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2026-05-19 09:14:13
[US Justice Department Sets $1.776 Billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" to Settle Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against the IRS] (1) The US Department of Justice announced Monday that it will set up a $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund" to compensate individuals who claim they were mistreated during the Biden administration. This move is part of a settlement agreement for President Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. (2) Trump's lawyers stated in court documents Monday that the president waived the lawsuit, and a federal judge subsequently ordered the case closed without objection to the disputed settlement. The judge stated that he had been "deprived of jurisdiction" because the settlement agreement was not formally filed and therefore he had no authority to adjudicate. (3) Under the settlement terms, Trump himself is not eligible to receive funds from the fund and agreed to waive the $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, as well as two civil claims totaling $230 million related to the "Russia collusion" investigation and the Mar-a-Lago search during his first term. (4) The fund will be managed by a five-person committee appointed by the Attorney General, but Trump has the power to dismiss any member. The funds come from the federal compensation fund, which is typically used to pay court judgments and settlement costs. The fund is auditable and will cease operation on December 15, 2028, with the remaining funds going to the federal government. (5) Ninety-three House Democrats submitted a petition criticizing the settlement, calling it an act of “forcing the American people to put money into the pockets of the president and his relatives through conspiracy lawsuits,” violating the separation of powers, compensation clauses, and statutes of limitations. They also stated that the plan “raises the specter of unprecedented corruption in American history.” (6) The news of the settlement fund sparked strong opposition from some members of both parties, who accused it of being an illegal “political bribery fund.” A senior member of the House Judiciary Committee stated that only Congress has the authority to allocate funds, and that Congress has never voted on it and would never approve it. Previously appointed assessors also expressed concerns about the extent of the president’s control over the defendants.
