President Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund established by the Department of Justice has hit a setback. The DOJ said Monday they will abide by a court ruling temporarily pausing payouts that could have gone to Jan. 6 defendants and other Trump supporters. This comes amid political pressure from Republicans who are upset about the fund. Liz Landers joins Geoff Bennett to discuss.
Geoff Bennett:
President Trump’s nearly $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund just hit a setback today. The Justice Department says it will comply with a court order temporarily blocking payments from the program, money that could have gone to January 6’s defendants and other Trump supporters.
Beyond that, some Republicans on Capitol Hill expressed concerns about the fund and how the money would be handed out.
Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, is here to explain what we know.
So, Liz, what exactly has the Trump administration decided to do? What does this pause effectively mean?
Liz Landers:
So there’s a lot here that we still don’t know. I will add that.
But, last week, a judge here in Virginia said that there needed to be a pause for about two weeks until June 12 before they could disburse any money from that fund. In addition to that, another judge in Miami said that they wanted to re-look and reexamine the IRS settlement, which was what precipitated all this when the president settled with the IRS.
The Department of Justice says today that they strongly disagree with that ruling from the judge in Virginia, but they will abide by it. But that’s only for two weeks. So I asked the White House, is this temporarily paused or is this final and will the fund no longer exist? They have not responded to that.
Geoff Bennett:
And as we sit here and speak, the Associated Press, citing a single source familiar with President Trump’s thinking says that he is now reconsidering this pause, so certainly more to come.
But the other dimension here, as we mentioned, the Republicans on Capitol Hill who were uneasy about this because they were set to take a vote on this, on this fund.
Liz Landers:
Republicans have apparently been outraged about this sort of behind closed doors. There has been a funding process that they have been hammering out on the Hill to fund ICE and other agencies.
And this was becoming a snag in those negotiations. Our congressional colleague, Lisa Desjardins, had spoken with one Republican senator who told her that there were only one or two of their Republican colleagues in the Senate that were happy or were comfortable with this fund.
Today, the president met with Speaker Johnson at the White House. We believe that this came up in conversation. And then the majority leader, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, told reporters today that he wanted this weaponization fund dropped from that immigration bill.
Geoff Bennett:
And this fund is part of a larger effort to rewrite what actually happened on January 6. I know, as part of your reporting, you have been speaking to people on both sides of that debate. What are they saying?
Liz Landers:
I spoke last week with D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Dan Hodges. He was pinned and stuck in the tunnel on January 6 defending the Capitol. And I asked him about his reaction to the formation of the fund.
Daniel Hodges, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department:
Why should the government try to pay these people that attacked it? Why would we try to pay the people who tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power? If these people were given money, then they — it would empower them, give them the resources and make them feel like they’re untouchable to carry out their threats and any potential further violence.
Liz Landers:
I also spoke with Brandon Fellows.
He was convicted for his participation in January 6. He wants up to $30 million from the federal government, from this fund. And although he has not been convicted of abusing cops or beating up cops on that day, I asked him, what about the people who did? Do they deserve to get money from this fund? He thinks most should.
Brandon Fellows:
I think there’s a very select few that should not get money. Now, as far as assaults, you have things ranging from people throwing a water bottle and hitting a shield, and then they ended up pleading to that. I think they should be rightly compensated.
Liz Landers:
Enrique Tarrio, who was considered to be one of the planners of January 6, he was convicted for seditious conspiracy, he told me just this afternoon, he said he doesn’t think that this is an abandonment of the fund, adding — quote — “I believe even if this fund is killed in courts or at a congressional level, the president will find a way. There are other options.”
They can just settle the tort claims and lawsuits. That has no judicial review or congressional oversight, and it would mean a lot more money in compensation,” Geoff.
Geoff Bennett:
Liz Landers, our thanks to you, as always.
Liz Landers:
Of course.
