President Donald Trump is facing rare pushback over his nearly $1.8 billion fund to compensate
victims of alleged government weaponization. Three sources told Reuters on Monday that some
Republicans in Congress expressed fierce opposition to the fund, which has now been put
on hold. is notable given Trump's insistence on loyalty and his threats to back
challengers against Republicans who break ranks. Speaking to reporter, Senate Majority
Leader John Thune said he made clear to the White House that the fund needed to be scrapped.
A White House source said Republicans gave them an ultimatum. The fund stemmed from a
legal settlement between Trump and the Justice Department over a $10 billion lawsuit against
the IRS for the alleged mishandling of his tax records. It was meant to compensate people said
to have been victims of government abuse, but it quickly trigger. Backlash including concerns
that January 6th rioters could benefit from it . Here's Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Trump wants the American people to pay for handouts for mega billionaires, cop beating
January 6th insurrectionists, and his own family. He wanted no transparency, no oversight,
no accountability. It's disgusting. And some Senate Republicans shared those concerns. And
the midterm elections are fast approaching. Matthew Dallek is a professor of political
management at George Washington University. It just looks, smells, and feels really funky
for even some Republican senators who, you know, are kind of saying I've had enough. They
don't want Trump doing anything. Beyond what he's already done, that's going to make their
situation even harder. On Friday, a federal judge in Virginia temporarily halted the Trump
administration from setting up the fund until June 12th, while additional legal arguments are
heard. In a statement on Monday, the Justice Department said it disagrees strongly but will
abide by the court's ruling. A White House source said Trump is not thrilled but
understands this is the only way forward for now, adding that nothing is final until the
president says so.