The Justice Department rejects a federal judge’s request to state in writing that the “anti-weaponization” fund will not move forward. CBS News reports that a senior DOJ official characterizes the judge’s demand as “unnecessary.” The Hill says the DOJ argues the request raises “serious separation of powers concerns,” contending that the court is asking for an official declaration about a fund whose status DOJ maintains should not be framed as a judicially required written pronouncement.
According to The Hill, the judge, Leonie Brinkema, blocks the fund indefinitely and sets a deadline for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and other officials to respond. CNBC adds that the fund was announced in May as part of a settlement of President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. In its response, DOJ says it will not provide the specific court-directed written statement, while the underlying litigation and the fund’s implementation remain in question.
All outlets describe the dispute as a procedural challenge over whether DOJ must formally declare the fund’s status in court.
