Trump Contradicts Acting AG, Says DOJ Compensation Fund for Jan. 6 Rioters Moving Forward

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is proceeding with its compensation fund for his allies, directly contradicting acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's congressional testimony that the fund had been terminated. During a podcast interview, Trump was asked whether the administration was dropping the so-called 'anti-weaponization' reserve.

'No, a court ruled against it,' Trump replied, referencing a federal judge's temporary block. 'But just so you understand, these are people that have been decimated.

These are people that lost their lives over nonsense.' The fund is intended to compensate supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and were subsequently prosecuted.

Blanche told a House committee on Tuesday that the administration would not continue efforts to create the nearly $1.8 billion reserve, which was announced last month. Many lawmakers from both parties criticized the fund as a misuse of taxpayer dollars with poor optics.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday that the administration's best path was to shut it down. Blanche had described the fund as a way to remedy injuries from 'lawfare,' stating that 'the machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of corruptly rewarding his supporters under the guise of legal redress, calling it 'one of the most depraved' acts of his presidency.

The fund stems from a settlement Trump reached with the Treasury and IRS over the 2019 leak of his tax returns.