Justice Department announces a $1.7B fund to compensate Trump allies in a deal to drop IRS suit

[mystery-ak]

By  FATIMA HUSSEIN, ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
Updated 10:53 AM CDT, May 18, 2026
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Monday announced the creation a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies of the Republican president who believe they were mistreated by the Biden administration Justice Department.

The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was announced by the Justice Department as part of a deal to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in announcing the fund in a statement that it was “a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.”

Democrats and government watchdogs immediately pledged to fight what they called a “corrupt” and unprecedented resolution, warning that the arrangement would unjustly enrich people close to the president with taxpayer dollars and open the door to meritless claims of political persecution.

Trump’s lawyers disclosed the dismissal of the case in a filing Monday in federal court in Florida, where the president sued earlier this year.

The fund would represent not only a highly unorthodox resolution but also a further demonstration of the administration’s eagerness to reward allies who before Trump came to power were investigated and in some cases charged and convicted. Most notably, the president on his first day back in office pardoned or commuted the sentences of supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His Justice Department since then has approved payouts to supporters entangled in the Trump-Russia investigation and investigated and prosecuted some of his perceived adversaries.

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https://apnews.com/article/trump-lawsuit-irs-leak-3729de38770b558be01712a143437bf8

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/2056411910409461777

[Timber Rattler]

[Cyber Liberty]

I'm a bit torn on this...I don't like taxpayers' hard earned money going to this, but innocent people are out a lot of money having to defend themselves from false charges.  I wish that money could be taken out of the Prosecutors hides....

[cato potatoe]

So a President can just sue the government and direct his Attorney General to line up a $1.7 billion slush fund for political allies.  Remember when Republicans pretended to be angry about Hunter Biden? 

Don't forget this arose from Trump's persistent lying about his tax returns, and his refusal to disclose them as every other candidate has done for 50 years.  After they were leaked, we found out why he hid them.  Trump paid a total of $1.8 million from 2015-2019 and claimed a $5.47 million refund with zero tax in 2020. 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

So a President can just sue the government and direct his Attorney General to line up a $1.7 billion slush fund for political allies.  Remember when Republicans pretended to be angry about Hunter Biden? 

Don't forget this arose from Trump's persistent lying about his tax returns, and his refusal to disclose them as every other candidate has done for 50 years.  After they were leaked, we found out why he hid them.  Trump paid a total of $1.8 million from 2015-2019 and claimed a $5.47 million refund with zero tax in 2020.

Seems swampy as hell to me?

[Fishrrman]

Did not many of the January 6th folks spend a good amount of time in the DC prison?

I've got no problems at all with them receiving some $$$ compensation for their [mostly] false imprisonments...

[Fantom]

I'm a bit torn on this...I don't like taxpayers' hard earned money going to this, but innocent people are out a lot of money having to defend themselves from false charges.  I wish that money could be taken out of the Prosecutors hides....

Indeed, would be nice if those who imprisoned innocent people on J-6 charges, and Pro-life ... would be nice if they had to pay. Unfortunately, we al have to pay to make them whole again.

Thank you President Trump... for justice.

[Fantom]

Seems swampy as hell to me?

TDS usually does seem that way,  to those who so deeply suffer it.

[Fantom]

So a President can just sue the government and direct his Attorney General to line up a $1.7 billion slush fund for political allies.  Remember when Republicans pretended to be angry about Hunter Biden? 

Don't forget this arose from Trump's persistent lying about his tax returns, and his refusal to disclose them as every other candidate has done for 50 years.  After they were leaked, we found out why he hid them.  Trump paid a total of $1.8 million from 2015-2019 and claimed a $5.47 million refund with zero tax in 2020.

So , you admit President Trump complied with every IRS law.. and also every law as pertains to tax release information as pertains to federal elections.

Get back to me when you pay millions in taxes, and donate your almost $500,00 a year salary as President of America.. back to the American Peoples.

Until then... TDS. 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm a bit torn on this...I don't like taxpayers' hard earned money going to this, but innocent people are out a lot of money having to defend themselves from false charges.  I wish that money could be taken out of the Prosecutors hides....

Not to mention jobs, businesses, and who knows what else lost during incarceration for trespassing in a public building, often let in by Capitol Hill Police guarding the doors.

Very few broke into the building.

[cato potatoe]

So , you admit President Trump complied with every IRS law.. and also every law as pertains to tax release information as pertains to federal elections.

Get back to me when you pay millions in taxes, and donate your almost $500,00 a year salary as President of America.. back to the American Peoples.

Until then... TDS. 

You all need to cool it with TDS.  It reminds everybody of BDS, and Donald is spiraling even harder.

The point is he barely paid any federal tax (zero in 10 of 15 years) but he claimed otherwise while also pretending his hands were tied by interminable audits.  To cite “reputational harm” over something every candidate discloses is laughable.  This settlement is a grotesque abuse of power, a raid on the public treasury at a time when people are struggling to pay their bills.