Trump Justice Fund faces new constitutional lawsuit in Virginia

The Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “Trump Justice Fund,” created by the administration to compensate individuals who claim they were unfairly targeted by previous governments, has been hit with a second federal lawsuit. Plaintiffs – a coalition that includes former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, California professor John Caravello, the city of New Haven, the National Abortion Federation and watchdog group Common Cause – asked a judge in Alexandria, Virginia, to block any disbursements, arguing the fund is unconstitutional, violates federal law and misuses money from the DOJ’s Sentencing Fund.

The suit also claims the fund could be used to pay participants in the Jan 6 Capitol attack or to finance paramilitary groups, which the plaintiffs say would be illegal. Lawyers for the plaintiffs quoted Democracy Forward’s Skye Perryman: “This more recent attempt by the Trump‑Vance government to ‘make great again’ the loot is deeply illegal and will not survive judicial scrutiny.” The fund, overseen by five commissioners appointed by the acting Justice Secretary, has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republican senators, who say it caught them by surprise and may complicate other legislative priorities.

The challenge adds to a growing wave of legal and political opposition to the program, raising questions about congressional authority over federal finances and the limits of executive power.