Trump administration policies challenged; Republicans defy agenda as midterms near

The Trump administration has officially abandoned its proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, a decision confirmed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on June 2. The fund, which was intended to compensate individuals claiming to be victims of government overreach, emerged from a settlement of a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS. This reversal follows significant bipartisan criticism and various legal challenges, including temporary court injunctions. However, a provision within the original settlement that bars future IRS audits of Trump and his family's past tax records remains in effect.

Meanwhile, federal judges have recently halted key Trump administration policies concerning immigration and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). On June 5, Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. struck down immigration measures that had targeted asylum seekers and stopped the processing of various immigration benefits for individuals from 39 countries. The judge ruled these policies exceeded legal authority and were arbitrary, ordering authorities to resume normal application processing.

Separately, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a preliminary injunction against the administration's new conditions for SNAP funding. These contested conditions, introduced in late 2025, mandated that states comply with policies related to "gender ideology," immigration, and women's sports to receive USDA funding, a move challenged by 20 states and D.C. as unlawful and threatening to low-income families.