Trump settled a lawsuit against his own administration to set up a $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded payout for people he calls victims of "lawfare" — bad news for taxpayers and government transparency.

• Trump sued the IRS over leaked tax returns, and his own Justice Department agreed to a settlement creating a nearly $2 billion fund for "lawfare" victims.
• Congress was not involved, payouts are anonymous, decisions cannot be appealed, and there is no judicial review.
• The fund will pay January 6 defendants after the House Rules Committee blocked an amendment to exclude them.
• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will pick the five-person panel running the fund, and Trump can remove any member.
• The Treasury Department's top lawyer, a Trump appointee, quit over the deal.

Outlook: Payouts begin within 60 days, claims run through December 2028, and with no transparency rules, expect ongoing fights over who actually gets the money.