Trump doubles down on $1.8 billion 'slush fund' that killed his agenda, spurred Republican rebellion

President Donald Trump isn’t backing down from his administration’s latest move that has blown up his agenda in Congress. 

Trump on Friday stood by the newly created "anti-weaponization" fund that some Republicans have described as a slush fund launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier this week. He argued that what could have been a massive payday for himself was converted into "justice" for others. 

"I gave up a lot of money in allowing the just announced Anti-Weaponization Fund to go forward," Trump said on Truth Social. "I could have settled my case, including the illegal release of my Tax Returns and the equally illegal BREAK IN of Mar-a-Lago, for an absolute fortune." 

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"Instead, I am helping others who were so badly abused by an evil, corrupt, and weaponized Biden Administration, receive, at long last, JUSTICE! President DJT," he continued.

The fund stemmed from an agreement among Trump, his family and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to settle his $10 billion lawsuit against the government over the leak of their tax returns. 

The nearly $1.8 billion fund would "provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare," according to the DOJ. 

But, its creation foiled his agenda in Congress to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol throughout his term. Republicans contended that the timing could have waited.

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"Well, it would have been nice if they had consulted, and I think they probably would have gotten plenty of advice from lots of folks about it, but it's water under the bridge now," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said. 

"And you play the hand you’re dealt, and we'll sort it out from here, but obviously it became a more complicated and bumpy path than we hoped," he continued. 

That’s because the majority of Senate Republicans on Thursday took issue with a lack of clear guardrails on whether those convicted of assaulting police officers during the riots on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2021, could make a claim and get a taxpayer-funded payout.

The announcement of the settlement and subsequent creation of the fund earlier this week derailed what was meant to be the last sprint to pass the massive, $72 billion package. The goal was to have the legislation on Trump’s desk by June 1. 

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But Republicans, facing severe political headwinds, weren’t satisfied with the explanations of how the fund would work and what guardrails could be installed. 

And despite the administration’s argument that the fund has nothing to do with the reconciliation process, it is inextricably tied to the maneuver because the Senate Judiciary Committee oversees the DOJ and has played a major role in crafting the broader package.

The Senate doesn’t return until Trump’s deadline, and the likelihood that lawmakers solve the issue and finish their work is low. 

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats cheered the result.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused Republicans of "fleeing" from Washington, D.C., on Thursday, and charged that "they’re at each other’s throats."

"Trapped in a corner by their own president, Republicans have their backs to the wall with no way out. Nowhere to hide. No end in sight," Schumer said. "The only way for Republicans to get out of this box is to stop backing the slush fund. Stop pushing the ballroom."