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Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

Aug 16, 2026· Updated

DOJ Creates $1.7B "Anti-Weaponization Fund"; Trump Drops IRS Lawsuit

The Trump administration's Justice Department announced the creation of a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" on May 18, 2026, as part of a deal in which President Trump agreed to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. The fund — formally called the "Truth and Justice Commission" — draws from the Treasury's permanent Judgment Fund and requires no new Congressional approval. It would compensate anyone claiming they were targeted by Biden-era "weaponization," including roughly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack.

“I've said repeatedly, it's dead. There is no fund, no money went from the Treasury to any account, there were no commissioners established. There is no fund, there will be no fund.”
Todd Blanche (R) · Aug 16, 2026

Trump Nominates Acting AG Todd Blanche for Permanent Attorney General

President Trump announced on June 3-4, 2026 his intent to permanently nominate Todd Blanche as Attorney General. Blanche, Trump's former personal criminal defense attorney, has been serving as acting AG since Pam Bondi was fired in April. His tenure as acting AG has been marked by controversy: pursuing indictments against Trump critics, rolling back gun control enforcement, and most recently announcing the DOJ would not move forward with the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund — the same day Trump said he'd "have to ask the lawyers" about its status. Critics say Blanche continues to act as Trump's personal lawyer rather than the nation's chief law enforcement officer. The confirmation battle stalled in late July 2026. Blanche testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15, and Ranking Member Dick Durbin spoke against the nomination at a July 23 markup, citing more than 1,200 former career DOJ employees who opposed him. On the night of Wednesday, July 29, the committee postponed the vote scheduled for Thursday, July 30, after Republican Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) said they were not prepared to vote yes. Both wanted written assurances from the Justice Department about the settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS, which Blanche oversaw as acting AG. That settlement created the now-canceled $1.8 billion fund that could have compensated Trump allies, and barred the IRS from audits or other enforcement actions on tax returns filed by the president, his family, or his business entities before the May settlement. The standoff broke over the following weekend. Blanche said on Sunday, August 2 that he had reached a deal to amend the settlement, and Cornyn and Tillis said the agreement satisfied their concerns. The Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination 12-10 on a party-line vote on Tuesday, August 4, sending it to the full Senate. Hours later, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced she would vote against confirmation, saying Blanche had taken actions that further eroded the Justice Department's independence. With all 45 Democrats and both independents expected to oppose him, Blanche can afford to lose only one more Republican.

“What I'm worried about is that there is statutory authority to do this kind of garbage, and I'd like to figure out a way to nuke it before I get out of here.”
Thom Tillis (R-NC) · Aug 8, 2026

DOJ Scrubs January 6 Press Releases, Calls Them "Partisan Propaganda"

The Trump Justice Department removed hundreds of press releases documenting the charges, convictions, and sentencings of January 6 Capitol riot defendants from its official website on May 23, 2026, with the DOJ defending the purge as "stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda."

“Nothing 'quiet' about it. We are proud to reverse the DOJ's weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda.”
Todd Blanche (R) · May 23, 2026

January 6

DOJ

Department of Justice

3 statements

May 21, 2026· Updated

DOJ Indicts Raúl Castro; Trump Threatens Military Action Against Cuba

On May 20, 2026, the Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro and five Cuban regime co-defendants with murder and conspiracy for ordering the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue civilian aircraft over international waters, killing four people including three U.S. citizens. The announcement came as the USS Nimitz carrier strike group arrived in the Caribbean, and President Trump threatened he would be "the one" to intervene in Cuba. Democrats Kaine, Schiff, and Gallego responded by reintroducing a war powers resolution to block unauthorized military action.

“It looks like I'll be the one that does it.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · May 21, 2026

May 21, 2026· Updated

Government Drops All Tax Claims Against Trump in Expanded IRS Settlement

A one-page settlement document posted to the DOJ website on May 19, 2026 reveals the U.S. government is "forever barred and precluded" from examining or prosecuting President Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization on their current tax issues. The provision dramatically broadens the prior day's IRS lawsuit settlement — going far beyond Trump merely dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS to the government permanently surrendering its own enforcement rights against Trump's taxes. Democrats called it unprecedented self-dealing; one Republican, Sen. Ron Johnson, backed it.

“Now, he is making his sycophants at the Department of Injustice sell out the American people and funnel billions into a slush fund designed to reward violent January 6 insurrectionists and other loyalists. Instead of using taxpayer dollars to make life more affordable and better for the American people, Donald Trump is abusing his power to corruptly enrich himself, his family and his billionaire friends.”
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) · May 21, 2026

Democrats Introduce Bill to Block Trump From Collecting Federal Settlements

On April 15, 2026, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Rep. Dave Min introduced the Ban Presidential Plunder of Taxpayer Funds Act (S.4299), a bill to bar the President, Vice President, and their immediate family members from collecting settlement payments from the federal government while in office. The bill was a direct response to Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit and a prior $230 million DOJ settlement demand — and anticipated the deal that would produce the $1.7B Anti-Weaponization Fund a month later. The bill has no path forward with Republicans controlling both chambers.

“It is such a blatant and obvious conflict for the President to be able to use the administration as his own personal ATM.”
Chuck Schumer (D-NY) · Apr 15, 2026