Newsom: Trump Should Invest $1.776 Billion in Public Safety, Not January 6 Payouts

California Governor Gavin Newsom is urging President Donald Trump to permanently abandon his controversial $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded reward program for January 6 rioters and instead invest that money in protecting children from sexual abuse, dismantling human trafficking networks, reducing shootings, supporting crime victims, and strengthening public safety. The program, which a federal judge temporarily blocked, was intended to compensate individuals pardoned by Trump for their roles in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S.

Capitol. Newsom's call comes as the Trump administration has eliminated or reduced hundreds of millions of dollars in federal public safety grants that support survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, gun violence, drug crime, and cybercrime.

"Donald Trump is robbing victims to pay his supporters. He is willing to spend $1.776 billion rewarding January 6 criminals and political loyalists, while cutting programs that help actual victims of crime, protect children from sexual abuse, support law enforcement, and prosecute criminals," Newsom said.

"If President Trump truly cared about public safety, he would invest in preventing crime and supporting victims—not creating a taxpayer-funded reward program for people who attacked police officers and undermined our democracy." Federal records indicate that more than $800 million in Department of Justice grants were terminated in 2025 alone, affecting victim services, violence prevention, law enforcement training, and crime reduction programs. Among the terminated grants were those supporting child victims of abuse, anti-trafficking services, domestic violence shelters, and sexual assault response teams.

Newsom outlined alternative uses for the $1.776 billion, including hiring thousands of local police officers and prosecutors, expanding cybercrime and financial fraud enforcement, fighting organized retail theft, funding community violence intervention programs proven to reduce shootings, and supporting juvenile crime prevention. The governor also noted that some of Trump's January 6 allies who could benefit from the slush fund have already landed back in prison for new crimes, including child molestation and solicitation of a minor.

The U.S. Department of Justice has stated it "remains extremely confident in the legality" of the fund despite the court-ordered pause.