Mike Johnson

President Donald Trump reportedly met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., at the White House on Monday to discuss the president's Anti-Weaponization Fund.

The meeting comes as the $1.776 billion Justice Department fund has emerged as a major point of contention on Capitol Hill, drawing criticism from Democrats and raising concerns among some Republicans even as the Trump administration argues it's necessary to compensate Americans harmed by politically motivated government actions.

According to The Hill, Trump and Johnson discussed the fund as Republican lawmakers work to advance a broader reconciliation package focused on immigration enforcement and border security — a top priority for the administration.

The Anti-Weaponization Fund was created through a settlement that resolved Trump's lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department over the disclosure of his confidential tax returns.

Under the agreement, nearly $1.8 billion would be available to compensate individuals who can demonstrate they were unfairly targeted by government agencies, particularly during the Biden administration.

Trump has repeatedly defended the initiative as a long overdue effort to help Americans whose lives were damaged by what he describes as government weaponization.

"This is reimbursing people that were horribly treated," Trump said last month. "They've been weaponized. They've been, in some cases, imprisoned wrongly.

"They paid legal fees that they didn't have. They've gone bankrupt. Their lives have been destroyed."

The issue has become increasingly important for congressional Republicans.

Last week, Senate Republicans reportedly warned acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that a key reconciliation bill funding immigration enforcement would not move forward until concerns surrounding the fund were addressed.

Some GOP lawmakers have sought additional oversight measures or guardrails to ensure the money is distributed appropriately and transparently.

Meanwhile, Democrats have launched an aggressive campaign to block the fund altogether.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday announced a coordinated effort to stop what he called a "MAGA slush fund," pledging to use reconciliation amendments, appropriations battles, oversight hearings, and floor votes to prevent any payouts.

"This week, Senate Democrats will launch a coordinated effort to kill the slush fund before one cent goes out the door," Schumer wrote in a letter to said Democrats.

The legal fight is also intensifying. A federal judge temporarily blocked implementation of the fund last week pending a hearing later this month, while additional court proceedings continue to examine aspects of the settlement agreement.

The Justice Department has maintained that the fund is lawful and supported by existing legal precedent.

Johnson's meeting with Trump underscores the administration's determination to preserve the fund as Republicans return to Washington this week for what is expected to be a high-stakes battle over immigration funding, government oversight, and claims of political targeting during the Biden years.