The announcement that President Donald Trump’s IRS lawsuit settlement could result in the creation of a $1.8 billion “slush fund” for the benefit of J6 rioters has drawn no shortage of outrage, including from some surprising critics. One example came Tuesday morning, when famed podcaster Joe Rogan not only declared the fund “crazy,” but drew a comparison between Trump and the bloodthirsty son of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. To understand Rogan’s assertion, it’s important to know about a key stipulation of Trump’s settlement. Not only would the agreement establish the fund for those who were supposedly targeted by the Biden administration, but an addendum bans the IRS from auditing Trump, his family, or his organization “forever.” In Rogan’s estimation, this amounts to an open-ended get-out-of-fail-free card that could be monstrously abused.“That is so crazy,” Rogan said while speaking with podcast guest Tom Segura. “Imagine like somebody accused you of murder, yeah, and turns out you weren’t guilty of that murder, and then you sue them and you go, ‘You can never prosecute me for murder again.’ And then you just go straight Uday Hussein.” This was in reference to the eldest son of Saddam Hussein, who was notorious for his brutality, allegedly engaging in countless acts of torture, rape, and murder, which he committed without fear of consequences due to his protected status as the heir to a dictator. Rogan is saying, in effect, that the settlement allows Trump and his allies to go on an unrestricted tax crime spree. As the Daily Beast notes, “The order also includes a block on ‘any matters that were raised or could have been raised’ in Trump’s suit, as well as ‘any matters currently pending or that could be pending.’”“This is crazy,” Rogan repeated upon learning these details.He isn’t the only one who thinks so. Even Republican lawmakers who have stood by with little to no criticism of the president for 18 months have reacted with open shock and outrage. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) deemed it “stupid on stilts,” and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) raged, “So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong — take your pick.” Meanwhile, convicted J6 insurrectionists already say they look forward to payments as high as $30 million.While Rogan played an instrumental role in Trump’s election, with a final-hour endorsement on his podcast — the most listened to in the world — contributing to the last-minute push the candidate needed for a narrow win, the influential figure has voiced growing opposition to the president’s actions and policies. Rogan has called the war with Iran “insane,” compared Trump’s ICE surge to “Gestapo” tactics, and expressed frustration at the administration’s handling of the Epstein files. He also took aim at the wider MAGA movement, claiming in March that it is full of “unintelligent dorks.”
