A dozen Republican senators tried to permanently strip President Trump's controversial $2 billion anti-weaponization fund from the Big Beautiful Bill — and they got bodied by their own caucus. The amendment failed, the fund survived, and twelve senators learned the hard way that playing maverick against Donald Trump in 2026 is a losing bet.
Twelve Republicans walked into a buzz saw and the buzz saw won.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina led the charge, proposing an amendment that would have permanently killed the fund and diverted the money to the nation's fraud fund. Tillis pitched it as common sense: "Why not use this moment to codify that?" He even tried to frame it as doing his colleagues a favor, warning, "Otherwise, you're exposing every one of our members who are in cycle to have to deal with this."
Nobody bought it.
The $2 billion fund was announced last month as part of a Trump family-IRS settlement, and it sits inside a $70 billion GOP immigration enforcement package. Democrats hate it. Some Republicans aren't thrilled either. But here's the thing — Trump loves it. And he said so himself from the Oval Office: "The weaponization fund, as far as I'm concerned, was a beautiful thing. I love it."
That's the ballgame right there.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche tried to throw the rebels a lifeline, stating the administration wouldn't actually pursue the fund. But as Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky pointed out, that's not a reason to codify its elimination. "Well, then address it if he tries to do it, if it's unpopular. People can address it," Paul said. Translation: stop panicking about a hypothetical and let the president have his win.
What makes this even more entertaining is who lined up against the fund. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — a man who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial — co-signed an amicus brief against the fund alongside Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey. When you're filing joint paperwork with Cory Booker to oppose a Republican president's agenda, you might want to check which party you belong to.
Cassidy has a separate amendment still pending, so this saga isn't quite over. But the big vote is done, and the rebels lost. Both Republicans and Democrats voted to shut down Tillis's amendment, which means the anti-weaponization fund lives to fight another day.
Trump was asked whether the fund would actually be used, and he gave a classic Trump answer: "I'd have to ask the lawyers. I don't know." Beautiful. He doesn't even know if he'll use it, and twelve senators still couldn't kill it.
The Big Beautiful Bill keeps rolling, the $2 billion fund stays intact, and a dozen senators who thought they could play spoiler just reminded everyone why Trump runs the party. You don't have to like every provision in the bill. But if your strategy is "team up with Democrats to embarrass the president," you deserve exactly what you got.
As Fox News reported, the fund survived the rebellion with room to spare. Twelve Republicans tried to be mavericks. The Senate said no thanks.
Better luck next time, fellas.
