Alexandria, Va. — A federal court today granted plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, blocking the Trump-Vance administration from implementing its $1.776 billion so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” while litigation challenging the program moves forward.
The plaintiffs include former career federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, Professor Jonathan Caravello, the City of New Haven, the National Abortion Federation, and Common Cause. Plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward.
The court’s order halts the Trump-Vance administration’s slush fund while the case proceeds on the merits.
The ruling also comes after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) declined to provide evidence supporting its unsworn representations that the slush fund was”not going forward,” despite plaintiffs’ repeated communications seeking confirmation regarding the status of the program, including whether any funds had been transferred, claims processed, or members appointed. The court’s decision ensures that the administration cannot proceed with the slush fund, finding that plaintiffs demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims.
The lawsuit challenges the creation of a taxpayer-funded compensation program designed to provide benefits to individuals who claim they were harmed by actions of Democratic administrations. Plaintiffs argue the fund violates the First Amendment, equal protection principles, separation of powers, the Administrative Procedure Act, and constitutional restrictions governing federal spending.
In granting preliminary relief, the court concluded that plaintiffs satisfied the standard for a preliminary injunction and that maintaining the status quo was warranted.
“I’m heartened that the injunction continues to prevent $1.776 billion in taxpayer money from being used to pay off those who attacked our democracy. I will continue this litigation to ensure that this unconstitutional fund does not erase the accountability imposed by judges and impartial jurors—and the hard-earned work of the victims, witnesses, law enforcement officers, and prosecutors who delivered it,” said Andrew Floyd.
“While this win acts as a defense against a blatant violation of our legal code, the structures that direct the flow of U.S. taxpayer money into violence both domestic and abroad still stand,” said Professor Jonathan Caravello. “The courts are sites of political struggle. The question we must ask ourselves now is ‘How can we, the people, build power in the aftermath of this legal ruling?’”
“Today’s ruling affirms what New Haveners and Americans across the country recognized from the moment the Trump administration announced its so-called ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’: that this is an improper, illegal and unconstitutional use of federal taxpayer dollars created to reward President Trump’s political allies and advance President Trump’s personal political interests and that it should not be allowed to proceed. We have a lot of challenges to address in our cities, states and country, and our taxpayer dollars should be spent on critical priorities that benefit all Americans – not a political slush fund that rewards the select few,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “As a city, we will continue to stand up for our residents and that our federal government adheres to the rule of law.”
“Today’s ruling is a victory for abortion providers, their patients, and everyone who believes the federal government should not be in the business of rewarding extremists. This slush fund was never about justice – it was a taxpayer-funded payday for people who blockaded abortion clinics, assaulted healthcare workers, and terrorized patients seeking abortion care,” said Brittany Fonteno, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation. “As targeted attacks against abortion clinics and patients continue, we need to ensure federal laws like the FACE Act are fully enforced and that violators are held accountable for their violence and disruptions.”
“The Trump administration cannot be trusted with the public’s money,” said Omar Noureldin, Common Cause’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Litigation. “Today’s ruling is a massive win, ensuring hard-earned tax dollars stay out of the hands of the President’s cronies and people who violently assaulted law enforcement on January 6 while we’re securing justice for American taxpayers in court. We’ve successfully locked the President’s personal slush fund for now, and we’ll keep the pressure on until it’s shut down for good.”
“This ruling is a significant victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and people in America,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The court recognized the serious legal concerns raised by the Trump-Vance administration’s attempt to create a secretive, taxpayer-funded compensation program operating outside the constitutional safeguards that govern public spending. Despite the administration’s shifting explanations about the future of the slush fund, the court’s order ensures that taxpayer dollars cannot be distributed through this unlawful scheme while the courts fully consider the serious constitutional issues at stake. We look forward to continuing this challenge on behalf of our clients.”
The so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund was created following the private agreement in President Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Under the program, nearly $1.8 billion in taxpayer funds would be transferred to a newly created entity empowered to receive and adjudicate claims with minimal transparency, limited oversight, and no meaningful judicial review.
The case is Andrew Floyd et al. v. U.S. Department of Justice et al., and the legal team at Democracy Forward includes Pooja Boisture, Jyoti Jasrasaria, Aman George, Ayesha Khan, Robin Thurston, and Skye Perryman.
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Democracy Forward Foundation is a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, policy, public education, and regulatory engagement. For more information, please visit www.democracyforward.org.
