A federal judge on Friday temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” siding with critics and GOP skeptics who argue the controversial program lacks legal footing and accountability.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, barred the administration from paying claims or moving forward with the fund’s creation while lawsuits challenging it proceed, setting up a key test of the settlement tied to Trump’s IRS case.
The ruling pauses a Justice Department plan to use $1.776 billion in taxpayer money to compensate individuals who claim they were victims of government “weaponization,” a proposal that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny over who could qualify.
Brinkema scheduled a June 12 hearing to decide whether to extend the block, leaving the fund’s future—and any potential payouts—uncertain as legal challenges from advocacy groups move forward
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