Trending Now - Trump's $1.7B Fund Sparks Outrage Over Cronyism Concerns

WHO:

Alternet - President Trump is involved in the lawsuit and the proposed fund.

Alternet - Nearly 1,600 individuals charged with the January 6 insurrection are mentioned as potential beneficiaries.

Alternet - U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) criticized the fund.

WHAT:

ABC News - The settlement agreement could involve a victim compensation fund and a truth-and-reconciliation-style commission that could vote to issue monetary rewards.

CNBC - The potential settlement could include an end to any audit into Trump, his family, and business.

ABC News - President Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion IRS lawsuit in exchange for the creation of a $1.7 billion fund to compensate victims of governmental "weaponization."

Alternet - The court filing states that the lawsuit against the IRS was filed on January 29, 2026.

Alternet - The settlement terms are expected to prohibit Trump from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims, but entities associated with Trump may file additional claims.

Alternet - Trump is reportedly planning to create a compensation fund for supporters, which he claims will not be used for self-dealing, despite critics labeling it a "slush fund for his cronies."

Alternet - The proposed fund would allow Trump to have authority over the commission running it, including the ability to remove members without cause and keep the decision-making process private.

Alternet - The fund is expected to be dissolved shortly before the end of Trump's term to prevent a different president from distributing the funds.

Alternet - Trump is reportedly planning to force the IRS to pay him $1.7 billion for a compensation fund for supporters, including nearly 1,600 individuals charged with the January 6 insurrection.

Alternet - Trump has sued the federal government for $10 billion regarding the leak of his tax returns, which revealed he paid very little in federal income taxes and suffered undisclosed financial failures.

Alternet - Trump has also sued the government for $230 million related to the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate over allegedly stealing classified documents.

Alternet - The court-appointed attorney is asking a judge to evaluate the DOJ's "atypical" handling of Trump's IRS lawsuit, suggesting potential collusion in settlement discussions.

Alternet - Trump is reportedly planning to redirect $1.7 billion to a compensation fund for supporters, including nearly 1,600 individuals charged with the January 6 insurrection.

Alternet - Trump has sued the federal government for $10 billion regarding the leak of his tax returns, which revealed he paid very little in federal income taxes.

Alternet - Trump has also filed a lawsuit against the government for $230 million related to the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Alternet - Trump is angling to obtain $1.7 billion from the IRS as a settlement for a lawsuit he filed claiming the agency leaked his tax returns.

Alternet - Trump has promised that the fund will not be used for self-dealing and will instead go to supporters he claims were persecuted by President Biden.

Alternet - The proposed fund is described as a "slush fund for his cronies" by critics.

Alternet - If Trump's lawsuit had prevailed, it would have required every American taxpayer to pay him roughly $100 directly.

Alternet - The settlement terms are expected to prohibit Trump from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims, but entities associated with Trump may file additional claims.

Alternet - Trump is reportedly planning to create a $1.7 billion fund for his supporters.

ABC News - Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion IRS lawsuit in exchange for the fund.

Alternet - Trump claims the fund will compensate individuals he believes were persecuted by President Joe Biden.

Alternet - Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the federal government regarding leaked tax returns.

Alternet - Trump has also sued the government for $230 million related to the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate.

WHERE:

Alternet - The Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida is mentioned in relation to Trump's legal issues.

WHEN:

CNBC - A May 20 deadline has been set by U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams for the Justice Department and Trump's legal team to explain whether the case can be heard by a federal court.

Alternet - The settlement terms are expected to be agreed upon in the coming days.

WHY:

Alternet - U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) described the fund as a "$1.7B fraud on the American taxpayer to line the pockets of his MAGA political allies."

Alternet - Critics, including Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell, argue that the fund is designed to benefit Trump's allies and could lead to financial gain for Trump's family.

Truthout - Senator Adam Schiff described the fund as “the latest Trump-corrupt scheme to take money out of your pockets and put it into his.”

Alternet - Trump claims the IRS is responsible for the leak of his tax returns, which he argues justifies his lawsuit.

ABC News - The fund is described as a response to governmental "weaponization."

HOW:

Alternet - The court-appointed attorney is asking a judge to evaluate the DOJ's "atypical" handling of Trump's IRS lawsuit, suggesting potential collusion in settlement discussions.

Alternet - The settlement terms are expected to allow entities associated with Trump to file additional claims, despite prohibiting Trump from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims.

Alternet - The settlement terms are expected to prohibit Trump from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims, but entities associated with Trump may file additional claims.

Alternet - Trump plans to redirect $1.7 billion from a settlement with the Justice Department to the fund.

Alternet - Experts have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest in Trump's legal actions against the government he controls.

(UPDATED May 16, 2026 01:29 UTC)

A potential settlement agreement involving President Trump could include a victim compensation fund and a truth-and-reconciliation-style commission that may vote to issue monetary rewards. Additionally, this settlement might put an end to any ongoing audits into Trump, his family, and his business. U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen Williams has set a deadline of May 20 for the Justice Department and Trump's legal team to clarify whether the case can be heard by a federal court.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 23:15 UTC)

President Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for the establishment of a $1.7 billion fund aimed at compensating victims of what he describes as governmental "weaponization." The settlement terms are anticipated to prevent Trump from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims, though entities associated with him may pursue additional claims. Meanwhile, a court-appointed attorney is urging a judge to assess the Department of Justice's unusual handling of Trump's lawsuit, hinting at possible collusion during the settlement discussions.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 21:19 UTC)

Trump is reportedly planning to create a compensation fund for his supporters, which he insists will not be used for self-dealing, although critics have labeled it a "slush fund for his cronies." The proposed fund would give Trump authority over the commission managing it, allowing him to remove members without cause and keep the decision-making process private, with expectations that it will be dissolved shortly before the end of his term to prevent a different president from distributing the funds. Critics, including Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell, argue that the fund is designed to benefit Trump's allies and could lead to financial gain for his family, while the settlement terms are expected to allow entities associated with Trump to file additional claims, even though he is prohibited from directly receiving payments related to his legal claims.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 19:23 UTC)

Trump is reportedly planning to compel the IRS to pay him $1.7 billion for a compensation fund aimed at supporters, including nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection. He has also filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the federal government over the leak of his tax returns, which disclosed that he paid very little in federal income taxes, alongside a separate suit for $230 million related to the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate for allegedly stealing classified documents. A court-appointed attorney is asking a judge to assess the DOJ's unusual handling of Trump's IRS lawsuit, while settlement terms are anticipated to prevent Trump from directly receiving payments tied to his legal claims, although entities linked to him may pursue further claims.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 17:25 UTC)

Trump is reportedly planning to redirect $1.7 billion to a compensation fund for supporters, which includes nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection. Additionally, he has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for $10 billion over the leak of his tax returns, which disclosed that he paid very little in federal income taxes, as well as another lawsuit for $230 million related to the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate. Senator Adam Schiff has criticized the fund, calling it “the latest Trump-corrupt scheme to take money out of your pockets and put it into his.”

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 06:13 UTC)

Trump is seeking a settlement of $1.7 billion from the IRS, claiming the agency leaked his tax returns. He has stated that the funds will not be used for personal gain but will instead support his supporters, whom he alleges have been persecuted by President Biden, although critics have labeled the proposed fund as a "slush fund for his cronies." If Trump's lawsuit had succeeded, it would have meant that every American taxpayer would have been responsible for paying him about $100 directly, and while the settlement terms are expected to prevent Trump from receiving payments himself, associated entities may still pursue additional claims.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 04:20 UTC)

President Trump is reportedly planning to create a $1.7 billion fund for his supporters, which he claims will compensate individuals he believes were persecuted by President Joe Biden. Nearly 1,600 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection are mentioned as potential beneficiaries of this fund, while Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion IRS lawsuit in exchange for its establishment. The settlement terms are anticipated to be agreed upon in the coming days, as experts raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest in Trump's legal actions against the government he controls.