Story perspectives

Republicans Push Trump to Kill $1.8B Anti-Weaponization Fund

5/31/2026

Summary

Story summary

Republican senators and GOP insiders are urging President Donald Trump to scrap the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.
A judge has blocked the fund pending a June 12 hearing.
Senior White House aides have discussed killing the fund to push a stalled immigration enforcement bill.
Internal Republican polling shows the fund is unpopular with most voters, while Trump’s approval sits at 34 percent (Economist/YouGov) and 36 percent (CNN).

History

Historical Context

After the September 11 attacks, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act in November 2002, creating the Department of Homeland Security to centralize security funding. In 2017, Secretary John Kelly warned Trump’s budget would cut local security grants by up to 30% while raising the DHS budget about 7% to $44.1 billion. Today Republican leaders aim to drop a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization allocation, challenging the 2002 financing model.

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Story summary

Republican senators and GOP insiders are urging President Donald Trump to scrap the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.
A judge has blocked the fund pending a June 12 hearing.
Senior White House aides have discussed killing the fund to push a stalled immigration enforcement bill.
Internal Republican polling shows the fund is unpopular with most voters, while Trump’s approval sits at 34 percent (Economist/YouGov) and 36 percent (CNN).

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