Senate Republicans narrowly defeated a Democratic attempt to block Donald Trump from establishing a £1.4bn fund to compensate his allies, exposing divisions within the president's party. The amendment, proposed by Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, failed by a 49-50 vote after three hours of debate, with three Republicans crossing party lines to support it.
The fund, described as an 'anti-weaponisation' mechanism, could issue financial settlements to individuals linked to the January 6 insurrection. Despite assurances from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that the administration would not proceed, Schumer insisted on legislative action, citing Trump's public endorsement of the fund. 'Do any of us believe that Donald Trump will resist getting his sticky fingers in the slush fund?' Schumer asked.
The three Republican defectors—Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, and Jon Husted of Ohio—are considered vulnerable in the upcoming midterm elections. A Fox News poll showed Husted trailing his Democratic challenger by eight points. The amendment was attached to a £55bn bill funding immigration enforcement agencies through 2029, which Republicans aim to pass via budget reconciliation.
Following the vote, Republican Thom Tillis proposed an alternative amendment redirecting the fund's money to fraud prevention efforts, but Democrats rejected it as insufficient. Senator Jeff Merkley argued that any fund controlled by the attorney general was unacceptable. The standoff over immigration funding has already caused a 75-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
