# Is there a remedy for Trump's $1.8B slush fund? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 20, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244 "2026-05-20T14:44:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/63 "2026-05-24T00:55:12Z")
In the “One token step back, five steps forward” world of the Trump presidency, there isn’t much legally that will be done (note that I didn’t say “can be done”. That is a luxury we can no longer take into consideration). It may very well be that the answer is no, there is really nothing that can be done. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/64 "2026-05-24T01:28:22Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > In the “One token step back, five steps forward” world of the Trump presidency, there isn’t much legally that will be done (note that I didn’t say “can be done”. Wanna bet? > **[Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ hit with another legal challenge | CNN...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/22/politics/trumps-anti-weaponization-fund-hit-with-another-legal-challenge)** > > The Trump administration’s newly created nearly $1.8 billion fund for allies of President Donald Trump who say they were wrongly targeted by the government was hit with a second lawsuit on Friday, adding to the growing legal and political backlash... > The Trump administration’s newly created nearly $1.8 billion fund for allies of President Donald Trump who say they were wrongly targeted by the government was [hit with a second lawsuit](https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Floyd-v.-DOJ-slush.pdf) on Friday, adding to the growing legal and political backlash facing the White House. > **[Trump lashes out at Republicans amid revolt over $1.8B 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'](https://abcnews.com/Politics/trump-lashes-republicans-amid-revolt-18b-anti-weaponization/story?id=133220270)** > > President Trump attacked GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, calling him a "RINO" and a "quitter" as he appeared to acknowledge the ongoing revolt among some in his own party. > President Donald Trump attacked outgoing Republican Sen. Thom Tillis on Friday, calling him a “RINO” – an acronym for “Republican in Name Only” – and a “quitter” as he appeared to acknowledge the ongoing revolt among some in his own party. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/65 "2026-05-24T01:29:46Z")
Get back to me when it is all over. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/66 "2026-05-24T01:33:38Z")
No thanks, I am sure you read the news. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/67 "2026-05-24T02:00:51Z")
> [@Ancient\_Nerd](#): > > Do you suppose this slush fund could reimburse me for the political weaponization from the IRS? Could? Well, sure. It’s worth applying. If there are actual payouts, and they really mean to spend that much money, and they don’t like the look of sending out millions per check, the kitty probably has to be split between tens of thousands of applicants. I can see them seeing requests to refund IRS penalties as an easy-peasy yes. Your problem is how many years in the past you were penalized. Penalties that old may not show in their online system ☹ Paranoids may say they’ll check your party registration and turn your down if a registered Democrat. But I think they’ll be too lazy to check. The other problem is that the slush fund will poll so poorly that either Trump gives it up or the Republicans on SCOTUS will vote to block it. P.S. Don’t put on the application why you think the penalty was unfair! Just say that you disagree with it, of course assuming you do. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/68 "2026-05-24T11:16:38Z")
How many people will clog up the claiming process with bad faith claims? Hope it’s millions. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/69 "2026-05-24T11:25:25Z")
So it will all just go to Trump which is the entire plan. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/70 "2026-05-24T11:48:56Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > How many people will clog up the claiming process with bad faith claims? Hope it’s millions. I think that Ancient \_Nerd is fairly safe because of having a close-to-legitimate claim. But a true bad faith claim is just asking for a knock on the door. I remember when Elon Musk was giving away money to registered voters. Some progressives said that picking up his free cash was risky. It was not. But bad faith, in writing, IS risky. You never know when a dictator is going to the next level. If you want to risk arrest, do it for helping a migrant, not for performative nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/71 "2026-05-24T12:11:29Z")
Any bad faith applications should have just enough plausibility to be more of a time waster for the agents than anything else. Nobody’s getting arrested. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/72 "2026-05-24T16:23:20Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > So it will all just go to Trump which is the entire plan. Exactly this. Not one dime of the money will ever go to anyone. That was always the intention. Even trump realizes somewhere in that pumpkin that sits on his shoulders that he will not be president forever. So he has to grab as much money as he can **while** he can. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/73 "2026-05-24T21:37:10Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Your problem is how many years in the past you were penalized. Penalties that old may not show in their online system ☹ It was for my 1982 taxes. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/74 "2026-05-28T06:03:26Z")
For what it is worth, Gavin Newsome says any payments out of this fund in California will be subject to a 100% tax: > **[California to impose 100% tax on Trump's January 6 'slush fund,' governor says](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/california-impose-100-tax-trumps-233405323.html)** > > By Jasper Ward May 27 (Reuters) - California will impose a 100% tax on payments distributed under the Trump administration's nearly $1.8 billion fund for victims of alleged political "weaponization," The problem with this idea is that it legitimatizes the fund in the first place. The fund is straight theft, plain and simple. It is Trump’s government making up a settlement with Trump’s government and paying him, in an agreement that isn’t worth putting on toilet paper. People should be going to jail for this but instead we’ve got Trump’s opponents lining up for a slice of the pie. Is Trump’s corruption acceptable so long as one gets a share of it? How much of a share? How many of your tax dollars would you like Trump to steal so that others can steal it from him and then pretend to give it back to you? People are getting pissed on and calling it trickle down economics. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/75 "2026-05-28T13:37:20Z")
CMIIW, but these payouts are going to be confidential? I wonder if FOIA would apply? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/76 "2026-05-28T14:28:48Z")
E. Jean Carroll should file a claim. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/77 "2026-05-28T18:44:03Z")
Umm, there’s a problem- > **[Exclusive: Justice Department launches a criminal investigation into Trump...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/27/politics/exclusive-justice-department-launched-e-jean-carroll-investigation)** > > The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, the former magazine columnist who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. > The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into [E. Jean Carroll](https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/10/politics/e-jean-carroll-trump-supreme-court), the former magazine columnist who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/78 "2026-05-28T19:12:25Z")
Exactly. That’s why I said she should file a claim. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/79 "2026-05-29T00:25:03Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > CMIIW, but these payouts are going to be confidential? I wonder if FOIA would apply? The Trump administration leaks. And California has employees who investigate tax fraud when they read in newspaper stories that it is happening. Newsom’s idea cannot be adopted in Pennsylvania because our constitution has an infamous uniformity clause that outlaws graduated taxation. I like Newsom’s idea and hope it is constitutional in California. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/80 "2026-05-29T00:29:00Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > The problem with this idea is that it legitimatizes the fund in the first place. This doesn’t make any sense to me. If it is illegal to keep the money, you delegitimized said fund. I hope that the fund is stopped by the courts and/or Congress. But if that doesn’t work, the Newsom idea is great to me. The recipients might move to a red state. But that costs them money. > [@DWMarch](#): > > People should be going to jail for this but instead we’ve got Trump’s opponents lining up for a slice of the pie. I think the primary motivation for Trump opponents applying will be to delegitimize. Possibly getting a slice of the pie, if I can risk a slight mixed metaphor, would just be icing on the cake. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/81 "2026-05-29T03:43:08Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I like Newsom’s idea and hope it is constitutional in California. Isn’t it a Bill of Attainder, banned by the US Constitution? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244/82 "2026-05-29T04:43:55Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Isn’t it a Bill of Attainder, banned by the US Constitution? That’s not even close to what a Bill of Attainder is. There is no crime being charged. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-remedy-for-trumps-1-8b-slush-fund/1030244.md?page=5)