Judge Blocks Trump's $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a preliminary injunction on June 12, 2026, indefinitely blocking the Donald Trump administration's proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund. The $1.8 billion initiative originated from a May 18 settlement resolving a lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns. The fund aimed to compensate individuals claiming they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions, with critics arguing it would improperly pay January 6 Capitol rioters.

Although Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified to Congress and the court that the government was scrapping the fund due to bipartisan backlash, Judge Brinkema rejected the government's mootness argument. She cited Trump's public support for the fund and the administration's failure to formally rescind the establishing directive. Brinkema ruled that the fund violates the separation of powers by encroaching on congressional authority over spending. She ordered Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to provide a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury within one week confirming the fund is dead.

In a separate Washington D.C. case, Judge Richard Leon declined to grant a temporary restraining order, accepting the Department of Justice's claim that the matter was moot. However, Leon warned the agency not to play possum with the court and suggested sanctions if the fund were revived. Meanwhile, Judge Kathleen Williams in Florida ordered the government to address allegations of fraud and collusion regarding the original IRS settlement.