A federal judge in Virginia has halted the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) plan to establish a $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, blocking any transfers into or disbursements from the fund until a legal challenge is resolved.

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, issued the order on May 29, 2026, in Eastern District of Virginia case No. 1:26-cv-1399, which was brought by Andrew Floyd and other plaintiffs against the Department of Justice and other defendants. The ruling enjoined the DOJ and Treasury from creating or operating the fund while a legal challenge to its establishment is pending.

The court’s decision, which resets the hearing for June 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., stops all activities related to the fund including transferring funds, reviewing claims, and disbursing money. Judge Brinkema stated that the pause ensures no funds are irreversibly distributed during the litigation.

The Anti-Weaponization Fund was announced by the DOJ on May 18, 2026, as part of a settlement in the case President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service. The initiative arose from an IRS leak that exposed over 400,000 tax returns, including those of the Trump family.

Under the settlement, President Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization filed suit after the leak. The agreement stipulates that they receive a formal apology but no monetary damages. Instead, $1.776 billion from the judgment fund will be allocated to compensate Americans who suffered government weaponization and lawfare.

The fund, which is scheduled to cease processing claims by December 1, 2028, must report quarterly to the Attorney General, protect private information, prevent fraud, and stop accepting new claims. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the fund as part of a broader effort to ensure government machinery is never weaponized against Americans.

The order followed the plaintiffs’ Expedited Motion for Briefing Schedule, which requested an expedited hearing on a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction under 5 U.S.C. 705. While the court denied the expedited briefing request and granted defendants additional time to respond, it upheld the injunction on the fund’s operations.

The administration maintains that the fund provides a systematic process for redressing claims of weaponization and lawfare, but the judge’s order has paused its implementation pending further proceedings.