Judge extends block on Trump administration 'anti-weaponization' fund
June 12 (UPI) -- A federal judge on Friday extended an order to indefinitely block President Donald Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund because she does not trust the administration's word that it will not attempt to enact it.
The fund was announced last month and meant to compensate people the Trump administration alleged were targeted by the Biden administration, including people who were convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia in her ruling blocked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr., and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from taking "any action to create or operate" the fund and that they not proceed with the concept "in any manner, or under any name."
Brinkema's ruling builds atop one from Washington, D.C., Judge Richard Leon that they do not believe the administration will not attempt to distribute money in the scheme.
Both judges indicated that they do not believe that the Department of Justice will back off from the plan because no officials from the agency have said they would do so while sworn in and under penalty of perjury.
"When the President of the United States says" that he wants something, referring to Trump, Brinkema said "that's a pretty good indicator there will be an incentive and motive to make it happen," CNN reported.
Even with the fund having been on hold for the last week, at least one person already has attempted to file a claim, to which the federal court responded that it is "not accepting applications"
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 3:31 PM.