Judge Blocks Trump’s $1.8bn ‘Weaponisation’ Fund

A US ​judge yesterday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from setting up a nearly $1.8 billion fund to compensate ‌victims of what Trump has called government “weaponization.”

Reuters reports that the order opens new tab by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia blocks the Trump administration from “taking any further action” to set up or operate the fund while the judge hears additional legal arguments. The order will remain in effect at least until ​June 12.

The Justice Department announced the creation of an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” last week as part of an agreement to settle Trump’s lawsuit ​against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax records.

It set up a $1.776 billion ⁠fund overseen by a five-member commission to dole out payments to those who show they were victims of “lawfare” and “weaponization,” terms Trump ​and his allies have used to describe investigations and criminal cases against them.

Friday’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed by a group ​that said it was targeted “by the Trump-Vance administration as ideological or political opponents” and alleged they would be ineligible for payouts from the fund.