A federal judge declined on Wednesday to block Trump’s $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund, accepting the government’s argument that the Justice Department has already abandoned the controversial initiative.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected a temporary restraining order request from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group that sued to stop the fund. The judge found the case “appears to be moot” based on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s recent testimony to Congress that the DOJ is “not moving forward with the fund, period.”
The anti-weaponization fund was established in May 2026 as part of a settlement of President Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. The fund was designed to compensate individuals claiming they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions or investigations. When announced, it drew immediate bipartisan criticism, with Democrats calling it a “slush fund” for Trump allies.
However, Leon issued a pointed warning during the hearing: “Don’t play possum with this court.” The judge expressed skepticism about the administration’s commitment, noting that Trump himself had recently told NBC’s “Meet The Press” that he thought the weaponization fund was “a great idea.” Leon said Trump “might be doing that… for political benefit to himself.” The judge will still consider CREW’s request for a preliminary injunction, keeping the case active if evidence emerges that the fund is being revived.
The fund remains under a temporary block from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who issued an order on May 29 freezing work on the plan after a separate lawsuit challenged it. Blanche declined to formally rescind the fund in writing when testifying to the House Appropriations Committee, a decision that prompted concern from CREW’s lawyer, who noted that under the settlement agreement, a five-person board must be established by June 17 and the fund transfer must occur by July 17. Without Brinkema’s order in place, legal experts argued there would be no impediment to the administration moving forward with disbursements.
Sources
- CBS News — Judge Richard Leon’s ruling declining to halt the fund and warning the DOJ
- Politico — Details of Leon’s decision and the mootness question
- Justice Department — Official announcement of the anti-weaponization fund and its purpose
