Story perspectives

Judges Halt $1.8B Trump Tax Fund, Warn DOJ

6/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon warned Justice Department not to “play possum” after rejecting a request to block the fund.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily halted the fund, setting her injunction to expire Friday unless extended.
The $1.8 billion fund comes from a settlement of President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax returns.
Justice Department has not formed the five-member commission, leaving no claims accepted or payouts made.

History

Historical Context

In October 2008 Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, creating a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that President George W. Bush signed into law. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson oversaw the initial disbursements, but the program’s slow payouts became a recurring criticism of large-scale compensation schemes. Judge Richard Leon’s recent rebuke of the Justice Department echoes those earlier frustrations, now applied to the $1.8 billion Trump tax-return settlement fund.

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Story summary

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon warned Justice Department not to “play possum” after rejecting a request to block the fund.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema temporarily halted the fund, setting her injunction to expire Friday unless extended.
The $1.8 billion fund comes from a settlement of President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax returns.
Justice Department has not formed the five-member commission, leaving no claims accepted or payouts made.

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