No taxpayer money for Capitol rioters: Trump drops plans for compensation fund

The U.S. Department of Justice has reversed course on plans to establish a $1.8 billion compensation fund, which critics feared would primarily benefit allies of former President Donald Trump.

The fund was intended to compensate individuals who claimed to be victims of a politically weaponized justice system during the administrations of former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. However, the proposal drew significant bipartisan criticism, with many Democrats and some Republicans labeling it as "hush money" and a potential slush fund.

The backlash intensified as the next parliamentary elections approach, threatening a standstill in Congress. Republican leaders in the House and Senate, Mike Johnson and John Thune respectively, had privately expressed concerns about the fund's legality and political utility.

Adding to the pressure, a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, Leonie Brinkema, issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, freezing all activities related to the fund. The judge gave the Trump administration two weeks to respond to a civil lawsuit filed by a coalition of Trump critics.

While the Department of Justice stated it "disagrees strongly with the decision" regarding the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," it pledged to respect the court's interim ruling. The reversal effectively halts the controversial plan, which had been a subject of intense debate and opposition.

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The Department of Justice disagrees strongly with the decision on the Anti-Weaponization Fund put forth by the United States District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, wherein the Court stated that, under no circumstances, may the Department of Justice proceed with…