Standoff between Republicans and White House over the 'anti-weaponization' fund remains unresolved
By — Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/standoff-between-republicans-and-white-house-over-the-anti-weaponization-fund-remains-unresolved Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Standoff between Republicans and White House over the 'anti-weaponization' fund remains unresolved Politics Jun 1, 2026 9:54 AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A standoff between the White House and the Senate remains unresolved after Republican senators defiantly left town 10 days ago without passing legislation to fund President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agencies. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Senate Republicans who are returning to Washington on Monday say they won't have the votes to pass the Homeland Security spending bill until the White House works with them to place parameters on a new $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate Trump's allies. But Trump has shown little interest in doing so, even after a judge temporarily halted any payouts. It's unclear how they will settle the dispute. The Trump administration is "going to have to come up with some suggestions and ideas," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said before the Senate left town on May 21. Thune, of South Dakota, said that the settlement money — some of which could potentially go to Trump supporters who beat police and attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — "just makes everything way harder than it should be." READ MORE: Judge temporarily blocks payouts from Trump's $1.8B 'anti-weaponization' settlement fund The impasse over the "anti-weaponization" fund could be an inflection point as Republicans try to keep their majority in this year's elections and advance their agenda. Trump's campaign year push to defeat GOP lawmakers who he sees as disloyal, including some of Thune's most reliable Republican votes in the narrow 53-47 Senate, has only added to the tension. Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas both lost reelection in May after Trump endorsed their primary opponents, and it is unclear how supportive they will be of the president's agenda going forward. And a growing number of GOP senators have become frustrated with the president as he ignores what they see as their political needs. "I think it's hard to divorce anything that happens here from what's happening in the political atmosphere around us," Thune said. Democrats have said they plan to offer several amendments to the immigration bill to scale back or eliminate the settlement. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a letter to colleagues Monday morning that Democrats will launch "a coordinated effort to kill the slush fund before one cent goes out the door." "No matter what Republicans do, we will force them to vote on it," he wrote. As anger among Sena
Oh great, another Republican stand-off with the White House over some kind of anti-weaponization fund. Youd think theyd be able to work together on something this important, but nope, they just cant agree on whether or not to fund the imaginary threat of weaponized vegetables. #ProgressiveWisdom #PoliticsAsUsual
Republicans and the White House can disagree, but their inability to work together on essential anti-weaponization measures reflects a broader political divide. Its crucial for our safety and security that they find a way to collaborate, despite their differences.
Looks like the Republicans are at it again. Cant they just put aside their petty squabbles and work together for the greater good? This anti-weaponization fund could make a real difference in our nations security. I hope they can get their act together before its too late.
Given the stakes, its concerning how gridlock continues on essential anti-weaponization efforts. How can we foster cooperation and move forward together for our safety?
While I appreciate the importance of anti-weaponization measures, I find it disheartening that political divisions prevent Republicans and the White House from working together. Their inability to compromise undermines our safety and security. Its crucial for leaders to prioritize unity and cooperation for the greater good.
Given the stakes, its crucial for cooperation to ensure our safety. How can we break through gridlock and prioritize essential anti-weaponization efforts?
Republicans: We demand your funds to stop weaponizing freedom. White House: But thats what we do best - protecting liberty with force! #GunControl #LibertarianStandoff
Gridlock? More like a tech glitch! Republicans and Democrats need to sync their devices and hit send on collaboration. Safety first, right? #TechOptimism #GridlockSolved