Whatley Backs Trump’s $1.8B Fund Despite Tillis Opposition
Republican Senate hopeful Michael Whatley breaks with Sen. Thom Tillis to support Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund for prosecuted supporters.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley has thrown his support behind President Donald Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” despite opposition from the man he hopes to replace, Sen. Thom Tillis.
Speaking at a Brunswick County GOP event on Wednesday, Whatley committed to backing the fund that would compensate Trump supporters prosecuted during former President Joe Biden’s administration. The proposal has faced strong objections from senators across party lines and led to the collapse of planned votes on immigration enforcement funding.
Whatley Defends Trump’s Position
“I will be because I have been with him since 2015,” Whatley said in remarks captured on audio and first reported by Punchbowl News. “We’ll see how they implement it and what they’re going to do with it. I mean, they overstretched with the ridiculous persecution.”
The statement puts Whatley at odds with Tillis, who has emerged as one of the most vocal Republican critics of the compensation fund. A spokesman for Whatley did not respond to a request for comment on the candidate’s statements.
Senate Republicans Block Border Funding
The controversy over Trump’s fund caused Senate Republicans to abandon plans for a vote to fund ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday. The fund stems from a settlement between Trump and his own Department of Justice over the leaking of his tax returns during his first presidential term.
Republican senators have expressed particular concern about potential payouts to January 6 rioters, prompting Capitol police officers who served that day to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to halt the fund.
Tillis Condemns Fund as “Payout Pot”
After meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Tillis delivered sharp criticism of the proposal, calling it a “payout pot for punks” and “stupid on stilts,” according to CNN reporting.
“Under what circumstances would it ever make sense to provide restitution for people who either pled guilty or were found guilty in a court of law?” Tillis said. “I mean, my God, do you see where this would head? These people don’t deserve restitution.”
The divide between Tillis and his potential successor highlights the ongoing tension within the Republican Party over Trump’s approach to addressing what he considers politically motivated prosecutions from the previous administration. Whatley’s backing of the fund reinforces his alignment with Trump’s agenda as he seeks to win the Senate seat in the upcoming election.
