Trump news at a glance: federal judge pumps the brakes on Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
Order bars government from ‘taking other further action’ in the creation or operation of the fund so a case challenging it can continue – key US politics stories from Friday, 29 May at a glance
A federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring any money into a secretive and loosely controlled $1.8bn fund while a legal challenge proceeds.
The order from US district judge Leonie Brinkema on Friday bars the government from “taking other further action” in the creation or operation of the fund while legal arguments in a case challenging the fund continue. The order is intended “to ensure no funds are irreversibly disbursed from the Anti-Weaponization Fund”, Brinkema wrote.
The government has said that anyone who is a victim of government weaponization can submit a claim to the fund, which will be controlled by four commissioners appointed by the US attorney general and a fifth appointed in consultation with congressional leadership.
There are no restrictions on who can apply for money from the fund, and even Republicans have expressed outrage that January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers could receive a payout. The fund also does not have to disclose how much it paid to whom and its reasons for doing so, prompting criticism that it is essentially a slush fund.
US judge temporarily blocks Trump’s $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
The ruling from US district judge Leonie Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, came in a lawsuit filed by the watchdog group Democracy Forward seeking to block the fund. The ruling is intended to preserve the status quo and was necessary after the government declined to provide assurances that no funds would be transferred or paid before 19 June to allow for adequate briefing in the case.
Trump claims to be on verge of approving peace deal with major Iranian concessions
Donald Trump claimed he could approve an Iran peace deal on Friday that contains major concessions from Tehran, including the opening of the strait of Hormuz and the elimination of the country’s nuclear programme. However, top Iranian officials signalled a final agreement had not been reached.
The two versions indicate Trump may once again be practising his “art of the deal” as he seeks to talk his way out of a war that has disrupted global energy supplies and rocked the world economy.
US judge orders removal of Trump’s name from Kennedy Center
A judge on Friday ordered the removal of Donald Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling that the prestigious Washington DC venue cannot be renamed without an act of Congress.
US district judge Christopher Cooper in Washington directed the Trump administration to take down all physical signage bearing Trump’s name and to eliminate any references to a “Trump Kennedy Center” from official materials within 14 days.
Trump order endorses plan to halve vaccines recommended for children
An executive order signed by Donald Trump with little fanfare on Friday could have a huge impact on the health of US children, as it instructs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to cut the number of recommended childhood vaccines almost in half.
Pam Bondi admits to ‘redaction errors’ in Epstein files but defends DoJ’s handling
Pam Bondi, the former attorney general, defended the Department of Justice’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files under her leadership on Friday, and told lawmakers on the House oversight and reform committee that she did not “lead every aspect” of the department’s effort, but rather she delegated oversight of the process to Todd Blanche, her former deputy attorney general, who is now acting attorney general.
Utah releases state voter roll audit amid Trump administration lawsuit
Utah released the results of a year-long audit of the state’s voter rolls, finding that the vast majority of its voters are verifiably US citizens, amid an escalating legal battle with the Trump administration over access to voter registration data.
Trump administration extends deportation protections for Lebanese people
The Trump administration has extended protections shielding about 11,000 Lebanese people from deportation, allowing them to stay and work in the United States for another six months.
What else happened today:
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Louisiana Republicans approved a new congressional map on Friday that would eliminate a majority-Black congressional district that was at the center of a landmark supreme court ruling gutting section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
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The US government deported more than 21,000 people to countries that the state department deemed too dangerous to visit, according to a Marshall Project analysis of Immigration and Customs Enforcement data obtained by the Deportation Data Project from Trump’s inauguration through mid-March.
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An ICE agent wanted for shooting a Venezuelan man during the sweeping immigration crackdown in Minnesota was arrested on Friday in Texas, authorities said.
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Top New Jersey officials announced on Friday that the state police will be taking over policing functions from federal immigration officers outside the contentious Delaney Hall facility, as reports surface of an influx of federal agents making their way to the area.
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A senior intelligence operative accused of stealing hundreds of gold bars worth more than $40m and hiding them at home remained in custody in Virginia on Friday after a judge pushed his first court appearance to next week.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 28 May 2026.
Leonie Brinkema has been pushing this agenda for a while now.
Leonie Brinkema has been vocal about this, good to see them staying on it.
Think about it: there are no restrictions on who can apply for money from the fund, and even Republicans have expressed outrage that January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers could receive a payout. That speaks volumes.
If there are no restrictions on who can apply for money from the fund, and even Republicans have expressed outrage that January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers could receive a payout, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
On one hand the ruling from US district judge Leonie Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, came in a lawsuit filed by the watchdog group Democracy Forward seeking to block the fund. But at the same time the two versions indicate Trump may once again be practising his “art of the deal” as he seeks to talk his way out of a war that has disrupted global energy supplies and rocked the world economy.
The detail about a federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring any money into a secretive and loosely controlled $1.8bn fund while a legal challenge proceeds is something people should sit with.
The fact that a federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring any money into a secretive and loosely controlled $1.8bn fund while a legal challenge proceeds really puts things into perspective.
Think about it: order bars government from ‘taking other further action’ in the creation or operation of the fund so a case challenging it can continue – key. That speaks volumes.
21,000 people. The real figures are likely much higher.
Democracy Forward has been pushing this agenda for a while now.
Basically the ruling from US district judge Leonie Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, came in a lawsuit filed by the watchdog group Democracy Forward seeking to block the fund. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
If the ruling from US district judge Leonie Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, came in a lawsuit filed by the watchdog group Democracy Forward seeking to block the fund, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
What stands out is there are no restrictions on who can apply for money from the fund, and even Republicans have expressed outrage that January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers could receive a payout. That is the part worth paying attention to.
On one hand a federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration from transferring any money into a secretive and loosely controlled $1.8bn fund while a legal challenge proceeds. But at the same time there are no restrictions on who can apply for money from the fund, and even Republicans have expressed outrage that January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers could receive a payout.
Leonie Brinkema is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.