Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund
A federal judge has temporarily frozen the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund, The Guardian reported Friday. The ruling prevents any money from moving into the controversial vehicle while litigation plays out.
Virginia Court Steps In
US District Judge Leonie Brinkema, a Clinton-era appointee sitting in Virginia, issued the order barring the government from any further steps to establish or operate the fund. The pause follows a refusal by the administration to voluntarily hold off on transfers until at least June 19. That deadline would have given plaintiffs adequate time to brief the court on their case.
The legal challenge was brought by watchdog group Democracy Forward on behalf of several parties. Plaintiffs include a former federal prosecutor who oversaw January 6 cases, a California academic acquitted of charges related to immigration enforcement, the city of New Haven, Connecticut, the group Common Cause, and the National Abortion Federation. Capitol police officers who defended the building on January 6 have separately filed suit in the District of Columbia.
Background on the Fund
The Trump administration unveiled the fund last week as a settlement mechanism for a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump and his sons. That suit alleged damages from the leak of Trump’s tax returns. Rather than mount a legal defense, the government moved to settle using a freshly created $1.776 billion pool of money.
The fund draws from the judgment fund, a standing congressional appropriation used to settle federal cases. Critics argue this approach lets the executive branch spend without specific congressional sign-off, effectively bypassing appropriations oversight.
Criticism Runs Across Party Lines
The fund’s structure has drawn unusually broad opposition. It will be overseen by five commissioners, four appointed by the attorney general and one chosen in consultation with congressional leaders. All five can be dismissed by Trump without cause. There are no eligibility restrictions on applicants and no mandatory disclosure of payments or rationale.
Even some Republicans have voiced alarm that individuals convicted of assaulting police officers during the January 6 Capitol riot could qualify for payments. Opponents describe the arrangement as an opaque slush fund with almost no accountability.
The order is designed to preserve existing conditions and does not represent a final ruling on the merits. A fuller legal briefing is expected before June 19.
Read Next: What Is the Federal Judgment Fund and How Does It Work?
