Trump ‘slush fund’ echoes scorned 19th-century spoils system, academics say

President Donald Trump's $1.776 billion fund to pay allies and individuals claiming past administrations wronged them has drawn criticism as a 'slush fund,' drawing comparisons to the 19th-century spoils system where jobs were distributed to political supporters. The Department of Justice's 'anti-weaponization fund,' created in May 2026, aims to settle a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS over leaked tax returns, with academics noting parallels between Trump's approach and historical patronage practices.