Trump Embraces Cohen's Rant on Government Abuse Amidst Bitter Feud
President Donald Trump has taken a bold step by amplifying a Substack post from his former lawyer and critic Michael Cohen, who accuses the government of unprecedented “weaponization” against political adversaries. Trump’s endorsement of Cohen’s claims is a shocking twist in their tumultuous relationship.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed gratitude to Cohen, alleging that Democrats have weaponized federal agencies against opponents “at levels never seen before.” He demanded that they “should pay the ultimate price for what they have done!!!”
Cohen’s lengthy essay supports the administration’s controversial “anti-weaponization” fund, marking an unexpected alignment between the two despite their bitter public feud.
Trump has long maintained that federal agencies were unfairly weaponized against him and his allies during his presidency and beyond. This narrative has become a cornerstone of his political messaging.
Cohen’s essay, titled “The Price of Proximity,” reveals his support for the anti-weaponization fund, citing his own experiences with the justice system. He describes a relentless “campaign” involving investigations, media scrutiny, and legal pressure.
He claims to have lost his law license, business relationships, and reputation, facing prison time due to what he argues were politically motivated and false allegations.
“If the Anti-Weaponization Fund genuinely exists to compensate victims of politically motivated investigations, selective prosecution, unlawful government leaks, abuse of prosecutorial discretion, violations of constitutional rights, and the deliberate destruction of reputations for political purposes, then I believe my experience stands among the clearest examples of why such a fund should exist in the first place," Cohen stated. "Because what happened to me was never simply about Michael Cohen. It was about Donald Trump. I was collateral damage in a much larger war.”
Cohen, once Trump’s personal “fixer,” later turned against him, becoming a vocal critic after pleading guilty to multiple federal crimes including tax evasion and lying to Congress related to hush-money payments made on Trump’s behalf.
The anti-weaponization fund is valued at approximately $1.8 billion and was established as part of a Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement linked to Trump’s lawsuit over leaked tax returns. As part of this settlement, the IRS is permanently barred from auditing past tax returns of Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization. In return, Trump dropped his damages claims regarding the FBI's 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago and the federal Russia investigation.
The DOJ claims the fund aims to compensate individuals who assert they were harmed by government “weaponization” or “lawfare,” offering monetary payouts or formal apologies.
Supporters argue that the fund is essential for addressing political bias in federal investigations. Critics—including Democrats and several congressional Republicans—have raised alarms about how this substantial sum will be allocated, branding it a taxpayer-funded "slush fund" designed to reward political allies.
The initiative faces intense scrutiny and legal challenges, leaving its future uncertain amid ongoing debates in Washington.
Trump’s choice to promote Cohen’s writing is particularly striking given their fraught history, which includes Cohen serving as a key prosecution witness in Trump's New York criminal hush-money trial. Previously, Trump labeled Cohen a "proven liar," "disgraced felon," and "total sleazebag."
For Trump, endorsing Cohen’s words bolsters his narrative of systemic government overreach. For Cohen, it marks an unusual point of agreement with someone he has vehemently opposed for years, revealing an unexpected overlap between the administration and its critics on one of Washington's most contentious issues.
