President Donald Trump on Friday defended the Department of Justice's establishment of a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" to compensate victims of alleged political persecution under the Biden administration.

The DOJ announced the fund as part of a settlement to end Trump's $10 billion suit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns by contractor Charles Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty.

"I gave up a lot of money in allowing the just announced Anti-Weaponization Fund to go forward," he posted on Truth Social. "I could have settled my case, including the illegal release of my Tax Returns and the equally illegal BREAK IN of Mar-a-Lago, for an absolute fortune. Instead, I am helping others, who were so badly abused by an evil, corrupt, and weaponized Biden Administration, receive, at long last, JUSTICE!"

The fund has attracted considerable scrutiny, including from Republicans. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., this week, vowed to "kill" the fund, while Senate Republicans postponed a planned reconciliation vote to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol amid concerns over the fund.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.