Justice Department declines to file declaration on anti-weaponization fund status

The Trump administration on Friday declined to submit a declaration in court from Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that the government is not continuing with a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. In a notice to the federal district court in Alexandria, Virginia, senior Justice Department lawyers said the declaration was unnecessary.

They noted that Blanche had already told Congress the fund is "not going forward, period" and that similar statements appear in prior court filings. The notice argued that requiring testimony from senior Executive Branch officials raises separation of powers issues.

It added that the fund is not moving forward under any name.

Background on the fund The program was created as part of a settlement of a civil lawsuit President Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service in January over the leak of his tax returns. The Justice Department described the $1.776 billion effort as a process to address claims of weaponization and lawfare.

The fund drew opposition from Republicans in Congress who raised concerns that participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack could receive payments. After the program threatened to affect the GOP immigration agenda, Blanche told a House committee the department was not moving forward with the fund.

Lawsuit and court developments The lawsuit was filed by a coalition that includes two nonprofits, the city of New Haven, Connecticut, and a former federal prosecutor. The plaintiffs asked the court to require sworn statements confirming the program will not proceed.