A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from launching its highly controversial $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia issued the order late Thursday, stopping the Justice Department from taking any further action to create or operate the fund. The ruling represents a massive legal setback for President Donald Trump, who spent the week defending the fund against an unprecedented, angry bipartisan revolt on Capitol Hill.
Judge Brinkema’s temporary restraining order completely freezes the operation of the fund while a major legal challenge plays out in court. Under the strict terms of her decision, the government cannot transfer any taxpayer money into the fund, review any claims, or mail any checks to applicants. The judge explained that this temporary pause is necessary to ensure that the administration does not irreversibly disburse public funds before a full, thorough legal review of the program can take place.
The court order follows a lawsuit filed last week by former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd and several other legal advocates. The plaintiffs accused the Trump administration of illegally launching a massive compensation scheme to reward the president’s political allies. They argued that the Justice Department bypassed the constitutional role of Congress, which holds the sole legal authority to allocate taxpayer money. The plaintiffs expressed relief after the judge blocked the payouts, calling the fund an illegal use of public cash.
The controversial $1.776 billion fund officially came into existence last week as part of a highly secretive settlement between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The agreement successfully ended a massive, long-running lawsuit that Trump filed against the government over the illegal leak of his tax returns and the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump originally sought a staggering $10 billion in damages from the government, but he agreed to drop the lawsuit in exchange for the creation of the compensation fund.
Under the terms of the IRS settlement, Trump and two of his adult sons will receive a formal apology from the government, but they will not get any direct monetary payouts from the $1.776 billion fund. However, the deal includes a massive, lucrative benefit for the president’s business empire. The settlement completely bars the Internal Revenue Service from pursuing any further tax audits of Trump or his companies. This audit ban reportedly spares the president from a potential $100 million penalty if tax investigators find any financial wrongdoing.
Instead of paying Trump directly, the Justice Department allocated the remaining $1.776 billion to compensate individuals who claim they suffered political persecution under previous administrations. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the fund before Congress, stating it is meant to support victims of “lawfare” and government weaponization. However, the program does not exclude people who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, raising intense public concern that taxpayers will end up funding convicted rioters.
This controversial payout plan has triggered a massive, rare bipartisan revolt on Capitol Hill. Democrats and over half of all Senate Republicans have united to condemn the project fiercely. Republican Senator Ted Cruz publicly slammed the deal, calling it utterly stupid, morally wrong, and a blatant case of inside dealing. In the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick introduced a bill to block the funding entirely, reflecting a massive drop in Trump’s congressional support.
Trump aggressively defended the fund in a series of late-night posts on his Truth Social platform on Friday. He insisted that he acted highly charitably by accepting the settlement and dropping his own $10 billion lawsuit against the government. He claimed he gave up an absolute fortune of personal cash to allow the Anti-Weaponization Fund to move forward. Trump argued that instead of helping himself, he is using his influence to help ordinary people who suffered abuse under the Biden administration finally receive justice.
This legal and political crisis happens at a highly difficult time for the White House. Trump’s domestic popularity has taken a severe beating due to skyrocketing gasoline prices and the ongoing war in Iran. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed his public approval rating dropped by an extra 1.5% this week, hitting a record low of 34%. This cabinet shakeup and the block on his signature legal fund add massive uncertainty to an administration already struggling to maintain control of its own legislative agenda.
For now, the future of the $1.8 billion fund remains completely locked in legal limbo. The Department of Justice must now prepare to defend the legality of the compensation program at a full-court hearing in Virginia. Until the judge lifts her restraining order, the government cannot mail a single check to Trump’s allies. The landmark court case will test whether a president can bypass Congress to reward his supporters, or if the federal courts will permanently dismantle what critics are calling a multi-billion-dollar corporate slush fund.
