US DOJ Establishes 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' for Trump Allies

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has set up a fund to pay millions of dollars to people deemed victims of "lawfare".

The DOJ has indicated the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" will be used to compensate allies of US President Donald Trump who were prosecuted or otherwise targeted under the previous Biden administration.

It is highly unusual and very controversial.

Here's what we know about it.

What is the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'?

According to acting attorney-general Todd Blanche, the fund will establish a "lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress".

It will "have the power to issue formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants", the DOJ said.

Democrats say it is a slush fund to channel government money to Trump supporters who were rightly punished for breaking the law.

Mr Trump has frequently used the terms "lawfare" and "weaponisation" to describe how he was prosecuted and sued in various cases before his return to the presidency.

"It's called lawfare, it's called weaponisation of justice, and it's happened at a level that nobody's ever seen before," Mr Trump said when discussing those cases shortly after his re-election.

Many of Mr Trump's allies were also charged, particularly in Georgia, where Atlanta's district attorney pursued a racketeering case connected to alleged election interference.

They are among those who can now make a claim for compensation.

"That is pure theft of public funds," Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen told Mr Blanche at a congressional budget hearing.

"Every American can see through this illegal, corrupt, self-dealing scheme."

Why is it being set up?

The fund is the direct result of legal action Mr Trump had taken against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Mr Trump and his sons sued over the leaking of Mr Trump's tax returns. But they negotiated an out-of-court settlement.

"They have agreed, in exchange for the creation of this fund, to drop their pending lawsuit", the DOJ said.

Under the deal, the Trumps will also drop their legal action over an FBI search of the Mar-a-Lago resort for classified documents, and an investigation into links between Mr Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia.

The deal was essentially the result of a negotiation between the Trump family and the Trump administration.

How much money are we talking?

The DOJ is setting aside $US1.776 billion ($2.5 billion) for the fund.

The figure was apparently chosen to represent the year the US declared independence — 1776.

It will come from the department's "judgement fund" — an uncapped allocation of public cash used to cover the government's legal cases.

Who will give out the money?

A panel of five commissioners will review and decide on the claims.

The attorney-general will choose the commissioners.

Mr Trump will have the power to fire them.

One member "will be chosen in consultation with congressional leadership", Mr Blanche said.

Asked if Mr Trump would suggest who the commissioners should be, Mr Blanche said: "I have no idea if he will or not."

"I would be shocked if he didn't tell you exactly who to put on," Democratic Senator Jack Reed told him.

"And I'd be more shocked if you did not put them on."

Who will get the money?

The government has said anyone could make a claim, regardless of their politics.

"Republicans can apply for it, Democrats can apply for it," Vice-President JD Vance told a media conference.

Early indications are that the likely recipients will include Trump allies who were prosecuted or investigated over alleged election interference.

Mr Vance pointed to the example of Tina Peters, a Colorado county clerk who was jailed for tampering with election equipment to try to prove Mr Trump's baseless election theft claims in 2020.

"This innocent grandmother was going to spend 10 years in prison, completely disproportionate to any misdemeanour trespassing that I've ever seen," Mr Vance said.

Democrats and other critics have raised concerns about the prospect of payouts for people jailed over the Capitol riots of January 6, 2026.

Mr Trump ordered their release from jail on his first day back in office, saying many had been punished too harshly. Some had attacked police officers.

During the congressional budget hearing, Mr Blanche was repeatedly asked if they would be eligible for payouts.

"Anybody in this country can apply," he said.

Mr Vance later said:

Mr Blanche told Congress neither Mr Trump nor his family would get a direct payout from the fund.

But when asked if Mr Trump's campaign donors would be able to make a claim, he said: "They are not excluded from seeking compensation."

Will the payouts be made public?

"That's a good question," Mr Blanche said when asked by Republican Senator Susan Collins at the budget hearing.

But a quarterly report would be released publicly, he said.

"I very much anticipate that the claims that are awarded, the basis and the amount, will for sure be made public along the way."