Trump Administration Creates Fund for Jan. 6 Rioters Amid Controversy

The possibility of those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot receiving financial compensation from the very government they attacked is a new and controversial development in President Trump’s ongoing efforts to reshape the narrative surrounding the events of that day.

Creation of the Fund

Antony Vo was at a friend’s house when he received a message from another pardoned rioter. The Trump administration established a fund to support those who believed they had been wronged by federal authorities, including individuals like him who participated in storming the Capitol.

Vo briefly fled the country to avoid his prison sentence related to the riot. He was initially unaware that the fund emerged from a larger agreement involving President Trump withdrawing a significant lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Vo commented that the fund’s origins mattered less than the sense of surprise, relief, and gratitude it brought him.

Reactions Among Jan. 6 Participants

The fund’s creation elicited a variety of reactions among those who took part in the Capitol attack. Many aligned with Mr. Trump, viewing efforts to hold them accountable as unjust treatment by the criminal justice system. For some, the fund validated their belief of victimhood by the government, while others felt pleased, yet surprised, at the potential financial payout.

Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys sentenced to 22 years for seditious conspiracy related to the riot, expressed mixed emotions, noting the many questions about the claim process but seeing the fund’s creation as a positive step.