The end of Trump's 'weaponisation' fund is another sign Republicans are fighting back
Key takeaways
- The justice department's decision to officially end the "anti-weaponisation" fund on Tuesday followed a revolt within Trump's own party.
- Republican lawmakers and Trump allies viewed the controversy as an unforced error by Trump in a moment when the president and his party can least afford one.
- "This was a total self-inflicted wound and completely unnecessary," said a former Trump adviser who asked not to be named to speak candidly.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Daniel Bush Washington correspondent Getty Images Todd Blanche, pictured with Trump in the press briefing room, has been the face of the fund President Donald Trump's plan to hand out $1.8bn (£1.3bn) in taxpayer funding to political allies lasted all of two weeks before his Department of Justice (DOJ) abandoned the idea amid an intense backlash from Republicans in Congress.
The justice department's decision to officially end the "anti-weaponisation" fund on Tuesday followed a revolt within Trump's own party. Republicans threatened to derail a critical immigration bill if the administration didn't drop the plan to give public funds to Trump supporters - including, potentially, rioters who participated in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
Republican lawmakers and Trump allies viewed the controversy as an unforced error by Trump in a moment when the president and his party can least afford one.