ALEXANDRIA — A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, temporarily blocked payouts from the Trump administration’s $1.776 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' while litigation challenging its legality remains pending. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued an order barring the government from moving forward with the fund’s creation or disbursement until further legal review.

The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed by the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, which argues the fund lacks a legal basis and sufficient accountability. The group’s attorneys are seeking a permanent halt to the fund’s implementation and any potential payouts. “The unlawfulness that has imbued the Anti-Weaponization Fund from its inception requires that it be wholly dismantled,” the suit says.

The fund was established to resolve former President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. Despite its creation, no money has been paid out, and no claims have been accepted. The Justice Department has also not yet formed the five-member commission tasked with determining payout criteria.

A June 12 hearing is scheduled to determine whether the temporary block on payouts should be extended. At least two additional lawsuits challenging the fund’s legality have been filed separately in Washington.

The plaintiffs in the Alexandria case include a fired federal prosecutor and a college professor who was acquitted of assaulting federal agents during a protest. During a recent congressional hearing, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to rule out the possibility that individuals convicted of assaulting police during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot could be eligible for compensation from the fund. Nearly 1,600 people were charged in connection with the Capitol riot, and over 1,200 were convicted before Trump issued mass pardons, commuted sentences, and ordered the dismissal of all pending Jan. 6 cases last year. The White House declined to comment on the judge’s ruling and referred inquiries to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.