Two officers file lawsuit to challenge Trump administration’s $1.8B “Anti-Weaponization” fund

Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 attack have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop the Trump administration’s newly created $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” arguing the program could financially benefit rioters involved in the assault.

Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police officer Daniel Hodges filed the case in Washington, D.C., claiming the fund is unlawful and unconstitutional. The officers say the program amounts to a taxpayer-backed payout system that could reward people who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.

The Justice Department announced the fund earlier this week as part of a settlement tied to a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump, his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and the Trump Organization over leaked tax records. Under the agreement, the administration dropped a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for creation of the compensation fund.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the program would establish a process for individuals who believe they were unfairly targeted by the government to seek compensation. A five-member commission selected by Blanche will decide who receives payments, though officials have not released details about eligibility requirements or payout limits. Blanche stated that Jan. 6 defendants would be permitted to apply but stressed that approval would not be automatic. Still, Dunn and Hodges argue the fund was clearly designed with Capitol rioters and groups such as the Proud Boys in mind.

Their lawsuit claims the fund sends a dangerous message that people who committed violence in Trump’s name are now being rewarded instead of punished. The officers also argue the program increases risks to their safety, noting they have faced ongoing harassment and death threats since publicly speaking about the attack and their injuries. The complaint further alleges the fund violates constitutional protections, including the 14th Amendment’s restriction against using federal money to support insurrection or rebellion.

Attorney Brendan Ballou, a former federal prosecutor who handled Jan. 6 cases and now represents the officers through the Public Integrity Project, called the fund “a corrupt sham” and warned it could help finance extremist groups and political violence.

More than 140 officers were injured during the Capitol attack, when thousands of Trump supporters stormed the building in an effort to block certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Roughly 1,500 people were later charged in connection with the riot, though many received pardons after Trump returned to office.

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