NBC News reports that the Trump administration can still pay money to Jan. 6 rioters by using the existing Judgment Fund, even though the proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund is off the table. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress this week that the Justice Department is not going ahead with that specific fund after pushback from congressional Republicans.
This comes after much controversy about the proposed fund, which was first tied to a deal where Donald Trump would drop his lawsuits against the government. Critics often called the proposal a slush fund for allies of the administration. The anti-weaponization fund faced a temporary court block after a lawsuit from a former Jan. 6 prosecutor and others, but the administration still has a powerful financial tool it can use.
The Judgment Fund works as a bottomless pot of money made to settle legal claims against the government. According to the Treasury, it was created to remove the procedural steps involved in getting money from Congress to pay a particular judgment. It is a huge financial tool that could, in theory, be used to pay people involved in the events of January 6, 2021.
Fund may be stalled, but the push for January 6 payouts continues
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who is the number three official at the Justice Department, said at a news conference last month that he already had the power to settle any claim brought against the United States.
He argued that the now-stalled anti-weaponization fund would have added accountability by using a five-person commission to review claims. Woodward said officials were trying to correct for the weaponization that was pervasive in the last administration. He also said he would not personally approve settlements involving his own former clients, a list that includes Peter Navarro, Kash Patel, and Dan Scavino.
The size of possible payouts has drawn interest for some time. Ed Martin, a Justice Department official with close ties to Donald Trump, reportedly told a GOP ally earlier this year that Capitol riot defendants would receive millions, even if the process took until 2028. So far, hundreds of defendants have already signed up with lawyers to seek money.
This week, nine participants filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 million each for injuries and losses tied to the January 6, 2021 protest. The fund has faced repeated obstacles, including a moment when six GOP senators voted to block its revival.
The administration has already set an example for such payments. The family of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed after jumping through a window during the riot, received just under $5 million to settle a lawsuit. Trump allies Carter Page and Mike Flynn have also already received payouts. These moves come alongside other large spending decisions, such as when Trump used wartime powers for coal to lower energy prices.
Legal scrutiny stays high over these processes. By the close of business Friday, the Justice Department must explain its position to a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia. A hearing is set for June 12 to decide the next steps for the various lawsuits, including one filed by officers who protected the Capitol during the attack.
Senators Cory Booker and Bill Cassidy recently filed a brief arguing that the anti-weaponization fund is an end-run around Congress’s institutional authority. Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman said the lawmakers recognize the danger of a scheme that would let the executive branch bypass Congress and hand out public money through a corrupt political rewards program.
Donald Trump spoke about the status of the anti-weaponization fund on Wednesday. He said he was unsure if it was “dead” or simply on hold, but he said it was a “beautiful thing” that he “loved” and thought was “so important.” As the legal battles go on, the existing Judgment Fund stands as the main path for possible future payouts.
Published: Jun 6, 2026 06:45 am