{"id":2609443,"date":"2026-06-02T08:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-wants-assurance-anti-weaponization-fund-is-really-dead\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T08:29:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T12:29:35","slug":"gop-wants-assurance-anti-weaponization-fund-is-really-dead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-wants-assurance-anti-weaponization-fund-is-really-dead\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP wants assurance anti-weaponization fund is really dead"},"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\">16<\/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%2Fgop-wants-assurance-anti-weaponization-fund-is-really-dead%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=2609443&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>Senate republicans say the Trump administration\u2019s pledge to \u201cabide by\u201d a federal court order pausing its controversial $1.<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >776 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund<\/a> still isn\u2019t enough.They\u2019re pressing for assurances the programme will be permanently eliminated rather than temporarily stalled while litigation continues.<\/p>\n<p>While the Justice Department said it would pause creation and operations of the fund during the legal process, GOP lawmakers said key questions remain-especially whether the fund could be revived later. Some members argued that the administration\u2019s move effectively acknowledges the fund is too arduous to operate politically among Senate Republicans.<\/p>\n<p>Republican objections intensified earlier this year after concerns over the fund\u2019s purpose and related White House security spending derailed efforts to advance a GOP-led immigration and reconciliation package. Even after the court ruling halted activity for only about two weeks, senators and leadership indicated they want explicit statutory language to shut the fund down, with several suggesting it may already be effectively \u201cdead\u201d unless the administration overturns the ruling through appeal.  <\/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 class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"240\">Republicans<\/a> say the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration\u2019s<\/a> promise to \u201cabide by\u201d a court order blocking its controversial $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund does not go far enough, demanding assurances the program will be permanently scrapped.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe only thing that\u2019s going to solve this problem, to get immigration funded and law enforced, is for the president to do away with the weaponization fund,\u201d Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said<em>.<\/em><\/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\/senate\/4587558\/retiring-senate-democrats-open-door-to-anti-filibuster-successors\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Retiring Senate Democrats open door to anti-filibuster successors<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4587753\/mcconnell-lets-loose-trump-senate-retirement\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>McConnell lets loose on Trump on his way to Senate retirement<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4586929\/democrats-demand-kash-patel-personal-travel-fbi-vip-snorkel\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democrats demand list of Patel\u2019s personal travel as FBI head after \u2018VIP snorkel\u2019 story<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department said on Monday it would \u201cabide by\u201d a federal court order pausing creation and operation of the fund while litigation proceeds. But Republicans indicated the administration\u2019s temporary retreat has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4590247\/trump-anti-weaponization-fund-senate-opposition\/\">done little to ease concerns<\/a> that the fund could be revived later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIs it going to be completely eliminated?\u201d Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) asked. \u201cThat\u2019s the question that I have. That would make it easier, if it\u2019s completely gone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) similarly said the DOJ announcement leaves unresolved questions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it needs more investigation, and I think that we\u2019re going to have a more robust discussion about it [on Tuesday],\u201d said Capito, a member of the GOP leadership. \u201cI think it still has a whole lot of questions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Senate leadership aide told the Washington Examiner that leadership views the DOJ\u2019s statement as a walk-back of the fund and an acknowledgment by the administration that it is essentially unworkable among Senate Republicans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Uproar over the fund\u2019s creation, in addition to the inclusion of money for White House security upgrades, had already once derailed Republican leadership\u2019s plans to pass a GOP-led reconciliation bill funding immigration enforcement. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers note, however, that the judge\u2019s ruling only halted the operation of the fund for two weeks, until June 12, when the next court hearing on the matter is scheduled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust saying we\u2019re going to follow the order doesn\u2019t tell me about their position on the weaponization fund,\u201d Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said. \u201cBecause of the weaponization fund and other issues, right now, the reconciliation bill and the process surrounding it looks like a broken arm with the bone sticking out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-cassidy\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2103\">Bill Cassidy<\/a> (R-LA), who lost a primary last month to a Trump-backed challenger, said he was in favor of Congress passing legislation to explicitly shut down the fund.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican criticism of the fund hit a fever pitch on May 21 after a group of GOP senators met with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, ultimately leading Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4578599\/white-house-meeting-gop-leadership-canceled\/\">postpone consideration<\/a> of a tax and spending bill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A senior GOP aide told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> at the time that Blanche\u2019s briefing had failed to assuage GOP senators\u2019 concerns, and Republicans further soured over the White House\u2019s official guidance on who could be compensated by the fund, including lawmakers whose cellphone data had been subpoenaed during Biden-era investigations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the lead-up to the DOJ\u2019s statement, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had discussed the fund earlier on Monday during a meeting at the White House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLook, I think the president really liked this idea, but he also doesn\u2019t want to rock the boat too much. Speaker Johnson made a compelling case for slowing down here,\u201d one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cdc-to-release-revised-guidance-reducing-covid-19-quarantine-time-from-14-days-to-7-10\/\" title=\"CDC to release revised guidance reducing COVID-19 quarantine time from 14 days to 7-10\">senior administration official told<\/a> the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> \u201cUltimately, it\u2019s up to President Trump which way to proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thune indicated Monday afternoon that he had also made his \u201cviews clear on the subject\u201d directly to the White House and that he was not in favor of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-backs-off-anti-weaponization-fund-amid-senate-opposition\/\" title=\"Trump backs off ... amid Senate opposition\">advancing additional funding<\/a> for immigration operations or the president\u2019s White House ballroom project without specific language blocking the future application of Trump\u2019s lawfare fund.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three Trump administration officials could not say whether Monday\u2019s action indicated that the president was dropping the issue entirely or simply \u201cbuying time,\u201d as one aide characterized it, before moving forward with some variation of his original plan, once the legal challenges to the fund run their course.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who has been critical of the fund, told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>in a text message that unless the administration successfully appeals the court\u2019s ruling, the fund is \u201cdead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4590247\/trump-anti-weaponization-fund-senate-opposition\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4590247\/trump-anti-weaponization-fund-senate-opposition\/\"><strong>TRUMP RETREATS FROM ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND IN RARE SETBACK AS GOP PUSHES BUDGET BILL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe structure of agreement did not make sense,\u201d Bacon wrote. \u201cThe complainant is the boss of the defendant, so the President\u2019s team was negotiating with itself over tax dollars. It doesn\u2019t pass the smell test.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, the statement published by the Justice Department notably said that the administration would abide by Friday\u2019s ruling from a federal judge, which paused disbursement of any monies from the fund until the legal challenges to the fund itself were resolved, and did not say whether the president planned to take up the fund again in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senate Republicans say Trump must permanently scrap $1.776B anti-weaponization fund<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2609444,"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\/2025\/07\/Lisa-Murkowski-June-2025-scaled-e1780364948411.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[80011,6203,67216,80674,3756],"class_list":["post-2609443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-anti-weaponization-fund","tag-gop","tag-legislation-debate","tag-political-assurance","tag-republicans"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Lisa-Murkowski-June-2025-scaled-e1780364948411.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609443","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\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2609443"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2609447,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609443\/revisions\/2609447"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2609443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2609443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2609443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}