Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Border czar threatened force-feeding of hunger strikers — On Fox News, border czar Tom Homan stated the administration would seek a court order to force-feed detainees at Delaney Hall if doctors determined them to be in danger. The threat was made despite DHS's simultaneous denial that any hunger strike exists.

Supporting reports

• DHS denies hunger strike at Delaney Hall ICE facility while detainees report mass strike action — Approximately 300 detainees at Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed ICE facility in Newark operated by GEO Group, are reported by advocates, family members, lawmakers, and detainee letters to be engaged in a hunger and labor strike. The Department of Homeland Security categorically denies any hunger strike is occurring. Congressional visitors documented small food portions containing maggots, delayed medical care including untreated cancer, and detainees held despite winning cases or signed deportation orders. DHS maintains detainees receive three meals daily, clean water, and medical care.

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• Pentagon awarded Dell $9.7 billion contract after Trump stock purchase and promotion — The Pentagon awarded Dell a roughly $9.7 billion contract this week. Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million of Dell stock in February, publicly told people to "go out and buy a Dell," and those shares later climbed. His holdings are not in a blind trust. Defense officials say the deal followed a competitive process and saves money. Watchdogs say the appearance of self-dealing is problematic, and appearance is precisely what conflict-of-interest rules exist to prevent.

Supporting reports

• Trump Jr. profits from drone war through Unusual Machines stake — The Pentagon's $1.1 billion Drone Dominance program is targeting 300,000 low-cost attack drones by the end of 2027. The Trump administration is in talks to direct funding to companies including Unusual Machines, in which Donald Trump Jr. is an adviser and shareholder. Stocks across the drone sector surged 33 to 57 percent on the news of the program. This represents family war-profiteering occurring simultaneously with American personnel injuries at a Kuwaiti air base.

Supporting reports

• Commodity Futures Trading Commission transformed into ally of crypto and prediction market industries — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the agency tasked with regulating cryptocurrency and prediction markets—sectors to which the Trump family has significant financial ties—has cut a substantial portion of its workforce and installed leaders sympathetic to crypto and prediction market companies. The agency has effectively become an ally to the industries it is supposed to regulate, representing regulatory capture.

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• White House intervened in Pentagon loan to company with Trump Jr. ties — The Pentagon announced a $620 million loan to Vulcan Elements, a firm with ties to Donald Trump Jr. A ProPublica investigation found that the request for the loan was made by Peter Navarro, a White House adviser to Trump and a friend of Trump Jr.'s. The intervention represents potential nepotism and misuse of federal lending authority for personal benefit.

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• Trump fined $200 for failing to disclose tens of millions in stock trades — Trump was fined $200 for failing to disclose stock trades worth tens of millions of dollars within the legally required 45-day window. One undisclosed trade involved Trump purchasing up to $50,000 in TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, shortly before he began heavily promoting a UFC event at the White House. The purchase preceded the event and associated publicity.

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• Congress repeatedly rejected or delayed War Powers measures since March — Congress has been repeatedly rejecting, blocking, or delaying War Powers measures since March regarding the Iran conflict. The White House declared on May 1 that hostilities had "terminated," but fighting has continued. The article notes that a ceasefire would be welcome, but that war narrated from press availabilities with Congress kept at the margins is not how war powers are supposed to function constitutionally.

Supporting reports

• Republican senators privately requested elimination of slush fund — More than a dozen Republican senators privately asked Trump advisors to eliminate the $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund, expressing concern that the fund will be difficult to defend on the campaign trail before the fall midterm elections. The senators' private request indicates growing Republican concern about the political liability of the slush fund.

Supporting reports

• Capitol officers sued to block $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund — Officers Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, who defended the Capitol on January 6, filed suit to block the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," a $1.776 billion settlement fund created as part of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. The officers argue the fund is positioned to reward rioters who attacked them, including members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Their complaint invokes the 14th Amendment, which bars paying debts "incurred in aid of insurrection," and argues Trump was functionally on both sides of the case creating the fund. A judge has paused the fund until at least June 12, and no claims have been accepted.
• Complaint filed — Gordon v. Blanche (D.D.C. 1:26-cv-01907) — Two former federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia who conducted January 6 Capitol riot prosecutions filed suit challenging the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," a $1.776 billion settlement fund created by DOJ agreement with President Trump to issue payments and apologies to individuals claiming harm from alleged "lawfare and weaponization" by federal officials and employees. Plaintiffs allege the Fund brands their prosecutions as politically motivated, causing reputational and professional harm, and seek declaratory and injunctive relief under the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional grounds.

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• Federal court blocked Alabama's congressional map as intentionally discriminatory — A three-judge federal panel unanimously blocked Alabama from using its Republican-drawn congressional map in November's midterms, ruling it intentionally discriminated against Black voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution. Two of the three judges were appointed by Trump. The court found it could not require Alabamians to vote under a plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination. Alabama is appealing to the Supreme Court.

Supporting reports

• Judge orders removal of Trump's name from Kennedy Center; blocks summer closure — US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts cannot be renamed without an act of Congress, ordering the Trump administration to remove all signage bearing Trump's name within 14 days. Cooper also temporarily blocked the center's proposed two-year closure for renovations, finding the board's decision "ill-informed and seemingly preordained." Trump responded by instructing the Department of Commerce to arrange a full transfer of the institution to Congress.
• Federal judge orders Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center — A federal judge blocked Trump's effort to shut down the Kennedy Center and ordered his name removed from the building. Trump responded with a multi-thousand-word statement on Truth Social blaming the judge, the judge's wife, Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Lisa Page, Russia investigations, E. Jean Carroll, tariffs, birthright citizenship, and the broader court system. Trump declared the Kennedy Center will "probably never open again" and stated he wants to relinquish control of the center entirely.
• Trump posted social media screed attacking Kennedy Center ruling — President Trump responded to Judge Cooper's order to remove his name from the Kennedy Center with a lengthy social media post in which he claimed he alone was "saving a dying Performing Arts Center" and stated he would "transfer this failing Institution back to" Congress. Trump also complained that the New York Times was criticizing the "magnificent restoration of the Reflecting Pool" and asserted that no president had been treated as unfairly by the courts as he had been.
• Trump threatened federal judge over Kennedy Center drone port project — Trump attacked a federal judge who blocked his planned Kennedy Center renovations, which included a drone port to be built in the White House ballroom. The President's threats against the judge occurred as he simultaneously expressed desire to cancel the "Freedom 250" anniversary celebration and replace it with a MAGA rally after several artists declined to participate.
• Kennedy Center begins removing president's name from signage and materials — The Kennedy Center's general counsel directed staff to remove the president's name from signage, letterhead, and materials by June 12, after U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled on May 29 that the board lacked authority to rename the institution and also blocked its planned two-year closure. The center said it is evaluating its legal options. The ruling restored the principle that public institutions are governed by rules that do not bend to a single person.
• Trump's name removed from Kennedy Center — Lawyers for the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts instructed staff to immediately begin switching the facility's name back to its original title, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The instructions, laid out in a memo sent by the center's general counsel, represent the first official signal that the national arts hub is complying with a federal court order to drop Trump's name and reconsider plans to close for two years of renovations. Changes to interior and exterior signage and furniture carrying Trump's name must be switched back by the following Friday.

Supporting reports

• Judge reopens Trump's IRS lawsuit; orders investigation into $1.8bn settlement — Federal Judge Kathleen Williams in Miami reopened Donald Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit after Trump had dropped it the previous week. The reopening followed a motion from 35 former federal judges alleging the settlement—which included a "forever" bar on auditing Trump family tax returns and a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund—was "a product of collusion and is itself a fraud on the court." Williams ordered Trump's attorneys to respond by June 12 on whether collusion occurred and whether the case should remain reopened, and indicated DOJ officials, including acting attorney general Todd Blanche, may be compelled to testify.
• Judge Kathleen Williams ordered Trump response to judges' filing — U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered Trump's lawyers to respond to the filing by thirty-five federal judges by June 12 and to address the judges' claims that the Trumps and the Internal Revenue Service were not actually adversaries in the case. The order requires Trump's legal team to defend the legitimacy of the lawsuit that the Trump administration used to justify the $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.
• Federal judge orders Trump legal team to respond to IRS lawsuit filing — A federal judge ordered Trump's legal team to respond by June 12, 2026, to a Florida court filing from Judge Kathleen Williams questioning whether fraud or collusion played a role in the dismissal of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS.

Supporting reports

• United States Postal Service proposed mail-in ballot restriction — The United States Postal Service proposed a rule that would send mail-in ballots only to voters registered with the federal government. The proposal would represent a massive expansion of federal control over voting without congressional authorization. The proposal reflects the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to gain control over state voter lists and election administration, efforts that have been repeatedly rejected by courts on the grounds that the Constitution establishes that states run elections.
• Federal judge in Massachusetts blocks USPS mail ballot restriction — A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order in June 2026 blocking the Trump administration's directive to the USPS to restrict mail ballot delivery to voters on federal pre-approved lists. The block applies to the 23 blue states and Washington, D.C. that challenged the order.
• Trump orders DOJ to investigate California elections — Trump ordered the Department of Justice to investigate California elections after his preferred candidate trailed in the state's June gubernatorial primary. The order relied on conspiracy theories to justify the investigation.

Supporting reports

• Lead Left super PAC linked to House Republican leadership in Democratic primary interference operation — Popular Information investigation revealed that Lead Left, a political action committee spending millions to boost Democratic primary candidates with significant political liabilities, is secretly linked to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC of House Republicans. The discovery indicates a coordinated GOP operation to weaken Democratic candidates in primary races by promoting vulnerable nominees, potentially advantaging Republican general-election prospects.
• Two additional progressive super PACs linked to House GOP and Speaker Johnson — A follow-up Popular Information investigation connected two other purportedly progressive super PACs spending millions in primary races to House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). The discovery expands the scope of the covert GOP operation to manipulate Democratic primaries through multiple front organizations.
• California Blue PAC runs coordinated operation benefiting Ken Calvert in primary — California Blue PAC, linked to Republicans, is running ads supporting Democratic candidate Esther Kim Varet in California's 40th Congressional District primary, where Republican incumbents Young Kim and Ken Calvert are competing. Simultaneously, California Conservatives PAC (funded through the same dark-money chain) is attacking Kim. Both efforts benefit Calvert, who chairs the Defense Appropriations subcommittee. The operation uses a jungle primary system to potentially eliminate one Republican incumbent before the general election.
• Real Change PAC email infrastructure reveals GOP coordination — Real Change PAC, a purportedly progressive super PAC attacking Democratic candidates, uses email infrastructure provided by Cavalry LLC, a Republican communications firm founded by Mitch McConnell's former Chief of Staff. Cavalry has received over $10 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) in the 2024 cycle alone. Real Change PAC is attacking Democratic candidates perceived as strong general-election contenders, including Joe Baldacci in Maine's 2nd District and Rebecca Bennett in New Jersey's 7th District, while funneling spending through shell company Four Ponies Consulting LLC to obscure relationships.
• Cavalry LLC provides infrastructure for coordinated GOP attack operation — Cavalry LLC, a Republican communications firm founded by Josh Holmes (Mitch McConnell's former Chief of Staff), provides email and digital advertising infrastructure for Real Change PAC and California Conservatives PAC. FEC filings show Cavalry received over $10 million from the Congressional Leadership Fund in the 2024 cycle and over $5 million in each of the two previous cycles. Cavalry also received over $200,000 in the last month to run digital ads attacking Republican candidate Young Kim.
• Congressional Leadership Fund connected to dark-money chain obscuring election spending — The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), the House Republican super PAC, is connected through a chain of dark-money organizations to California Conservatives PAC and Real Change PAC. The American Prosperity Alliance, a 501(c)(4) dark-money organization, received $5.5 million from the American Action Network (the 501(c)(4) associated with the CLF) in 2024. This funding chain obscures the ultimate source of political spending attacking and supporting candidates in California's 40th Congressional District and other races.
• Four Ponies Consulting LLC used as shell company to obscure PAC relationships — Real Change PAC and California Blue PAC are funneling all spending through a newly created shell company called Four Ponies Consulting LLC. No other federal committee has spent money with Four Ponies, indicating it exists solely to obscure the relationship between the two PACs and their shared vendor, Cavalry LLC. The shell company structure prevents voters from understanding the coordinated nature of the attack operation.
• Super PACs linked to GOP attack Democrats from the left — An investigation by Popular Information has revealed that two super PACs, which present themselves as progressive and have been attacking Democrats from the left, are connected to the Republican Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF). Further investigation linked these PACs to the Republican communications firm Cavalry LLC, exposing their true political motivations. This discovery highlights the use of deceptive tactics in political campaigns to influence voter perceptions and undermine Democratic candidates.

Supporting reports

• Office of Management and Budget proposed federal grant control rule — The Office of Management and Budget, directed by Russell Vought, proposed a sweeping change to federal rules that would place Trump appointees in control of billions of dollars in federal grants. The proposed rule would empower Trump's appointees to terminate grants that do not align with Trump's priorities, including grants awarded to universities through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The rule represents an attempt to politicize the distribution of federal research funding.
• OMB publishes sweeping grant-vetting proposal requiring political approval of federal awards to universities and NGOs — The White House Office of Management and Budget published a 400-page proposal requiring Trump-appointed officials to vet all federal grants to universities and nongovernmental organizations based on "American values" as defined by the president and "demonstrably advance the president's policy priorities." The proposal would bypass peer review, allow grants to be terminated at any time for any reason, ban diversity and LGBTQ+ support, prohibit disparate-impact research, and centralize grant administration under OMB Director Russell Vought. The rule-making process began with Friday's Federal Register publication and would take effect in October.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration pushes for $250 bill featuring Trump's portrait — The office responsible for printing U.S. currency has been pressured by Trump administration officials to design a $250 bill featuring Trump's portrait, according to the Washington Post. The effort represents an unprecedented attempt to place a sitting president's image on currency during his term, violating longstanding norms that restrict presidential imagery to deceased presidents.

Supporting reports

• Trump endorsed Ken Paxton in Texas Republican primary, defeating Senator John Cornyn — President Trump endorsed Republican challenger Ken Paxton in the Texas Republican primary for U.S. Senate, resulting in Senator John Cornyn's primary loss. Cornyn, who had served as a Republican senator from Texas, was defeated in his reelection bid after Trump's endorsement of Paxton. The endorsement represents Trump's use of his political influence to remove a sitting Republican senator from office, signaling potential consequences for senators who do not align with Trump's positions.

Supporting reports

• Trump absent from public view for 72 hours amid Iran conflict escalation — Donald Trump made no public appearances for 72 hours while U.S. military operations continued against Iran. The White House recycled old interview footage featuring his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held press conferences on Trump's behalf. An Iranian ballistic missile struck Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on May 30, injuring approximately five U.S. personnel and contractors and damaging at least two MQ-9 Reaper drones valued at $30–50 million each. The U.S. Navy and UK maritime authority issued warnings to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz regarding upcoming major military operations.
• Trump absent from public view for six consecutive days — Donald Trump has had no public events scheduled for six days, with his last public appearance on May 27, 2026, at a cabinet meeting. On June 2, the White House schedule showed only closed-press policy meetings and a pre-taped interview. Dr. Oz's press briefing stated Trump's health records are "spectacular" and that Trump "aces the test every single day," but did not explain why Trump has undergone four checkups and multiple CT heart scans in a short period.

Supporting reports

• U.S. carried out strikes in southern Iran while negotiating ceasefire — The U.S. conducted military strikes in southern Iran, described by officials as self-defense targeting missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to lay mines near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran reported shooting down a U.S. drone. The strikes occurred while negotiators worked toward a ceasefire in Qatar. By Friday, the administration claimed a peace deal was "very close," which Iran did not confirm. The White House had declared on May 1 that hostilities had "terminated," though fighting has continued.

Supporting reports

• Federal jury convicts three ICE protesters, including army veteran, on felony conspiracy charges — A federal jury in Spokane, Washington, found three protesters—including US Army Sergeant Bajun Mavalwalla—guilty of felony conspiracy charges for their participation in a June 2025 protest against ICE. The defendants face up to six years in prison and $250,000 fines. Legal experts and local officials have characterized the prosecution as a serious escalation in attacks on First Amendment rights. The acting US attorney for eastern Washington resigned rather than sign the indictment, citing lack of injury to officers or protesters.

Supporting reports

• Department of Justice files charges against protester at ICE detention center — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Department of Justice filed criminal charges against a protester who allegedly kicked and bit an ICE officer outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The filing occurred amid escalating clashes between federal agents and demonstrators protesting conditions inside the facility and supporting detained immigrants engaged in a hunger and labor strike.

Supporting reports

• Pam Bondi testifies before House committee on Epstein files handling and admits to redaction errors — Former Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared for a transcribed deposition before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on May 29, 2026, to answer questions about the Department of Justice's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files under her leadership. Bondi admitted to "redaction errors" in the released files but defended the department's overall compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She stated she delegated oversight to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche rather than leading the effort herself. Democratic lawmakers reported that Bondi refused to answer questions about Donald Trump's involvement in the release or direction of redactions.
• Pam Bondi testifies before House oversight committee on DOJ's handling of Epstein files — Former Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Oversight and Reform Committee to answer questions about the Department of Justice's handling of Jeffrey Epstein case files during her tenure. Bondi testified that Todd Blanche, her deputy and Trump's nominee to replace her as attorney general, was "in charge" of the entire release of Epstein files. She acknowledged redaction errors but defended the department's commitment to transparency. Bondi also stated she had no involvement in Ghislaine Maxwell's prison transfer and declined to discuss conversations with Trump.
• DOJ attorney intervened to block congressional questions about Trump's role in Epstein file handling — During Bondi's appearance before the House Oversight Committee, a Department of Justice attorney sat beside the former Attorney General and personally intervened to shut down questioning whenever Democrats asked about Donald Trump's role or knowledge regarding the Epstein files. Congresswoman Stansbury (D-NM) stated that "The United States Department of Justice is intervening on behalf of Pam Bondi to stop her from answering questions about what happened in the cover-up of this case and her conversations with Donald Trump." Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) reported asking Bondi five separate times about her conversations with Trump; she refused to answer all five times due to DOJ intervention.
• Pam Bondi refused oath, filming, and questions about Trump at House Oversight Committee deposition on Epstein files — Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on May 29, 2026, for a hearing on the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein files. Bondi refused to be sworn in, refused to be filmed, and refused to answer questions about her conversations with Donald Trump regarding the Epstein investigation. A DOJ attorney sat beside her and intervened to block questions about the president. Democrats objected strenuously; Chairman James Comer (R-KY) blocked requests for oath and video recording.
• Bondi blamed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for Epstein file mishandling — During her testimony, Bondi deflected responsibility for the Justice Department's handling of Epstein files by attributing all critical decisions and failures to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. When questioned about redaction failures that exposed survivors' names while protecting Epstein's co-conspirators, and about Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer to a less secure prison facility, Bondi referred questions to Blanche and the Bureau of Prisons. The Democrats' Oversight account noted that under Bondi's tenure, one survivor's name appeared over 500 times in released documents while co-conspirators remained redacted.
• Attorney General Bondi testified on Epstein Files release compliance — Attorney General Pam Bondi testified behind closed doors before members of the House Oversight Committee regarding the Department of Justice's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Bondi acknowledged "redaction errors" but stated the department had been "committed to accountability and transparency" since the process began. House Oversight Chair James Comer downgraded her appearance from a formal deposition to a transcribed interview, meaning she would not answer questions under oath and proceedings would not be videotaped. Bondi deflected responsibility to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in her opening statement.

Supporting reports

• Bipartisan group of ex-federal judges files lawsuit challenging Trump's $1.8bn anti-weaponization fund — Thirty-five former federal judges, including conservative J. Michael Luttig and former district judges Nancy Gertner and Shira Scheindlin, filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida on May 29 seeking to reopen Trump's IRS case. They argue the $1.776bn settlement fund is "a product of collusion and a fraud on the Court," claiming Judge Kathleen Williams may have been deceived before approving it on May 18. The judges contend the fund was created to distribute taxpayer dollars to Trump's political allies, including those convicted in the January 6 Capitol riot.
• Thirty-five federal judges requested Trump lawsuit reopening — Thirty-five federal judges filed a request that U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams reopen a legal case that Trump, his oldest sons, and the Trump Organization had brought against the Internal Revenue Service. Although the Trumps had dropped the suit, the Department of Justice used it as justification for establishing the $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund to compensate those claiming the legal system had been "weaponized" against them for crimes related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The judges' filing challenges the legitimacy of the fund by questioning whether the Trumps and the IRS were actually adversaries in the case.
• Thirty-five former federal judges challenge Trump IRS settlement as fraud on the court — A group of thirty-five former federal judges, appointed by members of both political parties, filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams to reopen the legal case Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization brought against the Internal Revenue Service. The judges alleged that Trump and his organization dropped the lawsuit and announced a "settlement agreement" with the Department of Justice as a pretext to justify a $1.776 billion slush fund for paying off those convicted in connection with Trump's schemes to overturn the 2020 election results. The judges characterized the lawsuit and settlement as "fraud on the Court," noting that Trump was simultaneously the plaintiff and the person in charge of the IRS, and that the settlement lacked constitutional or congressional authority.
• Florida court ordered Trump to respond to retired federal judges' filing on slush fund — A federal court in Florida ordered President Trump to respond to a filing by 35 retired federal judges who are requesting an investigation into the Anti-Weaponization Fund and the dismissal of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS. The retired judges' filing alleges possible "collusion" in the case. This represents an early procedural victory for the judges in their challenge to the fund.

Supporting reports

• Federal judge issues temporary order blocking "anti-weaponization" fund — A federal judge issued a temporary order preventing the Trump administration from establishing the nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund while a lawsuit seeking to stop it is considered. The fund, which originated from a settlement after Trump sued the IRS over disclosure of his tax returns, had been proposed to compensate individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol attack.
• Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump's $1.8bn Anti-Weaponization Fund — US District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued a temporary restraining order on Friday barring the Trump administration from transferring money into or taking further action on a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." The fund was created to settle a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump and his sons over leaked tax returns, without the government mounting a legal defense. The order preserves the status quo pending legal arguments in a challenge brought by Democracy Forward and other plaintiffs, preventing irreversible disbursement of taxpayer funds.
• Judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily blocked Anti-Weaponization Fund — U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a temporary order halting the Department of Justice from creating, operating, or distributing funds from the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund, a $1.776 billion slush fund established by the Trump administration to compensate those convicted of crimes related to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The order prohibits the administration from transferring money to the fund, considering claims for payment, or paying out any funds. Brinkema scheduled a hearing on the case for June 12. The plaintiffs challenging the fund are people and entities prosecuted or threatened by the Trump administration who argue they are not being treated equally with Trump loyalists in compensation claims.
• Motion granted — Floyd v. Department of Justice (E.D. Va.) 1:26-cv-01399 — Judge Brinkema enjoined Defendants from taking any action related to the creation or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, including transferring money to the Fund, considering submitted claims, or disbursing any funds. Judge Brinkema also denied the Plaintiffs' motion for expedited briefing and granted the Defendants' request for additional time.
• Federal Judge Brinkema temporarily blocked Trump's $1.776 billion fund for fraudsters and insurrectionists — Federal Judge Brinkema issued a temporary block on any further action involving Trump's $1.776 billion fund, preserving the status quo while litigation moves forward. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 12, 2026. The fund was characterized as being for "fraudsters and insurrectionists."
• Federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund — U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Department of Justice from taking further action on the creation or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, a $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded initiative. The order blocks the transfer of money to the fund, consideration of claims, and disbursement of funds while plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction is pending. Judge Brinkema scheduled a hearing for June 12 to hear further arguments on the case.
• Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump's $1.776 Billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from creating or operating a planned $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" designed to compensate individuals who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government, potentially including those Trump pardoned for Jan. 6 involvement. The order prohibits consideration of submitted claims and disbursement of funds pending a June 12 hearing.