DOJ to Pause ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund After Court Order and Political Pushback
6 verified3 unconfirmed
The Justice Department announced Monday it will abide by a federal court ruling that temporarily blocks the Trump administration’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, a program intended to provide taxpayer-funded payouts to individuals who alleged the federal government was weaponized against them. The fund was established as part of a settlement between President Trump and his own Justice Department stemming from a $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed over his leaked tax returns. A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia issued the pause on Friday while she considers whether to make the order permanent, with a hearing scheduled for June 12. The decision to comply with the court order comes amid significant pushback from Republican lawmakers, with some Senate Republicans expressing concerns that the fund could have delayed legislative priorities. Separately, a federal judge in Florida is questioning whether the settlement underlying the fund was legitimate and has given the president’s lawyers until June 12 to respond.
What’s verified
The Justice Department said it will abide by a court ruling temporarily blocking the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.
The fund was created as part of a settlement between President Trump and his own Justice Department from a $10 billion lawsuit over his tax returns.
A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia blocked the fund on Friday, with a hearing on a longer-term pause set for June 12.
The fund was intended for individuals who alleged the federal government was weaponized against them, including those convicted for their actions on January 6, 2021.
Republican lawmakers expressed significant reservations about the fund, with some threatening to block other legislation over it.
A judge in Florida overseeing the original IRS lawsuit has questioned the settlement and ordered Trump’s lawyers to respond by June 12.
Not yet confirmed
It remains unclear whether the president will permanently abandon the fund, as one source reported that “nothing is final until it’s final.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson met with President Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss the fund, according to a single source.
Democratic Representative Tom Suozzi is pursuing a bill to block the fund permanently, including a discharge petition to force a House vote.
Key figures
Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), President Donald Trump, Judge Leonie Brinkema (Eastern District of Virginia), Judge Kathleen Williams (Southern District of Florida), Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
Sources: NPR, CBS News, vox.com
