A federal judge in Virginia on Friday indefinitely blocked the Trump administration’s controversial $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” keeping the program frozen while legal challenges continue and raising fresh doubts about whether the initiative will ever take effect.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia issued a preliminary injunction extending an earlier temporary restraining order that had halted the fund’s creation and operation. The judge also ordered the administration to provide a sworn statement within a week confirming that the fund will not move forward.
Fund Faced Bipartisan Backlash
The Justice Department announced the fund in May as part of a settlement resolving President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax return information. The plan called for establishing a five-member commission to review claims from individuals who said they had been victims of government “weaponization” or “lawfare.”
Almost immediately, however, the proposal drew criticism from Democrats and many Republicans. Critics questioned whether the executive branch could create such a compensation program without congressional approval and raised concerns that Jan. 6 defendants could potentially qualify for payments.
The controversy intensified after Trump declined to categorically rule out compensation for Capitol riot participants during a television interview last week.
DOJ Says Program Is Being Scrapped
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche previously told Congress and federal courts that the administration no longer intended to move forward with the fund after bipartisan opposition threatened broader Republican legislative priorities.
But Brinkema concluded those assurances were not sufficient to dismiss the case. According to court filings, plaintiffs argued that the legal documents establishing the fund remain in place and could theoretically be revived absent a formal cancellation.
The judge kept the injunction in place while directing both sides to negotiate language for a formal declaration confirming the fund’s termination.
Legal Challenges Continue
Multiple lawsuits have targeted the fund since its announcement. Plaintiffs have argued that the program amounted to an unconstitutional use of taxpayer funds and an attempt to create a compensation system benefiting political allies without congressional authorization.
The administration has defended the proposal, maintaining that it was intended to provide relief to anyone who could demonstrate they had been unfairly targeted by the government, regardless of political affiliation. No claims were paid and no commission was ever formally established before the court intervened.
Even as the fund appears headed for cancellation, some Trump allies are reportedly exploring other legal avenues, including claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act, to seek compensation for individuals they believe were wrongfully prosecuted or targeted by the federal government.
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