Trump is pushing a $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund to pay people who claim Biden's DOJ targeted them, including January 6 rioters and possibly Trump-linked entities — bad news for taxpayers and government accountability.

• Trump is suing his own government for $10 billion over a 2019 leak of his tax records and wants to settle for a $1.7 billion compensation fund instead.
• The fund would pay out to roughly 1,600 January 6 defendants and others who say they were wronged by the Biden administration.
• A five-person commission Trump can fire at will would hand out the money, with no requirement to disclose who gets it or why.
• The timing is rushed because a judge was about to rule on May 20 whether Trump's lawsuit against the IRS could even proceed.
• Critics warn this sets a precedent for future presidents to funnel billions to their own allies and supporters.

Outlook: The settlement faces heavy legal and ethical pushback, but if it goes through it opens the door to taxpayer-funded payouts to a president's political allies.