Raskin’s Stance on Trump’s Settlement Funds

During an appearance on CNN’s “The Source” on Thursday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) expressed that President Donald Trump “should not receive any funds in settlements with the federal government while in office.”

Host Caitlan Collins pointed out the ongoing Senate discussions, mentioning that insufficient Republican support could hinder the president’s ability to access a fund meant to compensate his political allies in the future. She asked Raskin for his expectations regarding the outcomes.

Raskin responded, stating, “We have strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and House that opposes this federal heist affecting taxpayers. People are not in favor of $1.8 billion being allocated to support Donald Trump’s private interests. I’m encouraged by Thom Tillis’s firm stance on this issue. I’m hopeful that any Senate decision will lead to measures that can be quickly adopted by the House to stop this.” He noted his efforts to introduce legislation aimed at closing this fund, though it has been stalled due to a federal district court in Florida ruling that there was no fraud in the case.

Additionally, Raskin mentioned, “I proposed a bill today to ensure the president cannot access any funds. The conversation isn’t just about the specific account they’ve set up. It concerns all funds available. This is essentially about Trump versus Trump, and he shouldn’t be able to use any federal tax dollars for lawsuits against him. When it’s Trump versus Trump, Trump often comes out on top, which is exactly why we believe he should be barred from utilizing these funds.” He further asserted that the efforts to allow the president—or his family and corporations—to operate with immunity or access federal settlement money would not receive backing from the Justice Department.