A U.S. federal judge, Leonie Brinkema, extended an indefinite block on the Trump administration's $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund on June 12, 2026. [1, 2, 3, 4] The fund was created as part of a settlement from former President Donald Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns. [1, 5, 2, 3, 4] It was designed to compensate alleged victims of government "weaponization" or "lawfare."
No money from the fund has been paid out and no commission to distribute the funds was formed before the block took effect. [2] The Justice Department announced earlier in June it would not proceed with the fund after bipartisan backlash. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Judge Brinkema ordered the Justice Department to submit a sworn declaration within a week stating the fund will not be revived. [1, 3, 4] She noted the fund might "rear its head" in the future given Trump's disappointment that it is not moving forward. [3]
Some Trump allies objected to compensating January 6 Capitol rioters, although Attorney General Todd Blanche did not exclude their eligibility. [2] Plaintiffs suing to block the fund argue it illegally diverts taxpayer money to a slush fund benefiting Trump's allies. [1, 2, 3, 4] A separate judge, Richard Leon, declined emergency intervention but warned the Justice Department, "I give the Justice Department this warning: Don't play possum with me." [3, 4]
Trump denied claims the lawsuit to create the fund was fraudulent or collusive in a legal response filed on June 13. [5] Over the weekend before the June 12 injunction, Trump told "Meet the Press" he wanted to continue with the fund "and pay victims the kind of money that they deserve," saying, "People have been destroyed. Lives have been destroyed." [3, 4]
The initial temporary two-week block on the fund was issued by Judge Brinkema on May 29, 2026. [1, 2] Shortly after, Deputy Attorney General Blanche informed Congress in early June that the fund would not move forward. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The Justice Department must now formally confirm the fund’s permanent cancellation within a week of the June 12 order.
