‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ revives yearslong fight over Democrat-backed settlements

Published May 26, 2026 12:22pm ET | Updated May 26, 2026 12:22pm ET



President Donald Trump’s nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is triggering bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill while simultaneously reigniting a years-old conservative argument against administrations from both parties using the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund to finance politically sensitive settlements with little congressional oversight.

The fund stems from Trump’s settlement with the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, but the backlash following its announcement last week quickly expanded into a larger fight over executive branch settlement powers, with a dispute among lawmakers significant enough to delay plans to advance a $72 billion immigration enforcement package before Memorial Day.

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