THE HILL
A new “anti-weaponization fund” unveiled by the Justice Department this week faced swift backlash from Republican and Democratic legislators on Capitol Hill.
by Sarah Davis - 05/23/26 4:12 PM ET
The fund is the result of a negotiated settlement for President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the fund will “issue formal apologies and monetary relief” to those claiming they were wrongfully targeted by the Trump administration.
GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) vowed to “kill” the fund, and he and Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation to block federal dollars from being used for it.
“Taxpayer dollars will not become a discretionary payout fund,” Fitzpatrick said in a Thursday statement announcing the bill. “Transparency is not optional. Accountability is not negotiable.”
The two lawmakers will join ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday to discuss their new bill.
The two lawmakers will join ABC News’s “This Week” on Sunday to discuss their new bill.
POLICEMEN FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FUND
Some critics have also expressed concerns that the fund could be used to provide payouts to rioters at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Several of these individuals still have pending lawsuits against the government.
Two police officers who defended the Capitol building on Jan. 6 filed a lawsuit this week against the fund, arguing that it would send the wrong signal to “past and potential future perpetrators of violence.” Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and D.C. Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges will join “This Week” to discuss their complaint.
Two police officers who defended the Capitol building on Jan. 6 filed a lawsuit this week against the fund, arguing that it would send the wrong signal to “past and potential future perpetrators of violence.” Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and D.C. Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges will join “This Week” to discuss their complaint.
MASSIE IS TRUMP'S LAST VICTIM
Congress was also roiled by major primary upset in Kentucky this week, with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie becoming the latest lawmaker to lose to a Republican primary challenger endorsed by the president.
Massie took aim at Trump in comments to MS NOW after his loss, warning that the president’s actions against perceived enemies within his own party could chip away support from his political base that the GOP needs to win the midterm elections.
“I think it was dangerous to pare the tree tonight, but that’s what happened,” Massie said Tuesday evening. “They got pruned, and we’ll see if there’s enough tree left there to win in November and to have a governing majority.”
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who co-led a bipartisan effort in Congress with Massie to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, attributed the Republican’s loss to his advocacy on this issue.
“My good friend Thomas Massie lost tonight,” Khanna said in a video posted on social media on Tuesday evening. “I’m angered by the smears on his character. He lost because he had the guts to take on the Epstein class.”
Both Khanna and Massie will join NBC News’s “Meet the Press” this Sunday.
The president also backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in his upcoming runoff race with GOP Sen. John Cornyn — a major upset to the incumbent’s reelection campaign. The winner of this race will face off against the Democratic candidate, state Rep. James Talarico, in November.
Cornyn, who has vowed to remain in the race, will appear on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.”
Congress was also roiled by major primary upset in Kentucky this week, with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie becoming the latest lawmaker to lose to a Republican primary challenger endorsed by the president.
Massie took aim at Trump in comments to MS NOW after his loss, warning that the president’s actions against perceived enemies within his own party could chip away support from his political base that the GOP needs to win the midterm elections.
“I think it was dangerous to pare the tree tonight, but that’s what happened,” Massie said Tuesday evening. “They got pruned, and we’ll see if there’s enough tree left there to win in November and to have a governing majority.”
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who co-led a bipartisan effort in Congress with Massie to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, attributed the Republican’s loss to his advocacy on this issue.
“My good friend Thomas Massie lost tonight,” Khanna said in a video posted on social media on Tuesday evening. “I’m angered by the smears on his character. He lost because he had the guts to take on the Epstein class.”
Both Khanna and Massie will join NBC News’s “Meet the Press” this Sunday.
The president also backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in his upcoming runoff race with GOP Sen. John Cornyn — a major upset to the incumbent’s reelection campaign. The winner of this race will face off against the Democratic candidate, state Rep. James Talarico, in November.
Cornyn, who has vowed to remain in the race, will appear on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday.”
REPUBLICANS PUSH FOR ACTION
The president is also under pressure from Republicans to restart fighting against Iran, following Trump’s rejection of several peace proposals to end the conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported on Friday that “slight progress” had been made in this negotiation effort.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) warned the president against accepting an “ill advised” deal with Tehran.
“We are at a moment that will define President Trump’s legacy. His instincts have been to finish the job he started in Iran, but he is being ill advised to pursue a deal that would not be worth the paper it is written on,” Wicker wrote. “Our commander-in-chief needs to allow America’s skilled armed forces to finish the destruction of Iran’s conventional military capabilities and reopen the strait.”
Former CIA Director David Petraeus said on Friday that the Trump administration is in a “difficult position” in its negotiations with Iran. He told radio host John Catsimatidis that Iran remains adamant that it can outlast this standoff.
“I think we’re in a difficult position, and they know, of course, that the President is facing midterm elections,” Petraeus said.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) warned the president against accepting an “ill advised” deal with Tehran.
“We are at a moment that will define President Trump’s legacy. His instincts have been to finish the job he started in Iran, but he is being ill advised to pursue a deal that would not be worth the paper it is written on,” Wicker wrote. “Our commander-in-chief needs to allow America’s skilled armed forces to finish the destruction of Iran’s conventional military capabilities and reopen the strait.”
Former CIA Director David Petraeus said on Friday that the Trump administration is in a “difficult position” in its negotiations with Iran. He told radio host John Catsimatidis that Iran remains adamant that it can outlast this standoff.
“I think we’re in a difficult position, and they know, of course, that the President is facing midterm elections,” Petraeus said.
CUBA "ON OUR MIND"
Additionally, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the White House has Cuba “on our mind,” after his Justice Department charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro with murder.
The president shot down the prospect of heightened U.S. military actions against the island on Wednesday, despite his previous threats and the arrival of U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Caribbean this week.
“There won’t be escalation,” the president told reporters. “I don’t think there needs to be. Look, the place is falling apart.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Friday that he believes Cuban liberation is “close at hand.” The senator, a known war hawk, made similar claims in January and March of this year.
The U.S.’s sustained oil blockade on Cuba has plunged the island into darkness during rolling blackouts. Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy told state media last week that the country has “absolutely no fuel, absolutely no diesel.”
In a social media post last week, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called the U.S.’s action a “genocidal energy blockade.”
WHO DECLARES EBOLA CRISIS A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
In other international news, a growing Ebola outbreak in several African countries has public health officials on edge. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the situation a global public health emergency.
As of Friday, the health ministries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda have reported 744 suspected cases, 83 confirmed cases and 176 deaths from suspected cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said the risk to the American public remains low at this time, but it has implemented a temporary U.S. entry ban for foreign individuals and green-card holders who have spent time in affected countries in the past three weeks.
The White House’s response coordinator for the COVID-19 pandemic under the first Trump administration, Dr. Deborah Birx, will join CBS News’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday to discuss the spread of the virus.
As of Friday, the health ministries of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda have reported 744 suspected cases, 83 confirmed cases and 176 deaths from suspected cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said the risk to the American public remains low at this time, but it has implemented a temporary U.S. entry ban for foreign individuals and green-card holders who have spent time in affected countries in the past three weeks.
The White House’s response coordinator for the COVID-19 pandemic under the first Trump administration, Dr. Deborah Birx, will join CBS News’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday to discuss the spread of the virus.
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