Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday defended the Justice Department’s nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as lawmakers from both parties raised alarms about the program, which could ultimately compensate hundreds of Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot defendants and other allies of President Donald Trump.

During a contentious Senate appropriations hearing that was intended to focus on the DOJ’s proposed $40.8 billion fiscal 2027 budget request, a 13% increase from last year, Blanche repeatedly insisted the weaponization fund was not designed solely for Trump supporters and argued that Democrats criticizing it as a “slush fund” were effectively acknowledging Republicans had been disproportionately targeted during the Biden administration.