By Lindsay Wise, Sadie Gurman and Siobhan Hughes

WASHINGTON -- Republican leaders said Tuesday they believe the Trump administration will make a clear statement ending its $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, after it drew condemnation from many GOP senators and threatened to sink an unrelated immigration-enforcement bill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) said he had spoken with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and expected him to provide clarity on the fate of the fund when he testifies in front of the House Appropriations Committee later Tuesday. Many GOP lawmakers have pressed for an unambiguous statement from the administration that the fund was dead.

Justice Department representatives didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

"His statement is going to be very definitive, very clear, and create the certainty that I hope all of our members and House members need as well, in order for us to proceed," Thune told reporters. Asked if he concurred with a comment by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) to Politico that the fund is "off the table," Thune said "that is correct."

The creation of the fund caused an uproar in Congress last month among Republicans and Democrats who said it would use taxpayer money to compensate Trump's allies, as well as reward people who had assaulted police officers when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The Trump administration had signaled Monday that it was pulling back, but left uncertainty on Capitol Hill. In a statement Monday, the Justice Department said it would abide by a judge's order Friday directing the government to temporarily halt work on the fund. A White House official said the statement was the first step toward dropping the fund.

"Is it dead, or is it just partly dead?" said Sen. John Curtis (R. Utah) describing what he was hoping to hear when the acting attorney general testified. "I just need to feel like it's dropped and done."

Republican senators have told the White House that they wouldn't act on a $70 billion, multiyear immigration-enforcement package pending on Capitol Hill until the Trump administration changed or canceled the fund. The bill is moving through the Senate using a process called reconciliation that allows Republicans to bypass the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.

"I would pay attention to the Attorney General's testimony before the House this afternoon," said Sen. John Kennedy (R., La.). "If it goes like we are told it will go, there's a reasonable possibility we will move pretty quickly to the reconciliation bill," he said.

Democratic and Republican senators also said they needed clarity from the administration on what was happening to a related agreement that ended any audits of Trump. That deal also applied to "affiliated individuals" and ends any investigations of matters that could be pending.

The audit protection hasn't drawn as much scorn from Republicans as the $1.8 billion fund has. Still, Sen. Curtis called it "very disturbing."

"You're talking about family members that have had almost a doubling of their net worth in the last year and a half," said Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.). "How can you not at least have them be subjected to the same thing I'm subjected to, and every one of you?"

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Congress needed to pass legislation to block Trump from such efforts in which he directs his own government to take actions benefiting himself and his supporters.

"Let's be clear, Trump has not killed this slush fund. He has not revoked the special tax immunity he gave himself and his family," said Schumer. "Any toothless promise by Trump is worthless."

Write to Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com, Sadie Gurman at sadie.gurman@wsj.com and Siobhan Hughes at Siobhan.hughes@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 02, 2026 15:24 ET (19:24 GMT)

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