This fund was rescinded on August 2–3, 2026. There is no claims process.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order stating that the Attorney General's May 18, 2026 order establishing the Anti-Weaponization Fund "is rescinded and shall have no force or effect." There is no operating fund, no Commission, no application portal, and no date on which any of those is scheduled to exist. Any deadline, portal-opening date, or application step described further down this page was written before that order and is no longer live.
The rescission ended the implementing order but did not rescind the settlement provision obligating the Attorney General to create such a fund, which can be modified only by written agreement of the parties. The underlying litigation is unresolved. That is a narrow, technical opening — not a reason to expect a payout.
Nothing on this page is a prediction that the fund will reopen, and no one should spend money on the assumption that it will. Current coverage: fund status tracker. If you are dealing with a different legal problem, start at your rights, class actions, or find a lawyer.
How to Apply for the Anti-Weaponization Fund
Last updated: · Independent legal information · Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice
The fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026 — there is no live DOJ portal and no deadline to be ready for. What's still worth doing is keeping your story, dates, and evidence organized in case anything changes. We built a free tool to get you there.
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The fund was rescinded in August 2026, so there's no active portal to file with. Record your story, capture your dates and agencies, and upload and keep track of supporting documents — useful records hygiene, not a bet on this fund reopening.
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Two ways to get organized
The fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026 — there is no paid filing service to buy because there is no active claims process. Organize your own file for free, or talk to a licensed attorney about your options.
Self-directed case-file portal. Organize your story, dates, agencies, and documents. No credit card.
Start free →For advice specific to your situation, talk to a licensed attorney. This is general information, not legal advice, and no outcome or payout is guaranteed.
Find a lawyer →What the Anti-Weaponization Fund is
The Anti-Weaponization Fund was a federal compensation program created by the United States Department of Justice in response to documented political targeting of Americans by federal agencies — before its establishing order was rescinded in August 2026. As designed, the fund totaled $1.776 billion and was intended to provide direct compensation to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits who were investigated, audited, prosecuted, surveilled, or otherwise harmed by federal-agency action that was politically motivated, retaliatory, or improper.
Key facts to know up front:
- Total fund: $1.776 billion, appropriated by Congress.
- Filing deadline: was designed to be December 15, 2028 — void. The establishing order was rescinded in August 2026 and there is no live deadline today.
- Funded by: would have been the U.S. Treasury, administered by the DOJ.
- First-filed advantage: as designed, the fund was finite and early, well-documented filers would have had an edge — moot now that the establishing order has been rescinded.
- Eligibility: as designed, open to U.S. individuals, businesses, and nonprofits, with no partisan-affiliation requirement.
Use this guide if you (or your business or nonprofit) experienced federal-agency action that you believe was motivated by your politics, faith, speech, or association — and you want to organize your case in case a claims process is ever reinstated.
Often called the "Trump anti-weaponization fund"
The fund is frequently referred to as the "Trump anti-weaponization fund" in media coverage because it was announced under the Trump administration. Formally, it is the DOJ Anti-Weaponization Fund. Both names refer to the same program.
Apply for the Anti-Weaponization Fund
The Anti-Weaponization Fund was rescinded in August 2026, so there is no live DOJ portal to submit a claim through. As designed, applying would have meant confirming eligibility, building a case file, choosing a filing path, and submitting through the DOJ portal — see the step-by-step section below for how that process was designed to work. The fastest way to get a preliminary read today is the free 2-minute eligibility quiz — no signup, no credit card.
"Weaponization Fund" vs "Anti-Weaponization Fund" — same program
The "Weaponization Fund" and the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" refer to the same DOJ program. Some media coverage drops the "Anti-" prefix, but there was one fund and, before its establishing order was rescinded in August 2026, one intended application process.
How to File a Claim with the Anti-Weaponization Fund
"Apply" and "file a claim" mean the same thing under this program. The DOJ used "claim" as the formal term; most people searched for "apply." Either way, the process was designed to be identical: build a case file, then submit it through the official claim form. The fund was rescinded in August 2026 before that portal ever opened. See the Anti-Weaponization Fund claim form guide for current status.
Not sure if your situation qualifies? The free portal lets you write everything down first and decide later. No credit card.
Start free →Who qualifies for a claim
The DOJ has identified eight broad categories of harm covered by the fund. Most claims fall into one or more of the categories below. Click any category for the deeper explainer page for that specific claim type.
You don't have to fit a category perfectly to file. If the federal government took action against you, your family, or your business and you believe political motivation or retaliation was involved, you may qualify. Take the free 7-question eligibility quiz for a personalized read on your situation.
Documents worth gathering
There is no DOJ portal to wait for — the fund was rescinded in August 2026. Still, organizing records in five buckets keeps them useful for any forum, not just this fund. For more background, see our application guides and tools.
Government records & evidence
- Agency notices, target letters, audit letters, demand letters
- Subpoenas, grand jury notices, civil investigative demands
- Search warrants, indictments, dismissal orders
- Suspension, denial, or revocation letters (tax-exempt status, professional license, contract, permit)
Communications
- Letters and emails to/from the federal agency or its representatives
- Statements from agency officials (press releases, public remarks, leaked memos)
- Your contemporaneous notes from meetings, calls, or interviews
Witness statements
- Signed declarations from people who can corroborate timing, motivation, or harm
- Contact information for witnesses (so they can be reached later if needed)
Financial records
- Legal invoices and proof of payment
- Tax bills, penalties, or assessments tied to the agency action
- Bank statements documenting account freezes or seizures
- Payroll, P&L statements, or other documentation of lost income or business value
Other
- News coverage and social media documenting the public dimension of your case
- Court filings (yours and the government's)
- Any FOIA requests you've already filed and the agency responses
How filing a claim was designed to work
The Anti-Weaponization Fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026, so none of these steps are active today. As designed, the five steps below would have described the path from a claimant's starting point to a final compensation decision from the claims commission.
- Confirm eligibility. Take the free 7-question quiz at /tools/eligibility-check to see which claim categories your situation would have fit and how strong your case would have looked at a glance.
- Organize your case file. Use the free portal at /intake/start to write your narrative, capture the structured facts (agencies, dates, harm), and upload supporting documents into the five buckets above.
- Choose a filing path. As designed, claimants would have decided whether to file themselves or get attorney help. If you want attorney help now, for any legal matter, see our find-a-lawyer directory.
- Submit your claim. As designed, once the DOJ opened the official portal, a claim would have been filed using the file a claimant had built. No portal ever opened — the fund was rescinded in August 2026.
- Commission review & decision. As designed, the claims commission would have reviewed submissions, requested additional documentation or testimony, and issued a written decision with a compensation amount. No such commission was ever appointed.
Claim form status & portal timeline (never activated)
Anti-Weaponization Fund Claim Form: what it would have asked for
The official DOJ claim form was never released. Based on the fund's statutory text and prior federal compensation programs, it would have asked for: identity and the agency involved, the dates and nature of the government action, a narrative of the targeting, itemized economic damages, and a supporting document index. See the full claim form status guide →
The fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026. The DOJ never published an official claim portal, claim form, or fee schedule, and none is scheduled.
What we know:
- Deadline: was designed to be December 15, 2028 — void. The order was rescinded in August 2026.
- Portal: never opened, and none is scheduled.
- Government fees: as designed, any application or court fees would have been set by the DOJ and paid by the claimant — moot today.
- Eligibility rules: the broad categories were made public, but the line-by-line eligibility criteria were never finalized before the establishing order was rescinded.
There is no file to build for this fund today. If you still want to preserve your own documentation — narrative, timeline, agency identification, supporting documents — for other purposes or in case a claims process is ever reinstated, none of that work is wasted.
Preserve what you have — just in case. The free portal captures everything the DOJ was likely to ask for, even though there's no active fund to submit it to today.
Start free →Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be politically conservative to qualify?
As designed, the fund would have been open to any American who was targeted by federal-agency action that was politically motivated, retaliatory, or improper — regardless of which political views were involved, with no partisan requirement. There is no active fund to qualify for today; the establishing order was rescinded in August 2026.
What if I was pardoned (for example, a January 6 defendant)?
As designed, a presidential pardon would not have affected eligibility for compensation under the Anti-Weaponization Fund — pardons remove criminal liability, while the fund would have addressed legal fees, lost income, and other civil harms from the prosecution itself. That question is moot today; the fund was rescinded in August 2026. See the January 6 claims explainer for background.
Do I need an attorney to file?
There is nothing to file — the Anti-Weaponization Fund was rescinded in August 2026 and no DOJ portal ever opened. As designed, the portal would have been open to pro se claimants, with a licensed attorney optional for complex or high-value cases. If you want attorney help now, for any legal matter, see our find-a-lawyer directory.
Is there a cost to use the free portal?
No. The free portal at /intake/start is genuinely free — no credit card, no signup fee, no hidden charges. You can upload up to 50 MB of supporting documents in the free tier. Pro ($49 $29 limited time) removes the upload limit; you only need it if you have a lot of evidence.
Are government application or court fees included in your service prices?
No. Any fees imposed by the DOJ or the courts in connection with your claim are separate from any service price on this site and are paid directly by you when demanded. The DOJ has not yet published a final fee schedule.
What if the rules had changed before I filed?
The Anti-Weaponization Fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026 before any final regulations were published, so this question is moot today. The free portal is still designed to capture everything the DOJ was likely to need — none of your work is wasted if a claims process is ever reinstated.
When should I have filed?
There is no filing to do — the fund was rescinded in August 2026 and no portal ever opened. As designed, the fund was capped at $1.776 billion and early, well-documented filers would have had an edge if demand exceeded appropriations, but that design consideration is moot now.
Does this site provide legal advice?
No. LawfareClaims.org is an independent legal information site not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice. We are not a law firm and do not ourselves provide legal advice or representation. If you want an attorney for any legal matter, see our find-a-lawyer directory; an attorney–client relationship is established only after you sign a written engagement agreement directly with that attorney.
Was there ever an appeal process for a denied claim?
The DOJ never published a formal appeals or reconsideration procedure for fund denials before the establishing order was rescinded in August 2026. Prior federal compensation programs — such as the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund — included a process to request reconsideration by submitting additional documentation; the Anti-Weaponization Fund never reached that stage. See the fund status page for the full timeline.
Could I have applied with an active lawsuit against the government?
As designed, an existing civil lawsuit would not have automatically barred a claim with the Anti-Weaponization Fund — a settlement in a civil case could have affected how the commission evaluated claimed harm, and the commission might have coordinated with ongoing litigation. That question is moot today; the fund was rescinded in August 2026. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice.
Would claim information have been kept confidential?
The DOJ never published final rules on the confidentiality of fund submissions before the establishing order was rescinded in August 2026. Prior federal compensation programs handled claimant information as law-enforcement-sensitive records, with access limited to commission staff and the applicant's designated representatives. Your LawfareClaims.org case file is stored securely and is not shared with the DOJ or any third party without your direction.
Would compensation from the fund have been taxable income?
The IRS never issued specific guidance on Anti-Weaponization Fund awards, and none is expected now that the establishing order has been rescinded. Under general federal tax principles, tax treatment typically depends on what an award compensates: amounts for physical injury may be excluded from income under IRC Section 104, while reimbursements for legal fees, lost wages, and non-physical harm are generally taxable. Consult a qualified tax professional about your own situation. See the FAQ on taxability for more detail. Nothing on this site constitutes tax advice.
I already received a settlement or judgment for the same harm elsewhere — would that have affected my claim?
The DOJ never published specific guidance on how a prior settlement or judgment would have affected an Anti-Weaponization Fund claim. That question is moot today — the fund was rescinded in August 2026 and there is no claim to file. As a general matter, compensation programs typically account for amounts already recovered for the identical loss to avoid a duplicate payment.
Is the fund still active, and should I still prepare a claim?
No — the fund's establishing order was rescinded in August 2026, not merely paused. There is no active fund, Commission, portal, or claims process today. See the fund status tracker for the full timeline. Preserving your own records is still worth doing on its own merits, but not as a bet on this fund reopening.
If I use the free portal, am I obligated to use a particular attorney?
No — the free portal never requires you to use any particular attorney. If you want legal help for any matter, see our find-a-lawyer directory and choose your own.
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The fund was rescinded in August 2026 — there is nothing paid to buy here. Organize your own records for free; it's still worth doing on its own merits.