'Not a big fan' - Top Senate Republican breaks with Trump on $1.8bn compensation fund

'Not a big fan' - Top Senate Republican breaks with Trump on $1.8bn compensation fund38 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleBernd Debusmann JrWhite House reporter Getty ImagesSenate Majority Leader John Thune is the most high-profile Republican to so far oppose the 'anti-weaponisation' fund. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune has split with the Trump administration over its creation of a $1.7bn (£1.3bn) fund aimed at compensating individuals "unfairly" investigated by previous administrations.Speaking to reporters, Thune said he was "not a big fan" of the fund, adding that he did not see "a purpose" for it. He is the most high-profile member of Trump's own party to criticise the plan.Democrats have condemned it as a "slush fund" for Trump's political allies, including some charged or convicted over the 2021 US Capitol riot. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the move on Capitol Hill, saying the compensation was non-partisan and available to anyone. The "Anti-Weaponization Fund" was unveiled on Monday "in exchange" for President Donald Trump dropping a $10bn lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the leak of his tax returns to the media, said the justice department. The lawsuit's plaintiffs, which include Trump's elder sons, Donald Jr and Eric, and the Trump Organization, will receive an apology, but no monetary compensation, the department said.The fund will consist of a five-member commission, four of whom will be appointed by the attorney general. It will have a total of $1.776bn available to settle and pay cases - a figure that refers to the year the US declared independence from Great Britain 250 years ago. Thune, the top ranking Republican in the US Senate, said that he was "not sure exactly how they intend to use it" and that he expected it to undergo a "full vetting" by lawmakers. "My assu...