Michael Caputo, a long-time adviser to Donald Trump and former spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services during Trump’s first administration, has become the first person to officially apply for compensation from the Justice Department’s controversial “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” according to reports. Caputo is seeking $2.7 million from the fund, which was established under Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche following a contentious settlement between Trump and the Department of Justice. The settlement involved Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which alleged that the IRS failed to protect confidential tax information belonging to Trump and his organization.
In a letter sent to Blanche after the fund was announced, Caputo claimed he personally suffered during what he described as a politically motivated campaign targeting Trump allies during previous investigations tied to the administration. He wrote: “I was the target of the illegal Crossfire Hurricane investigation and our family suffered greatly during that dark era of political weaponization.” His request immediately sparked controversy, with critics labeling the fund as a political slush fund meant to reward Trump allies who claim they were harmed by federal investigations.
Although Caputo is the first official applicant, it remains unclear when any compensation decisions will be made because the five-member review committee required to evaluate requests has not yet been established by Blanche or the Justice Department. Officials have not publicly identified potential committee members, nor have they outlined the standards for eligibility or how compensation amounts would be determined for applicants seeking payments from the fund.
The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” emerged from the broader settlement negotiated between Trump and the Justice Department after the president sued the IRS and Treasury Department earlier this year. Trump’s lawsuit accused the federal government of failing to prevent the leak of his tax returns by former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn between 2018 and 2020. Under the agreement signed by Blanche, the federal government accepted broad limitations on pursuing future claims involving Trump, his family, and affiliated entities. The settlement also created the framework for compensation tied to allegations of government “weaponization.”
Watchdog organizations and several Democratic lawmakers strongly criticized the arrangement after reports indicated the total value connected to the program and settlement structure could approach $1.8 billion. Critics argued the agreement blurred the line between legitimate government settlements and political favoritism benefiting Trump allies.
Caputo’s return to national headlines also revived scrutiny surrounding his controversial tenure at the Department of Health and Human Services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A longtime Republican political operative and Trump adviser, Caputo served as HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs from April to September 2020 before stepping aside following explosive public comments attacking career government scientists.
During an unfiltered Facebook Live broadcast in September 2020, Caputo accused scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of engaging in sedition and attempting to undermine the Trump administration’s pandemic response from inside the federal government. He alleged that a “resistance unit” existed within the CDC and warned viewers about supposed armed “hit squads,” comments that generated immediate alarm across Washington and intensified tensions between political appointees and federal health experts.
Several conspiracy-driven claims
The Facebook Live appearance became one of the most controversial moments of Caputo’s government service. During the stream, he openly discussed the mental strain he was experiencing and made several conspiracy-driven claims that alarmed public health officials and members of Congress. Shortly afterward, Caputo took a leave of absence from HHS as criticism mounted over his handling of government communications during the pandemic. At the time, health experts and former officials accused him of politicizing public health messaging while undermining scientific credibility during a national emergency.
Despite the controversy, Caputo has continued to defend his actions and remained closely aligned with Trump and several figures connected to the president’s political movement. His compensation request now links those earlier political battles directly to the administration’s new “weaponization” narrative promoted by Trump allies.
The debate surrounding the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is expected to intensify as additional claims potentially emerge from former Trump officials, advisers, and allies who believe they were unfairly targeted during previous federal investigations. Legal experts have already raised questions about the transparency and legal standards governing the program, particularly because the review board overseeing compensation requests has not yet been created. Critics argue the structure risks transforming the Justice Department into a mechanism for rewarding political loyalty, while supporters insist the fund represents accountability for alleged abuses committed during prior investigations involving Trump and his associates. Caputo’s filing has therefore become an early test case for how the administration intends to manage one of the most politically controversial compensation programs ever linked to the Department of Justice.
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