Top Republicans Say Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Is ‘Off The Table’—As Confusion Swirls

BreakingBusinessTop Republicans Say Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Is ‘Off The Table’—As Confusion SwirlsByAlison Durkee,Forbes Staff. Alison is a senior news reporter covering US politics and legal news.Follow AuthorJun 02, 2026, 03:51pm EDTToplineRepublican leaders in Congress suggested Tuesday the Trump administration is fully pausing its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” in light of it threatening the GOP’s immigration enforcement bill, after the Justice Department sparked widespread confusion Monday about the fund’s fate.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, on April 14.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reservedKey FactsThe “anti-weaponization” fund has threatened to derail the GOP’s bill that directs billions to Trump’s immigration priorities, as many Republicans are critical of the fund and were expected to join with Democrats to pass amendments that would restrict or kill it.Reports emerged Monday suggesting the Justice Department was going to pause the fund indefinitely in order to quell Republicans’ concerns and save the immigration enforcement bill, but the agency only said it was complying with a recent court order that blocks the fund more temporarily—leaving it unclear whether the fund was actually being killed.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday despite the DOJ’s vague statement, his understanding is the fund is “off the table,” claiming his conversation about it with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was “very definitive.”House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also told Politico he believes the fund is “off the table with regard to” the immigration enforcement bill, and suggested the White House was “in the process of” offering more clarity on the fund’s fate.Republican lawmakers had suggested the DOJ’s statement on Monday was not enough to alleviate their concerns about the $1.8 billion fund, with Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., telling reporters the admi...