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TL;DR
Donald Trump is reconsidering his $1.8 billion fund for allies as legal challenges arise. The program is paused due to a court order, facing backlash from Republicans concerned about oversight.
Key points
- Trump is reconsidering a $1.8 billion fund for allies
- The fund is paused due to a court order
- Republicans express concerns over oversight
- Democrats label the fund as a 'Maga slush fund'
- Senate Majority Leader Thune suggests shutting it down
Mentioned in this story
Donald TrumpInternal Revenue ServiceRepublicansDemocrats
Donald Trump is reconsidering whether to keep pressing for a $1.8bn fund to compensate his allies, a person familiar with his thinking said on Monday, as the justice department paused the program to comply with a court order.
Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund has faced legal setbacks since it was announced two weeks ago. The idea has also faced a mounting political backlash from Republicans concerned by a lack of oversight and the possibility of payouts to participants in the January 6 2021 riot at the US Capitol.
Some Republicans are pressing the White House to commit to giving up on the fund.
“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut [the fund] down themselves,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters.
Democrats in the US Senate had vowed to force Republicans to vote on what they deride as a $1.8bn “Maga slush fund” established as part of a resolution of Donald Trump’s long-shot lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
The US president has described the secretive and loosely controlled fund as a means of paying the victims of politicized prosecutions. Members of his own party are among those who have expressed alarm.
The terms of the fund do not require the disclosure of how much is paid to whom. Administration officials have said payees could include pardoned January 6 rioters.
Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.
Californians go to the polls today in the first round of voting for a new governor, with a tight three-way race for two run-off spots.
The golden state will also vote on House districts for the first time since it approved Proposition 50 – its response to Texas redrawing its congressional lines to create five Republican leaning districts at the behest of President Trump - in November last year.
Meanwhile, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico also hold elections on Tuesday.
Q&A
What is Donald Trump's $1.8 billion fund for?
The fund is intended to compensate Trump's allies but has faced legal and political challenges.
Why is the $1.8 billion fund facing legal setbacks?
The fund is paused due to a court order, which requires compliance with legal standards.
What are Republicans saying about Trump's fund?
Some Republicans are urging the White House to abandon the fund due to concerns over oversight and potential payouts related to the January 6 riot.
What do Democrats think about the fund?
Democrats have criticized it as a 'Maga slush fund' and are pushing for a Senate vote against it.
