Zachary LeemanMay 22nd, 2026, 12:53 pm

CNN’s Rahm Emanuel does not sound ready to embrace Republicans suddenly “revolting” against President Donald Trump over a $1.8 billion IRS fund deal, describing them as selfish “chumps.”

Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor and chief of staff for former President Barack Obama, joined Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room on Friday where he slammed Trump’s massive fund — as well as the growing number of Republican lawmakers speaking out against it.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have red-flagged a $1.776 billion fund that would be used to pay people who have claims about the Department of Justice or IRS unfairly targeting them. The fund, which critics have largely described as a potential “slush fund” for Trump allies, is part of a deal for the president to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. He sued after a former official with the agency leaked his past tax returns.

Critics fear the fund could simply be used to pay Trump allies, including Capitol rioters who were previously pardoned by the president.

Blitzer noted the backlash and legal questions surrounding a president settling a lawsuit with a government he’s technically in charge of asked Emanuel whether this is a potential “gift” for Democrats going into the midterm elections.

Emanuel predicted the controversial fund will “haunt” Republicans in the midterms and beyond, while also calling out Republican lawmakers who have publicly stood against the fund. The former mayor accused those lawmakers of only speaking up now because the fund could be a story that negatively impacts them directly, all the while ignoring rising gas prices and high costs amid the Iran war.

He said:

[Capitol rioters] were then punished by the Justice Department. They were then pardoned by Donald Trump. And now he wants to pay them. The four P’s. That’s what happened here. And this is not going to happen. And the Republicans are now — they’re revolting only because they’re scared about their own future. What about the future of this country? What about the future of the families that literally can’t pay bills? And gas right now is $1.35 more this Memorial Day than it was back when it was $3.40. Now it’s $4.50 and more in other states. So all of a sudden they’re worried. I mean, in my view, the Republicans in the House and Senate are acting like a bunch of chumps. They’re worried only because it impacts them. But they’ve been silent for the last two years or 18 months while Donald Trump has actually adversely affected working families, made grocery bills, affordable housing, health care costs, all that much more expensive. How about worrying about their future? Not yours.

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!