Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

DOJ Unveils USD1.77B "Anti-Weaponization Fund"


(MENAFN) The U.S. Justice Department on Monday unveiled a sweeping $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" forged through a landmark settlement with President Donald Trump, members of his family, and the Trump Organization — formally closing a high-stakes legal battle over the alleged misuse of confidential tax records and broader claims of federal government misconduct.

The settlement resolves a federal lawsuit lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, in which Trump, Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization had pursued $10 billion in damages against the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) following the unauthorized disclosure of confidential tax return data. A notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice was filed Monday, permanently terminating the litigation.

At the core of the agreement is a formalized mechanism allowing individuals and organizations alleging politically driven "lawfare" or government "weaponization" to pursue redress — including official apologies and potential financial compensation.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche framed the move as a reckoning with institutional overreach.

"The machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American, and it is this Department's intention to make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again," Blanche said.

He added: "As part of this settlement, we are setting up a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress."

The Justice Department's announcement marks one of the most financially significant settlements tied to executive-branch conduct in recent memory, establishing what officials describe as a durable institutional safeguard against future abuses of federal authority.

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