Topline
Former Trump administration official and political adviser Michael Caputo on Tuesday became the first high-profile figure to make a public claim to a payout from the administration’s controversial new $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization” fund, which critics have argued is a means to enrich the president’s allies.
Key Facts
Caputo, who served in the Department of Health and Human Services during President Donald Trump’s first term, announced the move on X, alleging that the government’s “machinery” was “politically weaponized” against him and his family from July 2016 to December 2025.
The longtime Trump loyalist shared the letter he had sent to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and described himself and his family as “survivors of the illegal Russiagate investigations.”
In the letter, Caputo requested “$2.7 million in restitution and reimbursement” from the fund to “help repair what is left of our family,” but noted that “this amount may change” as the costs of the alleged weaponization are “difficult to enumerate.”
The former Trump adviser alleged he was in 2016 illegally targeted by the FBI’s “Crossfire Hurricane” probe into potential links between the Trump campaign and Russian efforts to influence the 2016 Presidential election.
He also claimed the Biden administration opened another probe into him in 2021 for his One America News documentary, which focused on unsubstantiated allegations of corruption involving then former Vice President Joe Biden and the Ukrainian government.
Caputo claimed the second probe lasted till the end of 2025, and both investigations drained his family’s savings, ruined his career, and impacted his health, among other things.
What Is The Trump Administration’s ‘anti-Weaponization Fund’?
On Monday, President Donald Trump voluntarily dropped his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, which alleged that the federal agency failed to protect his tax returns. Shortly after the suit was dropped, the Justice Department announced the creation of a new $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of a settlement linked to the case. Under the terms of the settlement, the U.S. Treasury is required to pay $1.776 billion to the fund within 60 days of the settlement taking effect. In a DOJ press release, Blanche said it was meant for “victims of lawfare and weaponization” of the government, without specifying anyone particular who would be eligible for a settlement. The acting attorney general’s statement added: “As part of this settlement, we are setting up a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.” The fund will have five members appointed by the Attorney General, one of whom will be chosen in “consultation with congressional leadership.” Trump will be have the power to remove any member and the fund will have the power to “issue formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants.”
What Do We Know About Michael Caputo?
Caputo is a long-time political operative and briefly worked as a campaign communications adviser during Trump’s first Presidential primary run. After the Trump election, Caputo remained close to his administration and even published a book and a documentary called the “Ukraine Hoax” in 2020, targeting Biden with unsubstantiated claims and alleging a conspiracy behind Trump’s first impeachment. A few months after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caputo formally joined the Trump administration after being appointed as the Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Public Affairs, making him the HHS’s top spokesperson. During his time in office, Caputo promoted false claims of “left-wing hit squads,” and urged Trump supporters to arm themselves. Earlier in his career, Caputo had served as a campaign adviser to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
Further Reading
Trump Gets $1.8 Billion Payday With ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund As He Drops IRS Case (Forbes)
Blanche Denies Trump Helped Create $1.8 Billion Fund—But New Report Suggests IRS Lawyers Opposed Settling (Forbes)
