Geoff Bennett:
We turn now to another Trump administration proposal that has drawn criticism from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said today that the Justice Department is scrapping plans to create that $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund. It’s a setback for President Trump after Republican senators made clear they did not have the votes to advance a Homeland Security funding bill unless the White House either scaled back or scrapped the fund entirely.
We’re joined now by our congressional respondent, Lisa Desjardins.
So, Lisa, start by walking us through what the administration is proposing here. What happens to this proposed fund?
Lisa Desjardins:
This is news. We have just been getting this in the last couple hours from acting Attorney General Blanche himself, and it is the most clear statement that we or Congress has gotten about the future of the fund.
Listen to what the acting attorney general told Congress. He said very clearly this fund is not moving forward.
Todd Blanche, Acting U.S. Attorney General:
The reasons for the fund, I think, were — remain as important as they were before, but we are not moving forward with the fund.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY):
Not moving forward ever?
Todd Blanche:
Correct.
Lisa Desjardins:
Now, Senate Republican sources tell me their understanding from the White House is that no money will be disbursed from this.
But, of course, this doesn’t really answer all the questions we have. Among them, remember, this comes from a three-part settlement that President Trump personally had with his own administration. So I want to go through that settlement. One, that $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund is out.
What is still in, however, is a retroactive immunity deal with the IRS for President Trump, his sons, and his businesses. Also still in, a formal apology that he expects from the U.S. government. There are still lots of questions, including the — one, the idea that Mr. Blanche today refused to put in writing that the fund is on hold. He said his word is enough.
In addition, we don’t know if any money is changing hands, if there have been any other changes to this settlement. We’re waiting to hear from the Trump Organization. Finally, remember, Enrique Tarrio, that January 6 man who’s convicted for helping plan it, told our Liz Landers he thinks there will be other options, other ways that the Trump administration finds money for people like him.
Is that still possible? We have to watch.
Geoff Bennett:
So, Blanche, who used to be President Trump’s personal attorney, he’s saying, take my word for it. Is that enough to satisfy skeptical Republicans?
Lisa Desjardins:
You know, I think a month or so ago, the answer would be yes. It’s not right now. They’re carefully parsing this.
Talking to Senate Republican sources in the last hour, they’re digesting this, but they do say the fact that he said this under oath, publicly, that that is a step forward for Republicans.
However, Democrats have major problems. They have a lot of questions, especially about that immunity deal that the president got and his sons. So expect that to continue to come up a lot.
Geoff Bennett:
And, Lisa, this White House has in the past generally been able to bring Hill Republicans into line on its major priorities. The fact that they weren’t able to do that on this, what does that suggest?
Lisa Desjardins:
I think about this so much.
For the first 18 months, as you say, I saw Republicans in Congress go along with nominees that they in truth did not support and told me behind the scenes. They turned the other cheek as they saw NATO allies threatened. Tariffs were a bother to them, did not raise problems with it for the most part.
But now we’re in a situation where, think about what’s happened. Trump has ousted Republicans in Congress, including two senators in just the last couple of weeks. And they have begun to draw lines about that. So what you get from that is that you see Leader Thune in the Senate and the speaker in the House telling them this week that their members just are not on board with this fund.
But you can see they’re still in a tricky position, as we heard from Majority Leader Thune as he spoke to reporters today.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD):
We rely on the president, as does the House of Representatives, to help make sure that he’s doing everything he can to help us move our agenda forward. And he continues to do that. We continue to listen to his advice and counsel and do everything we can to help the country succeed.
Because I think, in the end, that’s what the American people expect, and, frankly, that’s what our jobs are all about.
Lisa Desjardins:
I stood there listening to that, and I felt like that entire thing was for President Trump, to say, we still think you’re great. We still think you’re great.
But they did draw a line. And that is something new. Will they draw more lines? We will watch as we see more votes on the Iran war.
Geoff Bennett:
And where does this all leave the administration’s larger immigration agenda, namely, ICE funding?
Lisa Desjardins:
Right. It was stuck completely on this issue.
I can’t say it’s all the way on track yet, but it might be getting there soon. Senator Kennedy this morning described that just a couple hours ago to me as a broken arm with a bone sticking out of it. Now it looks like the arm has been put in a sling. Maybe it’ll get back on track.
And that’s important because there are other major bills ahead, including on intelligence, that the Senate needs to deal with in the next week or so.
Geoff Bennett:
A busy day.
Lisa Desjardins, tracking it all, thanks so much.
Lisa Desjardins:
You’re welcome.
