislative agenda to a complete standstill.
The apparent policy shift follows a lengthy White House meeting between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. While the administration has indicated to top lawmakers that the fund will be dropped, the exact nature and permanence of the retreat remain highly uncertain. President Trump has not publicly committed to a permanent termination, and some internal sources suggest the administration is merely pausing its efforts rather than abandoning the program entirely.
This characterization aligns closely with a Department of Justice statement confirming it will abide by a federal court injunction issued last week by a Virginia judge, which legally freezes the fund until at least June 12. In a phone interview, President Trump acknowledged the judicial barrier, stating that the administration is subject to the courts and must comply with the current hold.
Congressional Fury and Stalled Legislation
News of the potential retreat has done little to soothe deep frustrations on Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune publicly called on the administration to shut the fund down themselves on Monday, reflecting a widespread Senate GOP rebellion. Republican lawmakers have steadfastly refused to advance a separate, multi-billion-dollar immigration enforcement package until they receive concrete, ironclad assurances that the anti-weaponization fund is permanently dead.
Florida Senator Rick Scott claimed a White House official told him directly that the fund was being dropped, but other key Republicans remain highly skeptical. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy emphasized that simply agreeing to follow a court order is not enough to satisfy lawmakers, demanding a definitive and permanent change in the administration's official position.
Origin and Legal Troubles
The disputed 1.8 billion dollar pot of money was originally conceived to settle an unprecedented out-of-court lawsuit brought by Trump against the Internal Revenue Service over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax returns. However, congressional critics quickly lambasted the program as a taxpayer-funded political slush fund designed to enrich close political allies.
Compounding the administration's political woes, a separate federal judge in Florida has ordered the president to respond to serious allegations of collusion, investigating whether Trump and Justice Department lawyers worked improperly to defraud the court during the initial settlement process. With the June 12 federal court deadline approaching, it remains to be seen whether the administration will continue to legally defend the policy or abandon it for good to salvage its stalled immigration priorities.
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By: CNN Newsource
June 1, 2026
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