Trump’s DOJ ‘quietly assuring allies’ to expect slush fund payouts

Key Points:

• The Justice Department has publicly stated that a nearly $1.8 billion compensation fund intended to pay Donald Trump's allies is "not moving forward," but insiders say officials are quietly preparing payouts after political and legal challenges subside.
• The fund, initially created to settle lawsuits and claims from Trump's allies including January 6 rioters, faces legal hurdles, with judges warning the administration against reactivating it without rescinding the original order.
• Despite court rulings blocking the fund's operation, the administration is reportedly exploring ways to reactivate elements of the fund or use alternative mechanisms, such as the existing Federal Tort Claims Act and the Judgment Fund, to compensate claimants.
• Trump has expressed support for the fund, calling it a "beautiful thing," though he has reservations about taxpayer-funded payouts to rioters who attacked police, and Congress has yet to pass legislation permanently banning such payments.
• Some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, argue that existing legal frameworks suffice for claims against the government, while efforts to block the fund permanently have been defeated in Congress.