{"id":2605055,"date":"2026-05-20T12:53:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T16:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-caputo-files-first-claim-to-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T12:54:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T16:54:19","slug":"michael-caputo-files-first-claim-to-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michael-caputo-files-first-claim-to-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Caputo files first claim to Trump\u2019s anti-weaponization fund\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichael-caputo-files-first-claim-to-trumps-anti-weaponization-fund%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2605055&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>republican strategist Michael Caputo, a longtime ally of Donald Trump who worked on his 2016 and 2024 campaigns, has become the first known person to seek money from the justice Department\u2019s new \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. He previously said investigators wrongly targeted him during Robert Mueller\u2019s \u201cCrossfire\u201d Russia inquiry and is now asking for about $2.7 million in restitution and reimbursement.<\/p>\n<p>the DOJ fund-worth about $1.8 billion-is tied to a settlement in which Trump agreed to drop a roughly $10 billion IRS lawsuit, and the IRS created the fund. A committee appointed largely by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will decide which complainants receive payments, which are drawn from the government\u2019s \u201cjudgment fund,\u201d a permanent pot used to pay claims when the government loses or settles cases.<\/p>\n<p>Caputo has maintained his innocence over the Russia allegations, and has described the investigations as financially ruinous and personally harmful, including claims about stress, surveillance concerns, and having to sell assets to pay for legal defense.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>Republican strategist Michael Caputo on Tuesday became the first known person to make a claim to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\/\">Justice Department\u2019s<\/a> new \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. <\/p>\n<p>Caputo worked on President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump\u2019s <\/a>2016 and 2024 campaigns and served in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/health-and-human-services\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"364\">Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> during the president\u2019s first term, before becoming entangled in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-illinois-democrat-house-speaker-michael-madigan-indicted-on-federal-racketeering-charges\/\" title=\"Former Illinois Democrat House Speaker Michael Madigan Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges\">lengthy federal investigation<\/a> into whether Trump\u2019s team <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/russia-investigation\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1642\">colluded with Russia<\/a> during the 2016 campaign. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4575263\/lawfare-compensation-fund-threatens-to-reopen-jan-6-debate-for-republicans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Lawfare compensation fund threatens to reopen Jan. 6 debate for Republicans<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4575516\/trump-sons-exempt-tax-audits-irs\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump and his sons \u2018forever\u2019 exempt from tax audits under IRS addendum<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4575062\/ninth-circuit-likely-adds-doj-losing-streak-state-voter-roll-lawsuits\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ninth Circuit likely adds to DOJ losing streak over state voter roll lawsuits<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Trump\u2019s former senior adviser maintained his innocence during then-special counsel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/robert-mueller\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"320\">Robert Mueller\u2019s<\/a> investigation, and moved this week to take advantage of the new $1.8 billion DOJ fund, which acting Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/todd-blanche\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"20883\">Todd Blanche<\/a> said seeks to compensate individuals who the Justice Department has wrongly targeted. Caputo is seeking $2.7 million in restitution and reimbursement after saying he was wrongly targeted during Mueller\u2019s controversial \u201cCrossfire\u201d investigation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>\u201cSome Russiagate remnants have been concerned about the President\u2019s commitment to accountability and restitution,\u201d Caputo told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>on Wednesday. \u201cAs a weaponization policy advisor in his 2024 campaign, I\u2019ve never stopped believing, and our family is really pleased to see this execution under the leadership of Acting Attorney General Blanche.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The $1.8 billion DOJ fund was created as part of a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-announces-anti-weaponization-fund\">settlement agreement <\/a>Trump reached with the IRS to resolve his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4572410\/trump-moves-drop-irs-lawsuit-doj-weaponization-victims-fund\/\">$10 billion lawsuit<\/a> against the agency.<\/p>\n<p>In exchange for Trump agreeing to drop the lawsuit, the IRS agreed to create the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4574584\/todd-blanche-doj-anti-weaponization-fund-beyond-biden-harms\/\">anti-weaponization fund<\/a>. A five-person committee, largely appointed by Blanche, is in charge of deciding which complainants receive funds from the anti-weaponization fund. The $1.776 billion in the fund will come from \u201cthe judgment fund, which is a perpetual appropriation allowing DOJ to settle and pay cases,\u201d according to prosecutors. The judgment fund, created by Congress in 1956, is a permanent, uncapped appropriation that the government uses to pay people when it loses or settles a lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is reimbursing people that were <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >horribly treated \u2014 horribly treated<\/a>,\u201d Trump told reporters on Monday. \u201cThey\u2019ve been weaponized. They\u2019ve been, in some cases, imprisoned wrongly. They <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judges-award-steve-bannons-ex-attorney-480000-unpaid-legal-fee\/\" title=\"Steve Bannon&#039;s former attorney receives 0,000 in unpaid legal fees, as per judges&#039; decision.\">paid legal fees<\/a> that they didn\u2019t have. They\u2019ve gone bankrupt. Their lives have been destroyed. And they turned out to be right. It was a terrible period of time in the history of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Caputo <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3786008\/watchdog-group-sues-records-spying-trump-associate-michael-caputo\/\">previously told<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that during the Russia investigation, he had to liquidate his children\u2019s college fund to cover the costs of legal representation, and also developed head and neck cancer while under scrutiny from investigators. He said the investigations \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/559643\/god-damn-you-to-hell-michael-caputo-tells-senate-intel-panel\/\">forced<\/a>\u201d his family out of their home and raised concerns that the government inappropriately surveilled his emails. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very expensive, and nobody\u2019s called me and offered to help,\u201d Caputo said in 2017. \u201cThe problem is, it\u2019s very specialized representation, so it takes a certain type of attorney, and they\u2019re quite competent. And you\u2019ll pay for competency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.racket.news\/p\/exclusive-for-some-russiagate-never\">Russiagate almost killed me<\/a>,\u201d Caputo said. \u201cIt was 100% stress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4574028\/treasury-lawyer-resigns-anti-weaponization-fund-brian-morrissey\/\">TREASURY LAWYER RESIGNS AFTER DOJ CREATES \u2018ANTI-WEAPONIZATION\u2019 FUND<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Caputo has continued to stand by Trump, despite the years of investigations into the Russia collusion allegations. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/05\/20\/us\/politics\/kentucky-trump-gop.html\">grass roots underneath Donald Trump<\/a> are unlike anything I\u2019ve seen in my 40 years of politics,\u201d he told the <em>New York Times<\/em> on Wednesday. \u201cComing up against him today, it\u2019s like, \u2018Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 55 characters: Republican strategist Michael Caputo claims DOJ \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2605058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP18121618654687-e1779293232330.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[80011,32119,41528,62185,32640],"class_list":["post-2605055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-anti-weaponization-fund","tag-election-interference","tag-legal-filing","tag-michael-caputo","tag-trump-administration"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP18121618654687-e1779293232330.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2605055"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2605060,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605055\/revisions\/2605060"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2605058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2605055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2605055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2605055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}