US judge indefinitely blocks Trump's 'anti-weaponization' fund

WASHINGTON - A U.S. judge indefinitely blocked a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund supported by President Donald Trump on Friday, giving the administration one week to provide a sworn statement that the fund will not go forward.

Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a preliminary injunction blocking the fund.

The judge issued a temporary halt to the fund last week that was set to expire on Friday.

The fund emerged from a settlement agreement between Trump and the Justice Department over the president's $10 billion lawsuit ​against the Internal Revenue Service.

The Justice Department set up a $1.776 billion ⁠fund overseen by a five-member commission to dole out payments to those who show they were victims of "lawfare" and "weaponization," terms Trump ​and his allies have used to describe investigations and criminal cases against them.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Writing by Doina Chiacu; editing by Michelle Nichols)

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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 8:05 AM.