A federal judge on Friday issued an indefinite injunction preventing the Trump administration from establishing a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” compensation fund, while ordering the government to provide a sworn statement within one week confirming whether the initiative will be abandoned.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that public statements from administration officials indicating the fund would not proceed were insufficient to resolve concerns about its legality.

As a result, Brinkema granted a preliminary injunction barring the creation or implementation of the fund while the underlying lawsuit moves through the courts.

The legal challenge was brought by a coalition of individuals and organizations who argue they were subjected to political targeting by the Trump administration and would be excluded from receiving compensation under the proposed program.

In her ruling, Brinkema questioned the government’s attempt to establish a taxpayer-funded compensation pool that would benefit what she described as a narrowly defined group of recipients.

The judge noted concerns that many Americans view some of the intended beneficiaries as having engaged in conduct that remains highly controversial.

The proposed fund emerged from a settlement agreement involving President Donald Trump and the Justice Department following the president’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Under the plan, the Justice Department would create a $1.776 billion compensation fund administered by a five-member commission. The program was intended to provide payments to individuals who could demonstrate they were victims of what Trump and his allies have characterized as “lawfare” or the “weaponization” of government institutions.

Following Friday’s ruling, the Justice Department referred inquiries to previous comments made by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who recently told lawmakers that the administration was no longer pursuing the initiative.

Questions Remain Over the Fund’s Future

Despite those assurances, uncertainty remains over whether the proposal has been formally abandoned.

Last week, Blanche testified before Congress that the administration was not moving forward with the fund. However, he declined requests from Democratic lawmakers to put that commitment in writing.

At the same time, President Trump has continued to express support for the concept, fueling speculation that the proposal could still be revived in some form.

Judge Brinkema’s order effectively freezes any effort to establish the fund until the administration clarifies its position and the court determines whether the program complies with federal law.

The case is expected to continue in the coming months as the court examines the legality of the proposed compensation mechanism and the government’s authority to create it.