A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the DOJ's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' and gave officials one week to submit sworn declarations the fund is dead.
A federal judge in Virginia on Friday issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Justice's $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and gave Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent one week to submit sworn written declarations that the fund is not moving forward.
Judge Leonie Brinkema said Blanche's recent congressional testimony claiming the DOJ would not proceed with the fund was not enough to guarantee that outcome. She pointed to public statements by President Donald Trump after that testimony, which suggested he still wanted the fund to go ahead, according to MS NOW.
The fund was created as part of a legal settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Plaintiffs who sued to permanently block the fund argued it could be used to target political opponents. Brinkema's order freezes any implementation until the DOJ provides the written guarantee she requested.
During a court hearing, Brinkema repeatedly said she needed more than Blanche's word. The judge noted that Trump's remarks after Blanche's testimony raised doubts about whether the DOJ's position would hold. She gave the two officials until next Friday to file sworn declarations under oath that the fund is dead.
The fund's purpose was described as "anti-weaponization," but critics said the language was vague enough to allow the DOJ to direct money toward investigations of political adversaries. The settlement that created the fund resolved Trump's lawsuit claiming the IRS had targeted him unfairly.
Brinkema's ruling is a temporary measure. The plaintiffs are seeking a permanent block. The judge's demand for written declarations puts the DOJ and Treasury in a position where they must formally commit on the record that the fund will not be used. If they refuse or submit a qualified statement, the injunction could become permanent.
The case continues in the Eastern District of Virginia. The DOJ has not commented on the ruling. The one-week deadline means a decision on the fund's fate could come before the end of the month.
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