Trump’s Slush Fund Is Even Worse Than You Thought

Trump’s Slush Fund Is Even Worse Than You Thought

From Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts by Slate Podcasts

May 23, 2026 · 1h 12m

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of Donald Trump's $1.8 billion settlement fund and its corrupt design to protect the Trump Family and reward loyalists.

Donald Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" settlement fund has stunned legal experts—not just because it's corrupt, but because of how skillfully and transparently it is designed to protect the Trump Family and reward loyalists. On this week's Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick brings together two of the sharpest observers of Trump-era lawlessness to map exactly what this is and why it matters. J.P. Cooney, a career federal prosecutor and former top deputy in Jack Smith's special counsel's office, explains how President Trump sued his own IRS as a private party, settled the case through attorneys who have also been his personal lawyers, and then secured an addendum—signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche—immunizing Trump and his family from any IRS audit or tax-enforcement proceeding. Cooney calls it "practiced, skillful corruption".  As Investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein, host of The Law According to Trump , author of American Oligarchs , and a veteran of five Trump trials, points out, this settlement enshrines Trumpian language— such as "unlawful raid at Mar-a-Lago" and "Russia collusion hoax"—in official U.S. government documents. Bernstein says it’s vital to be…

People in this episode

Host: Dahlia Lithwick

Guests: J.P. Cooney, Andrea Bernstein

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: IRS, The Law According to Trump, American Oligarchs

Places: Mar-a-Lago

More episodes of Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts podcast page.