Chicago – May 30, 2026
A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction halting President Donald Trump’s administration from establishing a nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund intended to compensate allies who claim they were victims of politically motivated investigations.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia ruled on Friday that the Justice Department cannot take any further action to create or operate the fund while legal challenges are evaluated. The order blocks the government from transferring money, evaluating claims, or distributing payouts for at least two weeks.
The fund stems from an IRS settlement with Trump over his leaked tax records, totaling $1.776 billion. Trump has characterized prior government probes into his activities as “weaponization” of federal agencies.
Judge Brinkema, appointed by President Bill Clinton, scheduled a hearing for June 12 to determine whether to extend the block. She emphasized the necessity of preserving the status quo to prevent funds from being “irreversibly disbursed” before full legal briefing. The Justice Department has not yet selected the panel tasked with managing disbursements.
