US judge indefinitely blocks Trump's 'anti-weaponisation' fund

A US judge has indefinitely halted a controversial US$1.8 billion "anti-weaponisation" fund championed by the Trump administration. US District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia issued a preliminary injunction, effectively blocking the fund's creation while legal proceedings continue. The Justice Department has been given one week to submit a sworn statement confirming the fund will not move forward.

Judge Brinkema stated that public pronouncements from the Justice Department were insufficient to prevent her from ruling on the legality of the plan. She found it "problematic" that the administration sought to establish a pool of taxpayer money intended to benefit a select group, particularly when many Americans view the actions of this group as "unacceptable."

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problematic

The lawsuit challenging the fund was initiated by a coalition of individuals and organizations who allege they were victims of political targeting during the Trump administration. These plaintiffs argue they would be excluded from receiving any compensation from the proposed fund. The fund itself originated from a settlement agreement between Trump and the Justice Department concerning Trump's US$10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

The Justice Department had established the US$1.776 billion fund, overseen by a five-member commission, to disburse payments to those demonstrating they were victims of "lawfare" and "weaponization." These terms have been frequently used by Trump and his allies to describe investigations and legal cases brought against them. Despite acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's previous statements to lawmakers that the administration was not proceeding with the plan, he declined to commit this in writing. Trump's continued public support for the fund's concept has fueled uncertainty regarding the administration's actual intentions.

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unacceptable