Senate Republicans Just Shot Down Multiple Attempts to Ax Trump’s $1.8 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund Here’s What Happened.

So here’s the latest from Capitol Hill: Senate Republicans voted down several efforts Thursday to kill a controversial $1.8 billion fund that President Trump has been pushing for. The money is meant to compensate people who say the government victimized them. But critics are calling it a potential “slush fund” for Trump’s allies and some worry it could even end up paying rioters who attacked police during the January 6 Capitol riot.

The votes happened during a marathon “vote-a-rama” session on a $70 billion GOP immigration bill. That bill has been stuck for weeks because some Republicans are rebelling over this very fund. During the voting, a Democratic attempt led by Chuck Schumer to kill the fund failed 49–50, with three GOP senators Susan Collins, Jon Husted, and Dan Sullivan – crossing party lines to side with Democrats.

Another attempt, led by retiring GOP Senator Thom Tillis, also failed. Tillis made it clear he won’t support the broader immigration bill unless the fund is explicitly killed in writing. Meanwhile, the Trump administration insists the fund is dead. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers it’s “not moving forward, period.” But Trump himself has been less clear, telling CNN he’d “have to ask the lawyers” and calling the fund “a beautiful thing.”

Some Republicans up for tough reelection fights voted to strip the fund, showing real anxiety inside the party. But in the end, GOP leaders managed to keep the fund alive for now to avoid derailing their own immigration enforcement bill.