A federal judge in Virginia has extended a court-ordered block on the Trump administration's creation and operation of a $1.8 billion settlement fund, known as the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund,' which was intended to compensate individuals claiming to be victims of a weaponized government. The fund, established by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in May, faced immediate bipartisan backlash and legal challenges from plaintiffs who argued it was an illegal slush fund for Trump allies.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that the fund remains blocked until further notice, rejecting the government's argument that the case is moot after Blanche announced plans to scrap it.
Brinkema noted that President Donald Trump has not publicly endorsed the fund's cancellation and continues to express support for it. The judge gave both sides a week to negotiate an agreement requiring Blanche to submit a sworn declaration that the administration will not revive the fund.
This decision contrasts with a separate ruling in Washington, D.C., where Judge Richard Leon accepted the government's mootness claim and rejected a similar request for a temporary block. The fund was created to resolve Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns, but no money has been disbursed, and the five-member commission to decide payout criteria was never formed.
Plaintiffs include a fired prosecutor and a college professor acquitted of assaulting federal agents at a protest. The case highlights ongoing tensions over the fund, which many Republicans oppose due to its potential to compensate Capitol rioters, despite Trump's mass pardons for those involved in the January 6 attack.