The Trump administration has signaled to Republican congressional leaders that it plans to drop the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, though it was unclear how firm or permanent that plan is, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump has not committed publicly to taking any action on the controversial pot of money, and a third source familiar with the discussions indicated the administration was merely pausing efforts to pursue the fund — not dropping those plans altogether.
That characterization more closely matches a public statement from the Department of Justice Monday, which said that it would “abide by” a federal court ruling that paused the fund until at least June 12. A fourth source familiar with the matter said Trump himself still believes in the fund, even as he acknowledges vehement pushback to the concept.
The plan to back off the fund for now came after Trump held a lengthy meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, where the “anti-weaponization” fund was among the topics the two discussed. But it’s unclear if the Trump administration’s message will satisfy GOP lawmakers as fury over the fund has stalled the GOP’s broader agenda.
Republican leaders have been struggling to pass additional funding for immigration enforcement. And on Monday, even Senate Majority Leader John Thune called for the administration to “shut it down themselves,” in regards to the fund. Continued efforts to get that spending legislation over the finish line will almost certainly involve more attempts to kill the “anti-weaponization” fund permanently.
