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A federal judge on Wednesday refused to immediately block the Trump administration’s controversial “anti-weaponization fund,” handing an early legal victory to the Justice Department — but not before issuing a sharp warning about potential gamesmanship.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied a request for a temporary restraining order from the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which had called the $1.776 billion fund “brazenly illegal.”

However, Leon made his skepticism clear during the hearing, telling the government: “Don’t play possum with this court.”

The fund was created to settle lawsuits from individuals who claim they were targeted by government persecution — most notably President Trump’s own lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. Democrats have fiercely criticized it as a potential “slush fund” for Trump allies.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche previously testified that the Justice Department is “not moving forward” with the fund amid heavy pressure. The government has since argued that ongoing lawsuits against it should be dismissed because the issue is now moot.

Judge Leon appeared to accept that position for now, saying he is “not persuaded a live controversy remains.” He will rule separately on CREW’s request for a preliminary injunction.

CREW’s lawyer, Nikhel Sus, pushed back hard, arguing that Blanche’s verbal statements are not enough to legally kill the fund and that Trump himself has not declared it dead.

This case sits at the heart of a much larger battle over executive power, accountability, and the weaponization of federal agencies. While the Trump administration insists the fund is on ice, critics worry it could still be revived quietly to reward political allies or settle high-profile grievances.

Judge Leon’s colorful “don’t play possum” warning suggests the court is watching closely and won’t tolerate any sleight of hand. The unusual nature of the fund — and the political firestorm surrounding it — makes this one of the more intriguing legal fights of the early Trump term.

For now, the controversial program lives on, at least on paper. How aggressively the administration tries to use it — and whether courts will ultimately allow it — could have major implications for future political warfare in Washington.