Former CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta has formally requested compensation from the Department of Justice's $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, arguing that the Trump administration's seizure of his press pass in 2018 constituted a targeted government attack on his career.
In a Substack post addressed to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Acosta detailed his experience during a November 2018 press conference, where he challenged then-President Trump over claims about a migrant caravan heading to the U.S. southern border. Trump called Acosta “the enemy of the people” and “a rude, terrible person” after the exchange, which escalated when a White House intern attempted to grab the microphone from Acosta's hand.
Shortly after the incident, U.S. Secret Service officers revoked Acosta's press credentials. He alleged that former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders circulated an altered video of the event, edited to suggest Acosta had “karate chopped” the intern. Acosta and CNN sued the administration, and his press pass was restored eight days later. However, he said the episode triggered a wave of death threats and was part of a broader “pressure campaign to oust certain news anchors and late night hosts from their positions.”
“Having been on the receiving end of some first-term Trump government weaponization, I think I have a pretty good case for some cold, hard ‘slush fund’ cash,” Acosta wrote. “Preferably in $100’s. From the sound of it, just about anybody can apply.”
The fund, announced by the DOJ as part of a settlement in Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, is designed to provide payouts and formal apologies to individuals who claim they were wronged by the government. Potential recipients include former Colorado elections clerk Tina Peters, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, Trump ally Michael Caputo, former FBI Director James Comey, and former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio. Caputo was the first to tap the fund, and Lindell has also sought a payout.
Acosta's claim includes a request for $5 million, payable to “Jim ‘Real News’ Acosta,” with proceeds going to support the free press. He closed his letter by echoing the signature phrase from Trump's Truth Social posts: “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The fund has drawn sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called it “utterly stupid, morally wrong,” while other GOP members are exploring ways to block it. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has argued that Congress must approve the fund, and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) has pledged to block it.
Acosta and Trump have a long history of animosity. Trump praised Acosta's departure from CNN last year as “really good news.” The DOJ fund now places Acosta in a queue of applicants seeking compensation for alleged government overreach, a development that underscores the ongoing political battle over the fund's purpose and scope.
