Trump scraps 1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" after court block and bipartisan backlash
Donald Trump abandons $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" after court block and bipartisan backlash. The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the president will scrap the controversial program, which aimed to compensate allies allegedly targeted by federal investigations, following a federal judge’s injunction and mounting opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.
The Justice Department (DOJ) had already paused all operations related to the fund on Monday, complying with U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema’s order to halt disbursements, claim processing, and transfers into the fund. Officials told *The Guardian* that Trump’s decision to withdraw the initiative reflects growing concerns over its legality and political viability, particularly after Republican lawmakers raised alarms about potential payouts to participants in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Democrats, meanwhile, had condemned the fund as "self-dealing" and vowed to challenge it in Congress.
The fund, announced two weeks ago as part of a settlement with the IRS, faced immediate legal challenges. Critics argued it lacked oversight and risked becoming a "slush fund" for Trump’s allies, while supporters framed it as a tool to combat perceived government overreach. Axios and *The New York Times* reported that internal White House discussions had shifted toward abandoning the plan entirely, citing the "insurmountable" legal and political hurdles.
With the fund now dead, attention turns to whether Trump will pursue alternative measures to address his allies’ grievances—or if the episode will further strain his relationship with congressional Republicans, who had privately warned against the initiative’s optics. The DOJ has not indicated whether it will appeal Judge Brinkema’s ruling, but officials said the department will "fully comply" with the court’s order in the interim.
Trump scraps 1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" after court block and bipartisan backlash
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Articles
US DOJ to comply with court ruling on anti-weaponization fund The US Justice Department said Monday it will abide by a federal court ruling that halted disbursement of a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, though officials strongly disagreed with the decision amid reports the Trump administration may abandon the initiative altogether.
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