Todd Blanche Defends Trump’s $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced intense questioning Tuesday over the Trump administration’s controversial $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” a program created as part of the settlement in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.

Lawmakers pressed Blanche during a Senate Appropriations hearing about who could qualify for payments — including whether individuals convicted of assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot might receive compensation.

Blanche refuses to rule out payouts for Jan. 6 defendants

Under repeated questioning from Democratic senators, Blanche declined to explicitly bar people convicted of violent crimes against law enforcement from applying for compensation.

“Anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they’re a victim of weaponization,” Blanche said.

When asked whether people convicted of assaulting Capitol Police officers should receive compensation, Blanche responded that eligibility decisions would ultimately be made by commissioners overseeing the fund.

“My feelings don’t matter,” he told lawmakers.

The comments immediately intensified criticism surrounding the new program.

Fund tied to Trump IRS lawsuit settlement

The Anti-Weaponization Fund was announced Monday as part of the settlement resolving Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

The administration says the program will compensate individuals who believe they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted for political reasons under the Biden administration.

The settlement also included:

• A formal government apology to Trump
• The dismissal of federal tax claims involving Trump and his businesses
• Permanent protections against future IRS tax examinations tied to current matters

Bipartisan criticism grows in Washington

The fund has already triggered criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.

John Thune said Tuesday he was “not a big fan” of the initiative and questioned its purpose.

Democratic lawmakers went even further, accusing the administration of creating a politically motivated compensation system for Trump allies.

Chris Van Hollen sharply criticized Blanche after he compared the fund to an Obama-era compensation initiative involving Native American claims against the federal government.

Van Hollen argued the comparison was misleading because the earlier program received judicial approval, while the new fund did not.

Questions remain over who will oversee the program

Blanche confirmed the fund will be managed by a five-person commission but declined to identify who would serve on it.

He also said he did not know whether Trump would influence commissioner selections.

Lawmakers additionally questioned:

• How claims will be evaluated
• What standards commissioners will use
• Whether extremist groups could qualify
• How payouts will be monitored

Blanche again emphasized that “anybody” could apply for compensation.

Oath Keepers and Proud Boys could potentially apply

During the hearing, senators specifically asked whether members of groups such as the Oath Keepers or Proud Boys would be excluded.

Blanche refused to commit to restrictions, repeating that the commission would ultimately determine eligibility rules.

“The commissioners will set rules,” he said.

DOJ promises “full transparency” with limitations

Blanche told lawmakers the Justice Department plans to publish quarterly reports detailing the commission’s work.

However, he cautioned that privacy laws may prevent the full disclosure of certain claims or payouts.

“There will be full transparency,” Blanche said, while acknowledging legal limitations surrounding personal information and confidentiality protections.

The growing controversy surrounding the Anti-Weaponization Fund is expected to remain a major political issue as Congress continues oversight hearings and legal experts scrutinize the program’s constitutionality.