Republicans Will ‘Try To Kill’ Trump’s $1.8 Billion IRS Settlement Fund, GOP Lawmaker Says Sara Dorn is a Forbes news reporter who covers politics.May 20, 2026, 02:39pm EDTMay 20, 2026, 02:41pm EDTToplineRepublicans are considering legislative solutions to prevent allies of President Donald Trump who believe they were unfairly targeted by the government in the past from seeking compensation from a new $1.8 billion taxpayer fund. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., testifies during the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs hearing titled "The Abduction of Ukrainian Children by the Russian Federation," in Dirksen building on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesKey FactsRep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., told MeidasTouch reporter Pablo Manríquez on Wednesday Republicans are going to “try to kill it.”He said Republicans will write a letter to the attorney general’s office and are considering legislative options, telling the left-leaning outlet, “we’re trying to unpack exactly what the legal machinations are, but you can’t do that.”Fitzpatrick made the statement hours after Trump threatened to make him the next target of his midterm retribution campaign, telling Fitzpatrick’s wife, Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich, “he likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that. Doesn’t work out well.”Multiple Republican lawmakers have criticized the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was created as part of a settlement in the lawsuit Trump brought against the IRS over a leak of his tax returns.This is a developing story and will be updated.LOADING VIDEO PLAYER...FORBES’ FEATURED Video