Trump, Johnson discuss blocked $1.776 B DOJ fund

President Donald Trump met with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House on Monday to discuss a controversial Justice Department fund that has stalled a key Republican legislative priority. The meeting focused on the administration's proposed $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, which has drawn significant opposition from lawmakers in both parties and is currently blocked by a federal court.

The fund, intended to compensate individuals who believe they were wrongfully targeted by law enforcement under prior administrations, has become a major obstacle for Republican efforts to pass a budget reconciliation package. That package is designed to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection without requiring Democratic votes. Lawmakers left Washington for a holiday recess without advancing the funding bill, missing a deadline set by the president.

Republican senators have expressed strong reservations about the Justice Department fund. During a recent hearing, senators pressed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on its legal basis. In a separate, contentious meeting last month, several Republican senators reportedly voiced fierce opposition to...