Trump's DOJ Says It Will Drop ‘Anti-Weaponization' Fund Amid GOP Revolt

The Justice Department said Monday it will comply with a federal court order blocking its proposed "Anti-Weaponization Fund," despite strongly disagreeing with the ruling, as backlash mounted from Republicans over the initiative.

In a statement, the DOJ criticized a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia for barring the fund, which it said was intended to support individuals who believed they had been unfairly targeted or persecuted, regardless of political affiliation.

The department said the fund aimed to address "abuse, harm, and hate" but confirmed it would abide by the court's decision, effectively ending the effort for now.

When reached via email, the White House sent Newsweek the DOJ post on X.

DOJ provided its statement to Newsweek via email, “The Department of Justice disagrees strongly with the decision on the Anti-Weaponization Fund put forth by the United States District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, wherein the Court stated that, under no circumstances, may the Department of Justice proceed with the Anti-Weaponization Fund recently established in order to make up for the tremendous abuse, harm, and hate unfairly shown to so many people. This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise. The Department will abide by the Court's ruling.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday became the latest prominent Republican to break with the Trump administration over its controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, calling the proposal "deeply offensive" and urging that it be scrapped.

Pence's remarks placed him among a growing number of high-profile Republicans who have voiced opposition in recent days, expanding what began as a Capitol Hill backlash into a broader intra-party dispute. His intervention came after some Senate and House Republicans publicly criticized the fund, signaling widening fractures within the GOP over the proposal.

What Was the Anti-Weaponization Fund?

At issue is not only the nearly $1.8 billion in federal money tied to the settlement, but also broader concerns about executive authority, the use of taxpayer funds, and potential eligibility for individuals convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot when Trump supporters sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

The fund was created as part of a settlement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Trump to resolve his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over leaked tax returns. In exchange for dropping the case, the DOJ established the fun, which would allow individuals who claim they were victims of government "weaponization" to apply for compensation or formal apologies through a commission reviewing claims through 2028.

The DOJ described the fund as a “systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.” Trump and his allies have argued that Biden-era law enforcement unfairly targeted conservatives, including through cases involving Trump and some people charged over January 6.

“The Department remains extremely confident in the legality of the Anti-Weaponization Fund which is supported by ample precedent, including Obama-era settlements,” a DOJ spokesperson told Newsweek via email on Friday. “We will not allow the policy preferences of judges to interfere with our efforts to provide restitution to victims of lawfare.”

This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 12:54 PM.