President Donald Trump has suggested that he has not completely abandoned the administration’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, despite recent statements from the Department of Justice indicating otherwise. In a podcast interview with the New York Post’s ‘Pod Force One with Miranda Devine,’ Trump stated that people ‘should be reimbursed’ for what he describes as targeting by a ‘crooked government.’
DOJ’s Position and GOP Concerns
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche informed lawmakers that the Justice Department would not proceed with the fund, marking the first definitive statement from an administration official on the matter. This decision follows significant pushback from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, who expressed concerns about the fund’s implications.
Many GOP senators had previously stated that they could not support immigration enforcement funding until they were assured that the ‘anti-weaponization fund’ was off the table. Following Blanche’s comments, Senate GOP leaders pushed for a vote to advance a $70 billion bill to fund the president’s immigration priorities.
Trump’s Continued Advocacy
Despite the DOJ’s stance, Trump maintains that individuals who were allegedly targeted deserve compensation. ‘And these were many great people. And I gave them pardons. I’m very proud to have given them pardons. And I think they should be reimbursed for a crooked government,’ Trump said during the podcast interview.
A Republican aide downplayed the impact of Trump’s comments on Congress, suggesting that his acknowledgment of the court ruling against the fund is as close to dropping it as he might get. The aide emphasized Blanche’s clarity during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, where Blanche confirmed, ‘We are not moving forward with the fund, period.’
Future Considerations
In response to the situation, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham proposed the creation of a new fund that would be available to those who can prove their claims against the federal government through the Federal Tort Claims Act. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr. briefly responded to Graham’s proposal on social media before deleting his post.
Last week, a federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the administration from setting up the fund, allowing time to review a lawsuit challenging the program. The ruling was procedural and did not address the program’s legality.
During the podcast, Trump also praised Acting Attorney General Blanche, who replaced Pam Bondi in April, and expressed interest in making Blanche’s position permanent.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
