DOJ Abandons $1.8B 'Anti-Weaponization' Fund After Bipartisan Backlash and Court Orders

The Justice Department has abandoned plans to establish a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" after facing intense bipartisan opposition and two federal court interventions. The fund was proposed to compensate people who say they were unfairly targeted by the DOJ during the Biden administration and was tied to President Donald Trump’s decision to drop a separate $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax records.

Planned Funding and Oversight

The Trump administration’s controversial $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund has collapsed. By: MEGA

DOJ had announced that $1.776 billion from the federal Judgment Fund — a permanent appropriation used to resolve government litigation — would be set aside to create the Anti-Weaponization Fund. The department said it would provide quarterly reports to the attorney general detailing who received payments and the relief granted.

Court Interventions and Legal Challenges

GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick introduced legislation before the Memorial Day recess seeking to block taxpayer money from being used for the initiative. By: MEGA

In late May, two federal judges intervened. On May 29, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia temporarily barred the administration from creating or operating the fund, including transferring money or reviewing claims, and scheduled a June 12 hearing to consider an extension of that pause. Hours later, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams of the Southern District of Florida reopened the president’s original IRS lawsuit — which Mr. Trump had voluntarily dropped after the settlement that produced the fund — and ordered an investigation into the settlement agreement, directing the administration to respond to allegations of collusion and possible fraud within two weeks.

Political Pushback

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the deal ‘pure fraud and highway robbery.’ By: MEGA

The proposal quickly drew criticism from both parties. Several Republican lawmakers reportedly threatened to block other administration priorities unless the fund was scrapped. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick introduced legislation to bar taxpayer money from funding the program, and Senate Republican leader John Thune urged that the administration should shut it down voluntarily. Democrats escalated the legal fight: the House Democrats’ Litigation Task Force filed a motion seeking a court order to block what it described as an unconstitutional, taxpayer-funded settlement tied to what Democrats called a "sham" lawsuit. Rep. Jamie Raskin publicly denounced the arrangement in forceful terms.

DOJ Response

The Trump administration retreated from its position on the Anti-Weaponization Fund following two major legal setbacks in late May. By: Unsplash

The Justice Department said it "disagrees strongly" with the Eastern District of Virginia judge’s decision but confirmed on June 1 that it would abide by the court rulings and would not move forward with the fund. The department’s statement said the DOJ objected to the court’s limitations but would follow the order.

What Happens Next

Legal proceedings tied to the original settlement and the creation of the fund are ongoing. Judge Brinkema’s June 12 hearing and Judge Williams’s inquiry into the settlement could shape whether similar remedial efforts are possible in the future and whether additional litigation or legislative action will follow.

Bottom line: The Anti-Weaponization Fund has been suspended after strong bipartisan criticism and judicial rulings, and the DOJ says it will comply with the courts even as it voices disagreement.