Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a Sunday night memo formally rescinding the $1.776 million “anti-weaponization” fund. However, the memo leaves intact a separate key provision granting broad immunity to former President Donald Trump, his adult children, and their business empire for past conduct.

Signed the day after the fund’s creation, the memo has received less attention but could significantly benefit Trump by potentially helping him avoid a tax bill estimated as high as $100 million, according to a New York Times analysis of his returns.

Blanche rescinded the fund to satisfy GOP senators who demanded written confirmation and were delaying his confirmation vote in committee. Despite this, the immunity order from May 19 remains effective, barring the federal government from investigating, reviewing, or prosecuting any actions by Trump or his family’s business.

Jamie Raskin (Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, introduced legislation earlier this year aimed at blocking the memo’s effect, calling it “the mother of all sweetheart deals.” He criticized the immunity as providing the Trump family with unlimited “get out of jail free cards” for any federal civil or criminal violations.

Trump has long been engaged in disputes with the IRS over audits of his tax returns, with potential liabilities reaching tens of millions of dollars.

Sources