Former Trump administration official Michael Caputo said he has filed a claim under the Justice Department’s new anti-weaponization fund, making him the first person to publicly announce a request for compensation through the program.
Caputo, who previously served in President Donald Trump’s administration and worked as a campaign aide, said he and his family were unfairly targeted by federal investigations for political reasons.
In a post on X, Caputo claimed government agencies had been used against his family for nearly a decade.
“The machinery of government was clearly politically weaponized against my family from July 2016 to December 2025,” Caputo wrote. “They found nothing; we lost everything.”
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Caputo also shared a letter he sent to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, saying he had been targeted during the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation. That investigation examined whether Trump’s 2016 campaign had connections to the Russian government.
Caputo, who later served as assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services during Trump’s first term, also said he was targeted in another investigation connected to a documentary he produced for One America News involving former President Joe Biden and Ukraine.
In his letter, Caputo said he is seeking $2.7 million from the fund to help repair the damage he says was done to his family, finances, health and career.
He wrote that the cost of what he described as a decade-long attack is difficult to fully calculate.
Caputo said the investigations drained his savings, damaged his peace of mind, harmed his career and created serious hardship for his family.
He also said he never stopped trusting Trump and believed the president would eventually address what he called an injustice.
The filing is likely to draw attention because the anti-weaponization fund was created to address claims from people who believe they were unfairly targeted by government agencies for political purposes.
Supporters of the fund argue it gives victims of political investigations a way to seek compensation and accountability.
Critics may argue the program risks becoming political itself, depending on how claims are reviewed and approved.
For now, Caputo’s filing marks the first known public test of the fund and could open the door for other Trump allies or former officials to submit similar claims.
Any American—Democrat, Republican, Independent or apolitical—can file claims with the Anti-Weaponization Fund, which are then reviewed by a committee of five.
The fund was established as a result of the IRS illegally leaking the tax returns of the Trump family and around 100… https://t.co/6QS6Op6Eas
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 20, 2026
