A federal judge in Virginia temporarily blocked the Trump administration Thursday from transferring money into or out of a $1.8 billion fund, freezing the effort until a scheduled court hearing next month.
The judge issued the order after a legal challenge raised questions about whether the administration has authority to establish and operate the fund without further congressional action.
The block prevents any disbursements or deposits until the court can hear substantive arguments, leaving the fund in legal limbo for at least the next several weeks.
The $1.8 billion figure had drawn scrutiny from critics who argued the administration was moving to sidestep normal appropriations channels. The administration has not publicly detailed the fund’s intended recipients or operational structure.
The ruling is the latest in a series of federal court orders constraining administration financial activity, with judges in multiple jurisdictions issuing holds on disputed spending moves.
The Virginia court is scheduled to hear full arguments in June, at which point the judge could extend, modify, or lift the block.