Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-01

ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND

TaxesEthics

Context

On 2026-06-01, Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) delivered a floor speech titled "ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND" in the Senate.

Full Text

ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2462-S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the press reports that Trump says he will table his $2 billion MAGA slush fund, but a promise from Trump is worthless. If Trump and Republicans are truly abandoning this corrupt scheme, they should have zero problem banning it in law. This week, Senate Democrats will push legislation to ban this slush fund and ensure no President can ever do this again. Trump's word is nowhere near enough. Donald Trump's attempt to establish this trust fund alone is one of the most glaring cases of corruption in American history. Trump's slush fund is the textbook definition of self-dealing. Trump sued himself, settled with himself, and then Trump gives himself and his family immunity to evade their taxes; and Trump makes you, the American taxpayer, pay for it all. This slush fund could never have passed the smell test. At a time when Americans can barely afford to fill their tanks, to keep the lights on, put food on their table, Trump wants the American people to pay for handouts for MAGA billionaires, cop-beating January 6 insurrectionists, and his own family. He wanted no transparency, no oversight, no accountability. It is disgusting. Now Trump is claiming that the slush fund is dead for now, but Democrats will not stop until it is well and truly buried and can never see the light of day. Democrats are going to make sure this slush fund is dead and cannot be revived just like we did with the ballroom. Republicans can try to wriggle their way out of answering for this corruption, but it won't work. If Republicans try to force through their reconciliation bill again, the first amendment I will offer will be to ban the slush fund permanently and forever. If Republicans try to meddle with the appropriations process to do Trump's bidding, we will fight it there too. And if Republicans try to use toothless constraints to make the slush fund more palatable, we will press them to dismantle it entirely. For something as inherently corrupt as this slush fund, half measures won't cut it. You don't fix a corrupt slush fund by relying on the word of the most untrustworthy President we have ever had; you ban it. The slush fund is rotten to the core. Democrats will make sure Republicans vote on it no matter what. This is corruption in broad daylight, and Republicans are foolish to think they can hide in the shadows. [[Page S2463]] ____________________

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ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 92 (Monday, June 1, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2462-S2463] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, the press reports that Trump says he will table his $2 billion MAGA slush fund, but a promise from Trump is worthless. If Trump and Republicans are truly abandoning this corrupt scheme, they should have zero problem banning it in law. This week, Senate Democrats will push legislation to ban this slush fund and ensure no President can ever do this again. Trump's word is nowhere near enough. Donald Trump's attempt to establish this trust fund alone is one of the most glaring cases of corruption in American history. Trump's slush fund is the textbook definition of self-dealing. Trump sued himself, settled with himself, and then Trump gives himself and his family immunity to evade their taxes; and Trump makes you, the American taxpayer, pay for it all. This slush fund could never have passed the smell test. At a time when Americans can barely afford to fill their tanks, to keep the lights on, put food on their table, Trump wants the American people to pay for handouts for MAGA billionaires, cop-beating January 6 insurrectionists, and his own family. He wanted no transparency, no oversight, no accountability. It is disgusting. Now Trump is claiming that the slush fund is dead for now, but Democrats will not stop until it is well and truly buried and can never see the light of day. Democrats are going to make sure this slush fund is dead and cannot be revived just like we did with the ballroom. Republicans can try to wriggle their way out of answering for this corruption, but it won't work. If Republicans try to force through their reconciliation bill again, the first amendment I will offer will be to ban the slush fund permanently and forever. If Republicans try to meddle with the appropriations process to do Trump's bidding, we will fight it there too. And if Republicans try to use toothless constraints to make the slush fund more palatable, we will press them to dismantle it entirely. For something as inherently corrupt as this slush fund, half measures won't cut it. You don't fix a corrupt slush fund by relying on the word of the most untrustworthy President we have ever had; you ban it. The slush fund is rotten to the core. Democrats will make sure Republicans vote on it no matter what. This is corruption in broad daylight, and Republicans are foolish to think they can hide in the shadows. [[Page S2463]] ____________________