Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is set to appear before a Senate appropriations subcommittee Tuesday for his first congressional testimony since taking over the Justice Department. The hearing comes amid fierce debate over the department’s plan to create a $1.776 billion fund to compensate allies of President Donald Trump who claim they were politically targeted.
The fund, announced Monday and dubbed the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” has been denounced by critics as an illegal misuse of power. They argue it would funnel taxpayer money to Trump supporters, rewarding those who believe they were wronged by the Biden administration’s Justice Department.
Blanche, who has swiftly advanced Trump’s agenda—pressing cases against political opponents, cracking down on leaks, and establishing this fund—will face tough questions from lawmakers. While the hearing is officially about the Trump administration’s budget request for the Justice Department, it is expected to delve into broader concerns over the erosion of the department’s independence from the White House.
The fund stems from Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. Nearly 100 House Democrats have filed a legal brief urging a judge to block what they call an unprecedented resolution that would unjustly enrich people close to the president and invite meritless claims of political persecution.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a subcommittee member, slammed the fund on social media, calling it “a billion-dollar slush fund for Trump to reward felons, insurrectionists, and cronies, paid for by YOUR taxpayer dollars.” He added, “It’s bad enough that this DOJ believes it works for Donald Trump. Now, it’s giving him its budget to use as his piggy bank.”
Blanche defended the fund Monday, saying it would create “a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.” In a statement, he asserted, “The machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American, and it is this Department’s intention to make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again.”
The fund is the latest example of the administration’s willingness to reward allies who were investigated or prosecuted before Trump returned to power. On his first day back in office, Trump pardoned or commuted sentences for supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. His Justice Department has since approved payouts to those entangled in the Trump-Russia investigation and pursued cases against perceived adversaries.
This development echoes other moves by the administration to consolidate loyalty, such as the warning sent to Senate Republicans after the Louisiana primary loss of a Trump critic. Meanwhile, House Democrats have filed a lawsuit to block the fund, calling it “unparalleled corruption,” as reported in their legal challenge.
The controversy underscores the deepening divide over the Justice Department’s role under Trump, with critics warning that the fund could set a dangerous precedent for using public money to settle political scores.
