U.S. Judge Extends Block on Trump Administration's $1.8 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund

Federal District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered an indefinite extension of a court‑imposed block on the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion “Anti‑Weaponization Fund.” The fund was created to settle a lawsuit by former President Donald Trump against the Internal Revenue Service over the alleged leak of his tax returns. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the administration was abandoning the fund, but plaintiffs argued the government could not divert taxpayer money to compensate people claiming they were victims of a “weaponized government,” including some who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

The judge gave the parties a week to negotiate a sworn declaration that the fund will not be revived. In a related case, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., denied a watchdog’s request for a separate temporary block, accepting the administration’s claim that the fund is moot. No money has been paid out, and the five‑member commission intended to oversee payouts was never formed. The legal fight reflects bipartisan backlash against using public funds to compensate Trump allies and Capitol rioters.