President Donald Trump is running into open resistance from fellow Republicans as lawmakers brace against key parts of his agenda, from a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” tied to a Justice Department settlement to White House spending demands and foreign
When President Donald Trump’s allies tried to move quickly, the counterpressure showed up almost immediately—inside the Republican Party.
One of the sharpest flashpoints has been a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” created as part of a settlement tied to Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. The fund has sparked a fierce backlash among some GOP lawmakers who say it could funnel taxpayer money to people convicted of assaulting police officers during the January 6. 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
At a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified. and he did not rule out the possibility that those convicted of assaulting police officers during January 6 could be considered for payments. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina—one of the most vocal Republican critics—pounced on the idea in an interview with Spectrum News on Wednesday. calling the plan “stupid on stilts.”.
“It will invariably put us in a position where your taxpayers dollars and my taxpayer dollars could potentially compensate someone who assaulted a police officer, admitted their guilt, got convicted, got pardoned and now we are going to pay them for that,” Tillis said. “That’s absurd.”
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. a centrist Republican representing a Pennsylvania swing district. echoed the alarm on Wednesday. saying. “We’re going to try to kill it.” In a video posted by Meidas Touch Washington correspondent Scott McFarlane. Fitzpatrick added that lawmakers are considering legislative options and plan to write a letter to the attorney general to start.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, also signaled unease on Tuesday, telling reporters that he’s “not a big fan” of the fund.
The legal fight is playing out in a broader political one: whether Trump’s administration can keep Republicans aligned when the stakes are both fiscal and symbolic—especially on an issue tied to the Capitol riot.
The Justice Department tried to narrow the political argument this week. In an email response to Newsweek on Thursday. a Justice Department spokesperson wrote that the Acting Attorney General met with Senators and “there was a healthy discussion on the settlement.” The spokesperson said Blanche made clear that the Anti-Weaponization Fund announced Monday has “nothing to do with reconciliation. ” and that “not a single dime from the money the President is seeking in reconciliation would go toward anything having to do with the Fund.” The spokesperson added. “We will continue to work with the Senate to get critical reconciliation funds approved.” Newsweek also said it reached out to the White House on Thursday and was referred to the Justice Department.
At the same time, Trump’s own posture has not softened. Asked at the White House on Thursday whether he was losing control of Senate Republicans, Trump answered, “I don’t know. I really don’t know,” before adding that he did not need funding for the ballroom project.
That “ballroom project” dispute has become another point of strain. Pushback has emerged over Trump’s proposed spending priorities that include funding tied to a ballroom at the White House. While the White House has said the ballroom itself would be privately funded. the administration pressed lawmakers to include $1 billion in taxpayer money for Secret Service security upgrades related to the project in a broader immigration enforcement reconciliation bill being advanced on a party-line basis.
Republicans are expected to remove that component as they finalize the legislation. Senator John Kennedy. a Louisiana Republican. told reporters as he left a meeting of GOP senators that “My understanding is that the security money has come out. and my understanding is it’s because the votes aren’t there.”.
In both fights—the anti-weaponization fund and the ballroom-related security money—the pattern is the same: Republicans who are usually aligned are breaking with Trump’s high-profile priorities, and the break isn’t confined to one ideological wing.
The tension isn’t only about policy structure. It’s also about political risk. Trump has continued to pressure dissenting Republicans, backing primary challengers against lawmakers who oppose even part of his agenda and intensifying internal party tensions.
And while Trump has shown he can defeat GOP critics—conceding evidence has already been offered by the party’s recent results—those victories may have changed how much leverage he has. The article points to the lame-duck lawmakers who remain in office until January next year. With “little to lose,” they may feel less pressure to align with Trump.
That could put them in the camp of lawmakers like Tillis or Nebraska Representative Don Bacon—both of whom are not seeking reelection and have readily broken with the president on key issues.
Signs that Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy could become another thorn have already emerged. After taking swipes at Trump in his concession speech on Saturday night. Cassidy criticized the administration’s anti-weaponization fund on X on Wednesday. He wrote that people are “concerned about paying their mortgage or rent. affording groceries and paying for gas. ” not about “putting together a $1.8 billion fund for the President and his allies to pay whomever they wish with no legal precedent or accountability.” Cassidy added that “This is adding to our national debt” and argued that if there needs to be a settlement. the administration should bring it to Congress to decide.
Cassidy also joined three other Republican senators on Tuesday in voting to advance a war powers resolution that would force further Senate action on the war with Iran. In a separate post on X Tuesday evening. Cassidy said he supported efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program but criticized what he described as lack of clarity from the White House and Pentagon.
“While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury. ” Cassidy wrote. “In Louisiana, I’ve heard from people, including President Trump’s supporters, who are concerned about this war. Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”.
The pressure inside the GOP has also spilled into endorsement battles. Some Senate Republicans this week were fuming about Trump’s endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—plagued by scandals—in the party primary runoff next week against Senator John Cornyn. Many lawmakers view Cornyn as the best pick for the general election and fear it could cost them their majority in the upper chamber later this year in the midterms.
Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she was “supremely disappointed” by Trump’s move and feared it put the Texas seat “in jeopardy.” Senator Susan Collins of Maine—who has also frustrated the president with independent stances—said she was dismayed.
“John Cornyn is an outstanding senator and deserved, in my judgment, the president’s support,” Collins said. “Obviously, it’s the president’s call, but I’m disappointed that he did it.”
Thune also expressed disappointment. reiterating his support for Cornyn and calling the Texas senator a “principled conservative.” The account also notes that Trump seemed more concerned about which candidate was most loyal to him personally. saying Cornyn was “very late” backing his 2024 presidential run.
The question now is whether these disagreements add up to something durable or remain scattered expressions of discomfort. It remains unclear whether the disputes will coalesce into sustained opposition within the Republican Party or prove to be isolated clashes.
But as Congress continues debating spending measures and overseeing administration actions, Republican reactions to Trump’s agenda are likely to shape what actually moves—and what stalls—on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump Republican Party GOP revolt anti-weaponization fund Todd Blanche Thom Tillis Brian Fitzpatrick John Thune John Kennedy Ken Paxton John Cornyn midterms January 6 Secret Service security money reconciliation bill war powers resolution Operation Epic Fury