Trump retreats from anti-weaponization fund in rare setback as GOP pushes budget bill

Published June 1, 2026 7:19pm ET | Updated June 1, 2026 7:19pm ET



The Justice Department’s agreement to temporarily pause its anti-weaponization fund marks a rare retreat from President Donald Trump’s White House as a legal challenge unfolds and opposition from congressional Republicans threatens to blow up a party-line budget bill.

The department’s Monday announcement that it would “abide by” a court order pausing the creation and operation of the $1.776 billion fund comes after significant GOP pushback and is a rare, if only temporary, political loss for Trump on Capitol Hill as tensions grow with Senate Republicans.

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