WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge indefinitely blocked a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund supported by President Donald Trump on Friday, giving the administration one week to provide a sworn statement that the fund will not go forward.
Judge Leonie Brinkema of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a preliminary injunction blocking the fund.
The judge issued a temporary halt to the fund last week that was set to expire on Friday.
The fund emerged from a settlement agreement between Trump and the Justice Department over the president’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
The Justice Department 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.
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