A federal judge is investigating whether President Donald Trump's legal team defrauded the court in connection with a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that led to the establishment of a fund known as the "Anti-Weaponization Fund." U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams initiated the inquiry on May 30, 2026, and has given Trump's lawyers until June 12 to respond to claims that they misled the court to secure a $1.8 billion settlement related to the IRS lawsuit.
The investigation follows a brief submitted by a group of 35 former federal judges, who requested the court to reopen the case due to concerns about potential manipulation of the judicial system. The brief asserts that the court was deceived and claims that the settlement lacks legal justification. It cites the Acting Attorney General's Order that established the fund, which requires legitimate litigation, as opposed to what the brief describes as collusive or fraudulent actions.
The fund, intended to compensate individuals the Trump administration identified as victims of actions taken by the Biden administration, has faced criticism, including from some congressional Republicans, who labeled it a corrupt "slush fund" for Trump's associates. Earlier on the same day, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily blocked the fund to prevent any irreversible disbursement of its resources while several lawsuits are ongoing. Judge Williams' order referenced the former judges' allegations that the litigation was filed to avoid scrutiny and to lend an appearance of legality to an unlawful settlement.
