So, Trump does believe in reparations. Get in line, America!

This is an opinion column published by 205focus.com.

"Do you believe in reparations?"

When that question lands—especially from a white acquaintance—I typically assume we are discussing the long-overdue reconciliation for the monumental harm inflicted on African Americans. I think of the centuries of enslavement, the systematic destruction of Black-owned businesses and neighborhoods, lynchings, Jim Crow laws, and the enduring impact of mass incarceration. These are calls for justice that remain vital.

However, the concept of reparations is technically neutral; it represents any effort to make amends for systemic oppression or human rights violations. Recently, a Republican friend posed the question to me, acting as a deflective shield against my own query: Are you comfortable with Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund?"

That massive payout stems from a settlement after Trump sued the IRS for leaking his tax returns. The legitimacy of this "settlement" faced a fresh challenge this past Friday when U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams agreed to review the deal following a formal motion filed by 35 former federal judges, who labeled the lawsuit a "fraud on the court."

A Slush Fund for Loyalists

The fund appears designed to shower cash upon political allies and supporters who claim they were targeted by the previous administration. Disturbingly, this list could include Jan. 6 seditionists convicted of attacking the Capitol and assaulting police officers. While many Republicans are uncomfortable with this—including Alabama’s own Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, who publicly pushed for the exclusion of those who attacked police—the fund effectively functions as a form of government-sanctioned reparations for loyalists.

If we are doling out taxpayer money to those who attacked our democracy, the lines should be long. Where is the line for Indigenous people, immigrants facing inhumane policies, or working families struggling to afford healthcare after subsidies were gutted? Everyone feeling the sting of rising prices should probably line up for a slice of this pie.

The Real Need for Reparations

Reparations for African Americans are both necessary and justified, given the historic scars that still haunt this nation. The path forward is complicated—debates remain about the form and scope of such redress. For context, if 1,575 people charged for Jan. 6 actions are even being considered for a share of a $1.776 billion pot, one can only imagine the scale of support required for the 50 million descendants of the enslaved in this country.

We have seen models for progress, such as the "Road to Repair" initiative in Tulsa, where Mayor Monroe Nichols committed $105 million to housing and economic development to address the legacy of the 1921 race massacre. At the national level, Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s proposal to form a commission to study and develop reparation proposals remains stalled in a Congress that refuses to address it.

While a fair and open process could help heal our national divide, it is unlikely to happen under an administration that consistently treats Black concerns as an afterthought. Regardless, one thing is now clear: Donald Trump believes in reparations. He just thinks they belong to his inner circle rather than those who actually built this country.