El senador Thom Tillis (republicano por Carolina del Norte) se opuso públicamente al presidente Donald Trump el viernes después de que el mandatario usara una publicación en Truth Social para defender un propuesto fondo de compensación para personas que describió como víctimas de la persecución gubernamental bajo la administración Biden.

En su publicación, Trump dirigió críticas al senador John Cornyn (republicano por Texas), afirmando: "John Cornyn never had a problem with the so called 'fund,' which will not benefit me, but rather the great American patriots who were hunted down like dogs and whose lives were unfairly and illegally destroyed by the Crooked Joe Biden administration, until after I decided to endorse and support his Republican primary opponent in Texas, who easily won the nomination for the United States Senate."

El Departamento de Justicia anunció el lunes 18 de mayo que crearía un fondo de casi $1.8 mil millones contra la "weaponization". Trump respaldó al rival de Cornyn en la primaria al día siguiente, 19 de mayo. Cornyn perdió su elección primaria cinco días después.

Trump continuó: "Perhaps there has never been a group of people treated so badly in our nation's history."

Afirmó que muchos de los afectados "are suffering still, many ruined, and I felt that they should be given compensation for what has been done to them. I gave up any payments for myself, which would have been substantial, including for the illegal and unprecedented raid on Mar-a-Lago, my home in Florida, even though many legal experts, and others, including John Cornyn, said it was a shocking and disgusting display of 'weaponization' against me. Such an event has never happened before, and hopefully will never happen again!"

La referencia a Mar-a-Lago se relaciona con la recuperación de documentos gubernamentales. Mientras otros exfuncionarios que conservaron materiales pertenecientes a los Archivos Nacionales los devolvieron al ser descubiertos, Trump se negó a cumplir, incluso después de que los Archivos Nacionales indicaran que involucraría al FBI.

Trump añadió: "I will always feel that these victims of government abuse should be paid back for what they were forced to endure, their lives have been ruined! millions of people agree with me, as was proven in my landslide presidential win, where this was a major subject of debate, and so did John Cornyn, until he lost his election to an opponent that I endorsed. Todd Blanche, a good man, should be immediately approved as U.S. attorney general. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Aunque los comentarios de Trump no estaban dirigidos a Tillis, el senador de Carolina del Norte respondió en X, usando las propias palabras del presidente en su contra. El intercambio marca un caso notable de un senador republicano contradiciendo abiertamente al presidente en un tema de alto perfil, especialmente uno relacionado con el Departamento de Justicia y fondos de los contribuyentes.

"The president made it clear today that the so-called 'anti-weaponization fund' is still alive, which is exactly why we are attempting to formally end it," escribió Tillis. "While I never disagreed that the Biden administration pursued a number of vindictive prosecutions related to January 6, the criminals who assaulted police officers and defiled our nation's Capitol are not 'great American patriots' who are 'victims of government abuse.'"

Tillis añadió: "Anyone who attacked law enforcement should still be in prison, not getting a check from the federal government."

Las encuestas realizadas pocos días antes de los indultos mostraron una amplia oposición pública. Según el States United Democracy Center, el 66 percent de los estadounidenses se opuso a indultar a las personas que agredieron violentamente a agentes de policía, y el 65 percent se opuso a indultar a quienes cometieron otros delitos violentos el 6 de enero. Esas cifras subrayan el riesgo político para los legisladores que evalúan apoyar un fondo que podría canalizar pagos a algunas de las mismas personas cubiertas por los indultos.

"Senator Cornyn and I have been working with Acting AG Todd Blanche to end the 'anti-weaponization fund,' and he has been forthright, thoughtful and patient," dijo Tillis. "It’s a shame his confirmation has hit a snag only because an incompetent personal advisor to the president refuses to amend the bogus settlement. I will continue working in good faith to put an end this legal and political albatross and prevent any potential misallocation of taxpayer dollars."

Tillis hizo un comentario similar el jueves, diciendo que no creía que Trump fuera quien impulsaba el fondo. Trump respondió entonces en Truth Social que, efectivamente, quería el fondo.