The Justice Department's newly announced $1.8 billion settlement fund hasn't opened its doors yet, but hopefuls are already flooding in with applications and demand letters. The unprecedented payout, born from President Donald Trump's settlement with the government over the leak of his tax returns, won't have an official process in place until five commissioners are appointed to oversee distribution. That hasn't stopped applicants from staking their claims.
Trump agreed to drop his legal claims against the government in exchange for the creation of the fund, which is ostensibly designed to compensate Americans who claim they were targets of government overreach. The settlement was signed Monday. The Justice Department's overview to GOP Senate offices describes a massive potential applicant pool, stating that "literally tens of millions of Americans were subjected to improper and unlawful government targeting, including extensive government censorship and aggressive lawfare."
Michael Caputo, a Trump ally and former health department spokesperson, was among the first to publicly request funds, asking for $2.7 million. He claims the government weaponized its machinery against his family from July 2016 through December 2025 and that he was targeted in two separate investigations related to alleged Russian interference and an anti-Biden documentary. Caputo has never faced criminal charges.
Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen is drafting his own application letter, now on what he describes as his third iteration. "My understanding is that no formal application exists. It is done via letter to the Department of Justice," Cohen told NBC News. He learned about the opportunity from television coverage and a public letter from Caputo.
Two lawyers representing more than 400 January 6 participants said they expected their clients to apply through the fund instead of continuing litigation against the Justice Department. Kari Hoffman, whose husband admitted assaulting law enforcement during the Capitol riot, posted on social media that those defendants "deserved payouts" and called for accountability for "what was done to so many American families."
Progressive podcaster Allison Gill, a former Department of Veterans Affairs employee, filed a claim requesting $8.647 million, apparently referencing the mysterious "8647" seashells Instagram photo that the Trump administration cited in its investigation of former FBI Director James Comey. Comey joked on CNN this week that he expected to be in line for a payout as well, though he hoped applicants who "savagely beat police officers and sacked the Capitol" would be lower in the queue.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche must appoint the five commissioners within 30 days of the settlement signing. Congress will have input on one selection, though the president can fire any commissioner at will. Blanche told CNN on Wednesday that violent behavior would factor into payment determinations, but he did not rule out any categories of applicants entirely.
The fund faces mounting legal and political headwinds. Two police officers injured during the January 6 riot sued this week to block it. Both Democratic and Republican senators have objected. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, called it a "payout pot for punks" on Thursday, saying applicants "don't deserve restitution" and "many of them deserve to be in prison." Republican objections reportedly prompted Senate GOP leadership to postpone a vote on funding for ICE and the Border Patrol.
Critics have labeled the fund a "slush fund" with minimal public oversight. The commissioners will issue quarterly reports to Congress listing who received payments, and the fund can be audited, according to administration materials. But legal experts have flagged the lack of transparency surrounding management and decision-making. Disbursements must occur by the end of Trump's term in 2028, though legal challenges could delay or invalidate the entire arrangement.
The Justice Department's fact sheet insists there is "no partisan restriction" and that Democrats can submit claims. Caputo has pointed to cases like Hunter Biden, the former president's son convicted of a gun charge, as evidence of political weaponization across party lines. But all of the examples cited in the department's overview of potential victims align with conservative grievances, from censored online speech to parents "silenced at schoolboards" to churchgoers "targeted by the FBI."
No commissioners have been officially named yet. Mike Howell, head of the Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project, sent Acting Attorney General Blanche a letter on Wednesday pitching himself for a role. Howell argued he was already engaged in the work the fund would pursue and pledged to help destroy what he called the "mythology" created by the "radical left" around January 6. Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official now employed by Howell's outfit, has already said the fund could "make me whole." The D.C. bar recommended Clark's disbarment after he promoted election conspiracy theories following the 2020 election, a move the Trump administration is seeking to overturn.
The guidelines for filing formal claims will be released after commissioners are named. The application process itself remains murky, with some applicants already working under the assumption that detailed letters to the Justice Department constitute valid submissions.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "This fund is the fastest-moving slush pile in Washington history, with people lining up for payouts before the doors are even unlocked. Whether it survives legal scrutiny is anyone's guess, but the rush to apply tells you everything you need to know about who saw this as a political prize."
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