2026年6月2日 美国东部时间下午5:32 / 美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）杰克·塔珀报道。
2分54秒 • 消息来源：美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
Who is Bill Pulte, Trump’s new acting director of national intelligence?
2026-06-02 5:32 PM EDT / CNN
Who is Bill Pulte, Trump’s new acting director of national intelligence?
The Lead
CNN’s Jake Tapper reports.
2:54 • Source: CNN
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交易员对人民币的看涨情绪升至15年来最高
2026年6月3日 07:12 / 联合早报
交易员加大对人民币未来一年走强的押注，认为人民币国际化程度提升以及具有吸引力的估值，将帮助人民币渡过短期波动。
据彭博社报道，受科技产品出口强劲推动，人民币今年以来兑美元已上涨逾3%。星期二（6月2日），离岸人民币兑美元报6.76左右，接近逾三年来最强水平。
期权市场定价显示，市场对人民币未来一年进一步上涨的预期达到2011年以来的最乐观水平。
被称为市场仓位和情绪风向标的所谓一年期美元-人民币风险逆转指标星期二报0.37%，偏向看跌期权，反映出市场对离岸人民币进一步上涨持乐观态度。一个月前，该指标为0.05%，偏向看跌期权。押注美元-人民币走低的看跌期权相对于看涨期权的溢价持续扩大，尽管5月举行的中美元首会晤在汇率问题上并未取得多少具体成果。
“亚洲拥有全球一些估值最便宜的货币，而这些货币今年即使在美元走强期间仍持续上涨，”德意志银行新兴市场及亚太区研究主管Sameer Goel表示。“我们认为这一趋势有望延续，并且我们继续看好人民币，预计到年底人民币兑美元将进一步升向6.5。”
受科技产品出口强劲推动，人民币今年以来兑美元已上涨逾3%。 （香港中通社档案照）
2026年6月2日 下午5:03 美东时间 / 福克斯新闻
代理司法部长托德·布兰奇周二对众议员格蕾丝·孟表示，美国司法部不会推进其提议的反武器化基金。
作者：伊莱恩·马伦，福克斯新闻
发布时间：2026年6月2日 下午5:03 美东时间 | 更新时间：2026年6月2日 下午6:27 美东时间
代理司法部长托德·布兰奇告诉议员，美国司法部正在放弃设立反武器化基金的计划，在一名联邦法官临时叫停该基金的设立后，这一努力就此告终。
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代理司法部长托德·布兰奇在周二众议院拨款委员会的听证会上宣布，美国司法部将放弃设立反武器化基金的努力。
该基金源于总统唐纳德·特朗普与美国国税局之间的一起诉讼，在一名联邦法官发布临时禁令阻止其设立后被搁置。布兰奇作证称，原定于6月12日举行的关于反武器化基金法律依据的听证会将不再举行。
“我们不会推进该基金的设立，就是这样，”布兰奇说。“设立该基金的初衷，特朗普总统已经谈论了很长时间，也就是这个国家有很多人遭遇政府武器化针对他们的情况。我认为，设立该基金的理由依然和以前一样重要，但我们不会推进该基金的设立。”
2026年6月2日，美国华盛顿特区，代理司法部长托德·布兰奇在雷伯恩众议院办公楼举行的众议院拨款委员会商业、司法、科学及相关机构小组委员会听证会上作证。原定于5月19日举行的司法部监督听证会已改期。（安德鲁·哈尼克 / 盖蒂图片社）
今年5月中旬宣布设立该基金时，美国司法部将其描述为一个机会，让被此前几届政府认定为法律战受害者的个人获得赔偿，无论其政治派别如何。反武器化基金是特朗普政府与美国国税局就泄露特朗普税单问题达成的和解协议的一部分。
和解协议并未直接提供赔偿，而是要求设立一个17.76亿美元的基金。分配将由布兰奇任命的五人委员会决定，资金将来自“判决基金”，该基金用于支付联邦政府的和解款项。批评者称这是一个“黑金基金”，将使总统及其支持者受益。
美国总统唐纳德·特朗普与第一夫人梅拉尼娅·特朗普离开华盛顿白宫。（曼努埃尔·巴利克·塞纳/美联社照片）
在听证会上，布兰奇表示，在诉讼 ongoing 期间，尚未开展任何设立反武器化基金的工作。截至目前，已有三起针对该基金的诉讼被提起。
“民主向前”组织对美国司法部提起诉讼，质疑反武器化基金的设立，辩称政府不当试图利用联邦判决基金——该基金旨在支付针对政府的法院判决和和解款项——来设立一个新的赔偿项目，且未获得国会批准。这起诉讼成为对该基金最重大的挑战，并导致美国地区法官莱奥妮·布林克马于5月29日发布临时禁令，在法院审理此案期间暂停该计划的实施。
2026年1月3日，美国纽约市，美国打击委内瑞拉并于当晚抓获委内瑞拉总统尼古拉斯·马杜罗及其妻子西莉亚·弗洛雷斯后，司法部联邦官员在布鲁克林大都会拘留中心旁的司法部大楼外站岗。路透社/爱德华多·穆尼奥斯（REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz）
在发布临时限制令时，布林克马认定，原告提出了严肃的法律问题：行政部门是否有权在未经国会批准的情况下设立和资助反武器化基金。她还表示，允许该计划推进可能导致在法院有机会全面审查该基金的合法性之前，纳税人的资金就已被拨付。
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美国司法部尚未宣布是否会正式解散该基金、撤回相关文件，或在布兰奇宣布后撤销待决诉讼。
伊莱恩·马伦是福克斯新闻数字频道和福克斯商业频道的记者，报道全国政治新闻。
Acting AG Blanche reveals fate of Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization fund’ under pressure from House lawmakers
2026-06-02 5:03pm EDT / Fox News
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Rep. Grace Meng Tuesday that DOJ will not move forward with its proposed anti-weaponization fund
By Elaine Mallon, Fox News
Published June 2, 2026 5:03pm EDT | Updated June 2, 2026 6:27pm EDT
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers the Justice Department is abandoning plans for the Anti-Weaponization Fund, ending the effort after a federal judge temporarily blocked its creation.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Justice Department is abandoning its efforts to create the Anti-Weaponization Fund during a House Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday.
The fund, which stemmed from a lawsuit between President Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service, was put on hold after a federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking its creation. A hearing on the Anti-Weaponization Fund’s legal basis had been scheduled for June 12, but it will no longer take place, Blanche testified.
“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche said. “The reasons for the fund are something that President Trump has talked about for a long time, which is the fact that there were a lot of people in this country who had their government weaponized against them. The reasons for the fund, I think, remain as important as they were before, but, we are not moving forward with the fund.”
JUDGE TEMPORARILY BLOCKS TRUMP DOJ’S NEARLY $2B ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION’ FUND
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on June 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The Justice Department oversight hearing was rescheduled from its original date of May 19.(Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
When announcing the fund’s creation in mid-May, the Justice Department described it as an opportunity for individuals deemed to be victims of lawfare by previous administrations to receive restitution, regardless of their political affiliation. The Anti-Weaponization Fund was created as part of a settlement between the Trump administration and the Internal Revenue Service over the disclosure of Trump’s tax returns.
Rather than receiving direct compensation, the settlement called for the creation of a $1.776 billion fund. Distributions would be determined by a five-member board appointed by Blanche, and the funding would come from the Judgment Fund, which is used to pay for federal government settlements. Critics called it a “slush fund” that would benefit the president and his supporters.
TRUMP ADMIN BACKS OFF CONTROVERSIAL $2B FUND, CLEARING PATH FOR STALLED GOP IMMIGRATION BILL
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart the White House in Washington.(Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
During the hearing, Blanche stated that no work on establishing the Anti-Weaponization Fund had begun amid ongoing litigation. To date, three separate lawsuits have been filed challenging the fund.
Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department challenging the creation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, arguing that the administration improperly sought to use the Federal Judgment Fund — which is intended to pay court judgments and settlements against the government — to establish a new compensation program without congressional approval. The lawsuit became the most significant challenge to the fund and led U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema to issue a temporary injunction on May 29, halting the program’s implementation while the court considered the case.
DAVID MARCUS: HE BARELY SURVIVED BIDEN LAWFARE, AND NOW HE DESERVES TO GET PAID
Department of Justice Federal Officers stand guard outside the Department of Justice next to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn) after the United States struck Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores overnight, in New York City, U.S., January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz(REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)
In granting the temporary restraining order, Brinkema found that the plaintiffs had raised serious legal questions about whether the executive branch had the authority to create and fund the Anti-Weaponization Fund without congressional approval. She also expressed concern that allowing the program to move forward could result in taxpayer money being distributed before the court had an opportunity to fully review the fund’s legality.
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The Justice Department has not yet announced whether it will formally dissolve the fund, withdraw related filings or seek dismissal of the pending lawsuits following Blanche’s announcement.
Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.
2026年6月2日 周二 美国东部时间下午7:52 / 美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/politics/video/ebof-elex-michaelson-la-mayor-race-spencer-pratt-karen-bass
《艾琳·伯内特出镜》
美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）的艾琳·伯内特在北好莱坞的一个投票点采访主播埃利克斯·迈克尔森，报道选民们将如何考量真人秀明星斯宾塞·普拉特的洛杉矶市长竞选。
3:11 • 消息来源：美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）
Voters weigh Spencer Pratt vs Karen Bass in tight race for mayor
7:52 PM EDT, Tue June 2, 2026 / CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/02/politics/video/ebof-elex-michaelson-la-mayor-race-spencer-pratt-karen-bass
Erin Burnett Out Front
CNN’s Erin Burnett talks to anchor Elex Michaelson, reporting from a polling center in North Hollywood, as voters weigh reality TV star Spencer Pratt’s campaign for LA mayor.
3:11 • Source: CNN
2026年6月2日 美国东部时间晚8:37 / 路透社
2026年5月22日，美国华盛顿白宫东厅，新任美联储主席凯文·沃什在就职宣誓当日发表演讲。路透社/伊夫林·霍克斯坦 档案照片 购买授权，将在新标签页打开
6月2日（路透社）——据《华尔街日报》周二援引消息人士报道，美联储主席凯文·沃什已任命两名保守派政策领域资深人士保罗·温弗里与丹尼尔·海尔担任其顾问，协助其熟悉新岗位工作。
报道称，温弗里与海尔将以临时合同雇员的身份，为沃什提供政策分析与规划方面的支持，同时补充道，美联储主席尚未就央行内部更多常设职位做出最终决定。
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Fed Chair Warsh names policy veterans Winfree, Heil as interim advisers, WSJ reports
June 2, 2026 8:37 PM UTC / Reuters
The new Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivers a speech on the day of his swearing in ceremony, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 22, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
June 2 (Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has tapped two conservative policy veterans, Paul Winfree and Daniel Heil, to advise him while he settles into the job, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
Winfree and Heil would work as temporary contractors to support Warsh on policy analysis and planning, the report said, adding the chair had made no final decisions about more permanent roles at the central bank.
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Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Mexico City; Editing by Chris Reese
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2026-06-02T17:52:35-04:00 / 福克斯新闻网
伊朗公民表示，尽管面临经济困境，他们仍抱有希望：“我们的处境并不好，但我们有动力”
作者：本杰明·温塔尔 福克斯新闻网
发布于2026年6月2日 美国东部夏令时下午5:52
专家：伊朗正试图将核谈判与结束战争的协议分开
《外事报》主编丽莎·达夫塔里在《福克斯报道》节目中谈及她对伊朗政权的担忧，当时唐纳德·特朗普总统正考虑达成一项结束战争的协议。
【新增】你现在可以收听福克斯新闻的文章了！
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唐纳德·特朗普总统周一宣布，与伊朗神职政权达成重新开放霍尔木兹海峡、谈判终止德黑兰非法核武器计划的协议即将达成。此前曾希望美国施压能促成决定性结果的伊朗民众，如今担忧协议可能会让政权得以存续，而普通民众将承担代价。
“在伊朗国内，民众情绪已从战争初期的乐观，转变为一种疲惫的认命，但仍有一些人希望，此刻正是特朗普总统动用其影响力做出正确选择的时刻。伊朗民众明白，这是一个异常狭窄但具有战略意义的窗口期，”与伊朗当地民众保持联系的《外事报》主编丽莎·达夫塔里告诉福克斯新闻数字频道。
她继续说道：“该政权财政紧张、政治脆弱，而广大民众因多年的镇压和经济崩溃已幻想破灭。伊朗民众确实将此视为华盛顿——尤其是特朗普总统——将军事和经济影响力转化为彻底推翻这个不可救药政权的绝佳机会。如果最终达成的只是一份肤浅的协议，只是维持了政权体系却未改变其发展轨迹，那么这个窗口期可能会关闭数年。”
2026年3月3日，德黑兰费尔杜西广场附近，一面伊朗国旗被放置在被毁居民建筑的废墟旁。(阿塔·凯纳雷 / 法新社 盖蒂图片社)
她补充道：“相反，如果美国坚持制裁和核红线，就能在不惩罚已经付出最高代价的伊朗民众的前提下，削弱该政权的实力。”
伊朗问题专家达夫塔里分享了她最近收到的来自大不里士和德黑兰的两名伊朗民众的来信。
这位大不里士的居民表示：“在我看来，数十年来美伊之间的政治紧张局势，对普通民众的影响远大于当权者。许多家庭觉得，在有关伊朗的国际讨论中，他们的声音没有被听到。”他补充道：“我谨此恳请你们考虑分享或突出这一局势中人性化的一面，这样普通伊朗家庭的经历就不会在政治讨论和媒体报道中被忽视。”
这位德黑兰的居民说：“如今，伊朗民众对未来抱有信念。在经济压力让伊朗民众愁眉不展的日子里，‘团结’一词能让他们露出笑容。我们的处境并不好，但我们有动力。”
福克斯新闻数字频道采访了一些伊朗民众，并同意只使用他们的名字，因为伊朗神职政权已将使用Starlink卫星互联网绕过审查列为犯罪行为。一个复杂的秘密网络设法将部分卫星互联网技术偷运进伊朗，让民众能够与这个伊斯兰国家之外的世界沟通。
住在德黑兰的哈桑恳求特朗普总统在与该政权打交道时保持强硬，他说：“情况已经糟糕到，哪怕你想放弃、离开伊朗，只专注于自己的生活和工作，都感觉无处可去。特朗普先生，通过这些协议和安排，让人们感到被困住了，无路可走。”
住在德黑兰的迈赫迪对达成协议的消息感到困惑。他说：“那么他们到底在达成什么协议？他们是说接近达成协议了，还是也在进行其他讨论？每一分钟都有新的消息，每个人都有新的分析，一切都在瞬息万变。这很奇怪。这场战争一无所获。只有我们这些普通人在付出代价。”他抱怨道。
德黑兰的哈桑说：“特朗普先生，如果说直到昨天大多数伊朗人还认为他们和美国走在同一条道路上，那么你让他们都失望了。”“特朗普先生，如果你想让这个政权继续掌权，那你为什么要炸毁工厂？现在工人被裁员，通货膨胀失控。哪怕拿着1800万托曼的薪水，你都无法养活自己。”
来自里海城市拉什特的玛哈告诉福克斯新闻数字频道，这个政权——伊朗伊斯兰共和国——仍然完好无损。他们根本不在乎死了多少人。如果说有什么不同的话，他们现在看起来更嚣张了，甚至为殉道感到自豪。昨天我和一名政权支持者争论，他说：“我们的领袖没有让出一寸土地，没有后退一步，不像之前的国王那样，把巴林、巴库、纳希切万等地都送了出去。”
许多伊朗人的担忧集中在美伊政权之间拟议的谅解备忘录上。据媒体报道，该备忘录并未提及推翻神职政权或侵犯人权的问题。伊朗国内和侨民中的大量民众希望特朗普政府推翻德黑兰的伊斯兰独裁政权。
据报道，该备忘录涉及延长60天停火。以色列和美国于2月28日联合对伊朗发动袭击。备忘录还将重新开放霍尔木兹海峡，并就伊朗的非法核武器计划展开新的谈判。
白宫尚未证实备忘录的泄露内容。
当被问及伊朗民众对美伊达成协议的担忧时，白宫发言人安娜·凯利告诉福克斯新闻数字频道：“47年来，美国总统和无数其他世界领导人都在谈论伊朗构成的威胁，但没有人有勇气正视这一问题。特朗普总统采取了果断行动，确保伊朗永远无法再伤害我们的家园、我们的军队或我们的盟友。一旦伊朗的核威胁被永久消除，整个地区及其人民将更加安全和稳定。”
2025年12月29日，伊朗德黑兰市中心，抗议者游行。(法尔斯通讯社 美联社)
然而，特朗普上周在内阁会议上表示：“我们最初的目标并不是政权更迭。”他补充道：“但我们现在面对的是与一开始完全不同的一群人……这就是政权更迭。”
支持特朗普政府的伊朗裔美国人礼萨·法努德是一名研究员、作家和活动家，他敦促特朗普继续对德黑兰施加最大压力。
法努德告诉福克斯新闻数字频道：“我们欢迎轰炸和袭击该政权，因为我们的目标是推翻这个政权。”他敦促特朗普继续封锁伊朗船只，切断该政权的资金来源。他表示，制裁 relief（制裁放宽）将被伊朗用于“对抗美国、以色列及其盟友，以及无辜的伊朗民众”。
法努德强调，神职政权将伊朗民众“扣为人质”。
住在阿尔博尔兹省首府北部城市卡拉季的基阿努什谈及特朗普拟议的协议时说：“你把我们六个月的生活拖入了地狱。你打算如何为所有那些死去孩子的母亲们一个交代？你为什么要给人们虚假的希望？你为什么要给这么多人曾经坚信的一切判下死刑？”
多位精通外交政策的美国参议员对特朗普对待伊朗伊斯兰共和国的方式表示赞赏。南卡罗来纳州共和党参议员林赛·格雷厄姆最近告诉福克斯新闻的肖恩·汉尼提：“在特朗普任期内，伊朗政权变得越来越穷、越来越弱。这就是区别所在。”
格雷厄姆将特朗普的伊朗政策与他的前任们进行了对比。“奥巴马和拜登把伊朗搞砸了，而唐纳德·特朗普正在纠正这一切。在奥巴马和拜登任期内，伊朗变得富有且更具威胁性，”他说。“在特朗普任期内，他们变得越来越穷、越来越弱。这就是区别所在。”
美国前能源部长丹·布鲁伊莱特最近告诉福克斯新闻，伊朗的石油储存容量已濒临危险低点，如果被迫停止生产，可能会面临严重的经济崩溃。
特朗普曾表示，伊朗政权在2026年1月杀害了多达4.5万名伊朗示威者。就在这场大规模屠杀发生几天后，他敦促抗议者继续抗争，并向他们承诺“救援即将到来”。
劳丹·巴扎尔甘是一位知名的伊朗裔美国活动家，她在20世纪80年代因政见不同被该政权关押在德黑兰臭名昭著的埃文监狱。她告诉福克斯新闻数字频道，她所交谈过的伊朗民众对特朗普的交易感到沮丧。“他是少数几个反复提及2026年1月数千名伊朗人被杀害事件、并对伊斯兰共和国的赤裸裸暴行表示厌恶的世界领导人之一。他曾承诺支持伊朗民众，并让人们期待最终可能迎来有意义的变革。”
她继续说道：“如今，88天后，许多人觉得他们依然面对着同一个政权，这个政权看起来更加嚣张、更加意识形态化，仍然愿意镇压、处决和逮捕民众。经济已经被摧毁，许多人感到被困在一个毫无怜悯之心的政权和一条没有明确前进道路的未来之间。
多年来，9000万伊朗人一直作为伊朗伊斯兰共和国的人质生活。现在，许多人担心后果不再局限于伊朗境内，而是会威胁到全球能源通道、地区稳定，甚至数字基础设施。”
据巴扎尔甘透露：“许多普通伊朗民众提出的问题很简单：人们怎么可能去对抗一个看起来已经获胜、掌控着武器、通过庞大宣传机器控制叙事、并拥有无数镇压工具的政权？”
同样来自首都德黑兰的阿里抱怨不断飙升的物价和通货膨胀，以及政权依然存在的失望情绪。
“对于一个拥有国家提供的住房、数十亿美元的赞助和特权的政权来说，这一切对其支持者来说又有什么区别呢？”
阿里补充道：“我们才是付出代价、被压垮的人。我们的孩子怎么才能买得起这些住房和汽车，他们又怎么才能结婚成家？”
美国国务院将福克斯新闻数字频道的评论请求转交给了白宫。
本杰明·温塔尔报道以色列、伊朗、叙利亚、土耳其和欧洲事务。你可以在推特上关注本杰明@BenWeinthal，或发送邮件至benjamin.weinthal@fox.com。
Iranians speak out over possible Trump-regime deal
2026-06-02T17:52:35-04:00 / Fox News
Iranian citizen says despite economic hardships they still have hope: ‘Our situation is not good, but we are motivated’
By Benjamin Weinthal Fox News
Published June 2, 2026 5:52pm EDT
Iran is trying to separate nuclear negotiations from a deal to end the war: Expert
The Foreign Desk editor-in-chief Lisa Daftari discusses her concerns about Iran’s regime as President Donald Trump contemplates a deal to end the war on ‘Fox Report.’
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Amid President Donald Trump’s Monday announcement that a deal with Iran’s clerical regime is imminent to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate an end to Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program, Iranians who hoped U.S. pressure would force a decisive outcome now fear it may survive while ordinary people absorb the costs.
“Inside Iran, the mood has shifted from early-war optimism to a kind of exhausted resignation, but there is still some hope that this is the moment President Trump will use his leverage to do the right thing.The Iranian people understand this unusually narrow but strategic window,” Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk who keeps in contact with Iranians on the ground, told Fox News Digital.
She continued that ,”The regime is fiscally strained and politically brittle, while the broader population has been disillusioned by years of repression and economic collapse. Iranians do see this as a one‑time opportunity for Washington — and President Trump in particular — to translate military and economic leverage into the potential collapse of an irrefromable regime. If the outcome is a shallow agreement that props up the system without changing its trajectory, that window will likely close for years.”
TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES ‘RARE OPPORTUNITY’ FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS
An Iranian flag is placed amid rubble next to a destroyed residential building near Ferdowsi Square in Tehran on March 3, 2026.(ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)
She continued, “If instead, the U.S. holds firm on sanctions and nuclear red lines, it can weaken the regime’s hand without punishing the Iranian people, who have already paid the highest price.”
Daftari, the Iran expert, shared recent correspondence from two Iranians from Tabriz and Tehran.
The resident from Tabriz said, “From my perspective, decades of political tension between Iran and the United States have had their greatest impact on ordinary people rather than those in power. Many families feel their voices are not being heard in international discussions about Iran.” Adding, “I respectfully ask whether you might consider sharing or highlighting the human side of this situation, so that the experiences of ordinary Iranian families are not overlooked in political discussions and media coverage.”
The Tehran resident said, “Today, the people of Iran believe in the future. On days when economic pressure makes the faces of the Iranian people sad, the word ‘unity’ brings a smile to their lips. Our situation is not good, but we are motivated.”
Fox News Digital surveyed a few Iranians and agreed to use only their first names because the clerical regime has declared the use of Starlink to bypass the censor a criminal act. A sophisticated clandestine network has managed to smuggle some satellite internet technology into Iran to allow people to communicate with the world outside the Islamist state.
Two armed members of Iran’s police special forces stand behind a country flag placed on an armored military vehicle during a pro-Government rally in downtown Tehran, Iran.(Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Hassan, who lives in Tehran, pleaded with President Trump to keep strong in his dealings with the regime, saying that “Things have gotten so bad that even if you wanted to give up and leave Iran and just focus on your own life and work, it feels like there’s nowhere left to turn. Mr. Trump, through these deals and arrangements, has left people feeling trapped, with no road left open.”
Mehdi, who resides in Tehran, expressed confusion about the existence of an agreement. He said, “So what exactly are they agreeing on? Are they saying they’re close to a deal or are there other discussions too? Every minute there is a new piece of news, everyone has a new analysis, everything changes every minute. It’s strange. This war achieved nothing. We’re the only ones left paying the price,” he complained.
THE WAR HITS HOME: WHY FINANCIAL PAIN AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY THREATEN TRUMP’S DRIVE TO TOPPLE IRAN’S REGIME
Hassan from Tehran said that “Mr. Trump, if until yesterday most Iranians thought they were on the same path as America, you caused them all to become disappointed. “Mr. Trump, if you wanted this government to remain in power, why did you blow up factories? Now workers are being laid off, and inflation is out of control. Even with a salary of 18 million tomans, you cannot feed yourself.”
Mahsa, from the Caspian Sea city of Rasht, told Fox News Digital that the system [Islamic Republic of Iran] is still fully intact. They don’t care how many people died. If anything, they seem more emboldened now and even take pride in martyrdom. Yesterday I argued with a regime supporter who said: “Our leader didn’t give away a single meter of land, didn’t take a step backward, unlike previous kings who gave away Bahrain, Baku, Nakhchivan, and others.”
Protesters block a street as a crowd gathers during a demonstration in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026.(Mahsa/Middle East Images/AFP)
The concerns among many Iranians revolve around the proposed memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran’s regime. The MOU does not address the overthrow of the clerical regime or human rights violations, according to media reports. Large numbers of Iranians within Iran and among the Iranian diaspora want the Trump administration to topple the Islamist dictatorship in Tehran.
The MOU reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension. Israel and the U.S. launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28. The MOU would also see the reopening the Strait of Hormuz and new talks over Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons program.
The leaked elements of the MOU have not been confirmed by the Trump administration.
When asked about the concern among Iranians about a deal with the Islamic Republic, Anna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the White House, told Fox News Digital that “For 47 years, American Presidents and countless other world leaders talked about the threat posed by Iran, but no one had the courage to address it. President Trump took decisive action to ensure that Iran could never harm our homeland, our troops, or our allies again. Once Iran’s nuclear threat is removed for good, the entire region and its people will be safer and more stable.”
IRAN REGIME ESCALATES REPRESSION TOWARD ‘NORTH KOREA-STYLE MODEL OF ISOLATION AND CONTROL’
Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 29, 2025.(Fars News Agency/AP)
However, Trump said last week during his cabinet meeting, “We didn’t set out for regime change,” adding, “But by the fact that we’re dealing with a totally different group of people than we were at the beginning … This is regime change.”
Reza Farnood, an Iranian American who supports the Trump administration and is a researcher, writer and activist, urged that President Trump continue with his maximum pressure campaign against Tehran.
Farnood told Fox News Digital, “We welcome the bombing and attacking the regime because we are aiming to overthrow the regime.” He urged that Trump continue the blockade of Iran’s vessels and deny money to the regime. He said sanctions relief will be used by Iran “against the U.S. and Israel and their allies and innocent Iranians.”
Farnood stressed that the clerical regime is holding the Iranian people “hostage.”
Kianoosh, who lives in the northern city of Karaj, the capital of Alborz province,said about Trump’s proposed deal: “You threw six months of our lives into hell. What answer are you going to give to the mothers of all those children who were killed? Why did you give people false hope? Why did you hand down a death sentence to everything so many people believed in?”
Leading U.S. Senators well-versed in foreign policy have praised Trump’s approach to the Islamic Republic. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC., recently told Fox News’ Sean Hannity “On Trump’s watch, they’re [Iran’s regime] becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference.”
TRUMP’S ‘ECONOMIC FURY’ SQUEEZES IRAN — BUT CAN TEHRAN OUTLAST THE PRESSURE?
Graham juxtaposed Trump’s Iran policy with his predecessors. “Obama and Biden screwed Iran up, and Donald Trump is fixing it. On Obama and Biden’s watch, Iran became rich and lethal,” he said. “On Trump’s watch, they’re becoming poorer and weaker. That’s the difference.”
Iran is running dangerously low on oil storage capacity and could face a severe economic breaking point if forced to halt production, former U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette recently told Fox News.
Trump has said that Iran’s regime murdered as many as 45,000 Iranian demonstrators in January 2026. He urged just days after the mass murder that protesters keep going and promised them that “help is on its way.”
Lawdan Bazargan, a prominent Iranian-American activist who the regime imprisoned in its infamous Evin Prison in Tehran in the 1980s for political dissent, told Fox News Digital that the Iranians she’s spoken with are discouraged by Trump’s dealings. “He was one of the few world leaders who repeatedly spoke about the thousands of Iranians killed in January 2026 and expressed disgust at the sheer brutality of the Islamic Republic. He had promised support for the Iranian people and raised expectations that meaningful change might finally come.”
Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)
She continued: “Now, 88 days later, many people feel they are left facing the same regime, one that appears more emboldened, more ideological, and still willing to repress, execute, and arrest people. The economy has been devastated, and many feel trapped between a government with no mercy and a future with no clear path forward.
For years, 90 million Iranians have lived as hostages of the Islamic Republic. Now, many fear that the consequences no longer stop at Iran’s borders, through threats to global energy routes, regional stability, and even digital infrastructure.”
According to Bazargan, “The question many ordinary Iranians are asking is simple: How are people expected to fight a system that feels victorious, controls the weapons, controls the narrative through a massive propaganda machine, and possesses countless tools of repression?”
A billboard in Tehran displays Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed supreme leader on March 9, 2026.(AFP/Via Getty Images)
Ali, who is also from the sprawling capital city of Tehran, complained about the spiraling prices and inflation and disappointment that the regime is still in place.
“For a government with state-provided housing and billions in patronage and privileges, what difference did any of this make for its supporters?”
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Ali added: “We’re the ones who are paying the price and getting crushed. How are our children ever supposed to afford these housing and car prices, and how are they supposed to get married?”
The U.S. State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House for a comment.
Benjamin Weinthal reports on Israel, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Europe. You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenWeinthal, and email him at benjamin.weinthal@fox.com
2026-06-02T16:42:00-0400 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻（CBS News）
作者：埃莉诺·沃森（Eleanor Watson），哥伦比亚广播公司新闻记者
埃莉诺·沃森是哥伦比亚广播公司新闻多平台记者兼制作人，负责报道五角大楼事务。
查看完整个人简介
埃莉诺·沃森、詹姆斯·拉波尔塔（James LaPorta）
詹姆斯·拉波尔塔 国家安全协调制作人
詹姆斯·拉波尔塔是哥伦比亚广播公司新闻华盛顿分社的国家安全协调制作人，曾为美国海军陆战队步兵老兵，参加过阿富汗战争。
查看完整个人简介
詹姆斯·拉波尔塔
更新时间：2026年6月2日 / 美国东部时间下午4:45 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
在谷歌上添加哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
两名知情人士向哥伦比亚广播公司新闻透露，这架在伊朗上空被击落的F-15E战斗机飞行员，也曾是战争初期被科威特友军火力击落的战机飞行员之一。
就在这次友军火力事故中安全弹射逃生仅30多天后，该飞行员在伊朗上空执行任务时，战机被地对空导弹击中，随后展开了一场大胆的营救行动。
这名飞行员两次被击落的事件，最早由国家安全记者肖恩·内勒（Sean Naylor）在其Substack专栏《高点》（The High Side）中报道。
在战争爆发初期，三架F-15E“攻击鹰”战斗机在科威特上空被科威特防空部队——具体为一架科威特战机——误击击落，包括这名飞行员在内的六名机组人员全部安全弹射逃生。值得注意的是，仅数周后，这名飞行员所驾驶的F-15E战机于4月3日被伊朗导弹击落，他再次被迫弹射逃生。
哥伦比亚广播公司新闻此前曾报道，这名身受重伤的飞行员在数小时后被救出，而同机的第二名机组人员在隐藏近两天后获救。
“这名飞行员和武器系统军官在脱离大部队、躲避敌军追击时所展现出的勇气，无论如何强调都不为过，”美军参谋长联席会议主席丹·凯恩（Dan Caine）将军在两人获救后于白宫举行的4月简报会上说道。
凯恩说：“他们的坚韧不拔和作战韧性，直接源于他们对我们救援部队的绝对信任、所接受的训练，以及求生和返回的决心。”
blob:https://www.cbsnews.com/44dd3338-c636-4069-9e8f-e2a575ee4ead
美国五角大楼将相关问题转交美国中央司令部，后者拒绝置评。
“这是极为罕见的巧合，”退役空军中将戴维·德普图拉（David Deptula）说道，他现任米歇尔航空航天研究所所长，也是1990至1991年海湾战争“沙漠风暴”行动空中战役的主要攻击规划者。
德普图拉在电话采访中告诉哥伦比亚广播公司新闻，他想不起有哪位飞行员在同一场战役的不同事件中两次被击落，这种情况或许最早只能追溯到越南战争时期。
“这就像两次被雷劈中，”德普图拉说。
Pilot of fighter jet downed over Iran was previously shot down in Kuwaiti friendly fire incident, sources say
2026-06-02T16:42:00-0400 / CBS News
By Eleanor Watson, Eleanor Watson CBS News Reporter
Eleanor Watson is a CBS News multi-platform reporter and producer covering the Pentagon.
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Eleanor Watson, James LaPorta
James LaPorta National security coordinating producer
James LaPorta is the national security coordinating producer for the CBS News’ Washington bureau. He is a former U.S. Marine veteran infantryman and veteran of the Afghanistan war.
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James LaPorta
Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 4:45 PM EDT / CBS News
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The pilot of the F-15E fighter jet downed over Iran was also flying one of the jets shot down at the start of the war by Kuwaiti friendly fire, two people familiar with the incidents tell CBS News.
Just over 30 days after safely ejecting during the friendly fire incident, the pilot was on a mission over Iran when the jet was hit by a surface-to-air missile, prompting a daring rescue operation.
The pilot’s dual shootdowns were first reported by national security reporter Sean Naylor in his Substack The High Side.
In the opening days of the war, the pilot was among six aircrew members who safely ejected after three F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses — specifically, a Kuwaiti fighter jet — over Kuwait in a friendly fire incident. Remarkably, just weeks later, the pilot was again forced to eject when the F-15E they were flying was shot down by an Iranian missile on April 3.
CBS News previously reported that the pilot, who sustained serious injuries, was rescued after several hours, and the second crew member was rescued after nearly two days in hiding.
“The courage demonstrated by both the pilot and the weapons system officer while isolated and them evading the enemy cannot be overstated,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said during an April briefing at the White House after the two had been rescued.
“Their grit and warfighting tenacity is a direct result of the absolute trust they have in our rescue forces, their training and their will to survive and return,” Caine said.
blob:https://www.cbsnews.com/44dd3338-c636-4069-9e8f-e2a575ee4ead
The Pentagon referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which declined to comment.
“It is a highly unusual coincidence,” said Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, who is the Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and was the principal attack planner for the air campaign for Operation Desert Storm, during the 1990-1991 Gulf War.
Deptula told CBS News in a phone interview that he couldn’t think of a pilot being shot down in separate incidents during the same campaign since potentially as far back as the Vietnam War.
“It’s like getting hit by lightning twice,” Deptula said.
2026-06-03 07:40 / 联合早报
老挝最高领导人通伦6月2日到访浙江杭州阿里巴巴，考察新兴科技、跨境电商等成果。 （中新社）
老挝最高领导人通伦访华五天，老挝主流媒体同步播出《习近平的文化情缘》。
据新华社报道，由中国中央广播电视总台制作的《习近平的文化情缘》《领航（国际版）》《典籍里的新思想》等三部中国纪录片，6月1日在老挝国家电视台等老挝主流媒体启播。
老挝人民革命党中央总书记、国家主席通伦发贺信，对节目播出表示祝贺。
通伦在贺信中表示，《习近平的文化情缘》等纪录片中“蕴含着中国哲思智慧，体现了习近平总书记对文化遗产保护的高度重视、在治国理政中的远见卓识和深厚炽热的爱国主义情怀，以及他对中华五千年悠久文明历史发自内心的无限热爱”。
通伦称，纪录片也彰显了中华文明作为民族的根脉和不竭动力，正推动中国实现民族复兴的伟大梦想。这对老挝在经济社会发展的同时，保护和弘扬自己独特的民族文化，推进老挝社会主义事业的建设，是极好的借鉴。
延伸阅读
老挝国家主席通伦抵达杭州 开始五天访华行程
今年是中老建交65周年，也是中老两党两国领导人共同开启的“中老友好年”。通伦星期二（6月2日）抵达浙江杭州，开始对中国进行为期五天的国事访问。
老挝播出《习近平的文化情缘》
2026-06-03 07:40 / 联合早报
老挝最高领导人通伦6月2日到访浙江杭州阿里巴巴，考察新兴科技、跨境电商等成果。 （中新社）
老挝最高领导人通伦访华五天，老挝主流媒体同步播出《习近平的文化情缘》。
据新华社报道，由中国中央广播电视总台制作的《习近平的文化情缘》《领航（国际版）》《典籍里的新思想》等三部中国纪录片，6月1日在老挝国家电视台等老挝主流媒体启播。
老挝人民革命党中央总书记、国家主席通伦发贺信，对节目播出表示祝贺。
通伦在贺信中表示，《习近平的文化情缘》等纪录片中“蕴含着中国哲思智慧，体现了习近平总书记对文化遗产保护的高度重视、在治国理政中的远见卓识和深厚炽热的爱国主义情怀，以及他对中华五千年悠久文明历史发自内心的无限热爱”。
通伦称，纪录片也彰显了中华文明作为民族的根脉和不竭动力，正推动中国实现民族复兴的伟大梦想。这对老挝在经济社会发展的同时，保护和弘扬自己独特的民族文化，推进老挝社会主义事业的建设，是极好的借鉴。
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老挝国家主席通伦抵达杭州 开始五天访华行程
今年是中老建交65周年，也是中老两党两国领导人共同开启的“中老友好年”。通伦星期二（6月2日）抵达浙江杭州，开始对中国进行为期五天的国事访问。
2026-06-02T16:56:00-0400 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
作者：凯特琳·伊利克 政治记者
凯特琳·伊利克是CBSNews.com驻华盛顿特区的政治记者。她曾供职于《华盛顿观察家报》和《国会山报》，并入选美国国家新闻基金会2022年保罗·米勒华盛顿报道奖学金项目。
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卡莉·泰特尔鲍姆
更新于：2026年6月2日 / 美国东部时间下午7:18 / 哥伦比亚广播公司新闻
华盛顿讯 ——代理司法部长托德·布兰奇周二表示，司法部不会推进其18亿美元的“反武器化”基金，该基金已成为国会中共和党议程的一大阻碍。
“我们不会推进该基金。仅此而已，”他在众议院拨款委员会听证会上对议员们说道。
“永远都不会推进了吗？”来自纽约的民主党众议员格蕾丝·孟问道。
“没错，”布兰奇回应道。
孟询问布兰奇是否会将这一承诺书面化。他答复称，听证会的 transcript 会将其记录在案。她在听证会后续环节再次提及此事，布兰奇依旧拒绝将任何内容书面化。
“如果我已经告诉你们我们的打算，为什么还要写下来？”他说道。
“你已经做出过书面承诺，所以合理的做法是也书面撤销它，”孟说道。
“我只是担心，因为你并没有宣誓作证，我们都想要信任你、相信你——但将其书面化可以解决这个问题，”孟补充道。
布兰奇的证词发布前一天，司法部表示，在一名地区法官临时叫停该项目设立的裁决后，该部门将停止推进该基金。
该基金遭到国会共和党人的强烈反对，他们警告称该基金可能危及共和党议程。一些共和党人周二仍表达保留意见，这阻碍了领导层推进国土安全部移民执法机构的拨款进程。
布兰奇的证词是否足以彻底说服共和党批评人士，还有待观察。该基金的设立原本也是一项法律和解协议的一部分，这引发了人们对布兰奇究竟打算如何放弃该项目的疑问。
“民主前进”组织主席兼首席执行官斯凯·佩里曼在一份声明中表示：“如果你能在电视上说出来，就应该在法庭上说出来。”该组织是起诉该基金的团体之一。
特朗普总统的律师没有立即回应置评请求，以确认他是否同意从和解协议中取消该基金。
该基金旨在向那些声称联邦政府“武器化”针对他们的个人提供纳税人资助的赔偿。但共和党对该计划的反对导致共和党领导人在上月底取消了国土安全部拨款的投票。民主党威胁要就该基金提出修正案投票，这让共和党陷入困境。由于一些共和党议员可能会倒向民主党一边，共和党领导人选择放弃他们的计划，离开国会进行为期一周的休会。
参议院少数党领袖查克·舒默周二称政府的表态“毫无价值”，并表示民主党仍计划强行投票废除该基金。
布兰奇在听证会上还对来自康涅狄格州的民主党众议员罗莎·德拉洛表示，由此前引发“反武器化”基金的特朗普与国税局之间的和解协议的其余部分仍然有效，包括政府同意不再审计这位总统及其家人此前的纳税申报单。她宣读了协议中有关为他们所有过往纳税申报单上的所有民事或刑事税务行为提供豁免的条款。
“但你正在推进这第二项指令，”她说道。
“这不会推进。有一项和解协议，”布兰奇回应道。“作为国税局和解协议的惯例，国税局与特朗普总统及其家人和公司达成了这项和解协议，其中还有一项单独的司法部长指令。”
在布兰奇周二作证之前，参议院多数党领袖约翰·图恩表示，参议员们在共和党午餐会上就该基金以及如何推进相关事宜进行了“充分讨论”，并指出布兰奇将于当天晚些时候作证。
“几个小时前我和他谈过，他大致预览了他要讲的内容，”图恩说道。“我认为他的声明将非常明确、清晰，将带来我们希望所有议员和众议院议员也需要的确定性，以便我们推进和解法案。”
但图恩补充道，“我现在不能保证这会发生”，并称与共和党议员的对话仍在继续。
“一切最终都取决于票数——问题是，我们有没有足够的票数？我们有没有50票来推动这类法案在议会通过？”他说道。“我们必须让共和党人团结一致才能做到这一点。”
在布兰奇作证前，图恩向CBS新闻证实，据他了解，该基金已经不再考虑范围内。
离开午餐会的参议院共和党人表示，他们将期待布兰奇的证词带来保证，比如来自路易斯安那州的参议员约翰·肯尼迪，他表示“如果一切如我们被告知的那样发展，我们很有可能会迅速推进和解程序。”
但德克萨斯州共和党参议员、前共和党党鞭约翰·科尼恩告诉CBS新闻：“我不确定这对一些人来说是否足够。”
众议院议长迈克·约翰逊周二表示，该基金“已不在考虑范围内”。约翰逊周一在白宫与特朗普总统会面。
“我告诉他，就目前的投票情况来看，这是一个棘手的提议，”当被CBS新闻问及他是否鼓励特朗普总统放弃该基金时，约翰逊说道。“我理解该提议背后的意图非常高尚……但我认为人们没有完全理解它，这也让它变得棘手。”
尼科尔·基利安为本报道做出了贡献。
Blanche says DOJ “not moving forward” with $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund
2026-06-02T16:56:00-0400 / CBS News
By Caitlin Yilek Politics Reporter
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.
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Callie Teitelbaum
Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 7:18 PM EDT / CBS News
Washington — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday that the Justice Department is not moving forward with its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that has become a major obstacle to the GOP agenda in Congress.
“We are not moving forward with the fund. Period,” he told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee.
“Not moving forward ever?” Democratic Rep. Grace Meng of New York asked.
“Correct,” Blanche responded.
Meng asked whether Blanche would put that commitment in writing. He responded that it would be in writing through a transcript of the hearing. She followed up on the point later in the hearing and Blanche again declined to commit to put anything in writing.
“Why do I need to put something in writing if I’m telling you what we’re doing?” he said.
“You established it in writing, so it just makes sense to rescind it in writing,” Meng said.
“I’m just concerned ’cause you’re not under oath, and I want to trust you and I want to believe you — we all do — but putting it in writing would settle that issue,” Meng added.
Blanche’s testimony comes a day after the Justice Department said it will stop work on the fund following a district judge’s decision temporarily blocking the establishment of the program.
The fund faced intense pushback from Republicans on Capitol Hill, who warned that it threatened to imperil the GOP agenda. Some Republicans continued to express reservations Tuesday that prevented leaders from moving forward with funding the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement agencies.
Whether Blanche’s testimony proves definitive enough to win over GOP detractors remains to be seen. The establishment of the fund was also part of a legal settlement, raising questions about how exactly Blanche intends to abandon the program.
Skye Perryman, the president and CEO Democracy Forward, one of the groups that sued over the fund, said in a statement: “If you can say it on TV, you should say it in court.”
Lawyers for President Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether he has agreed to drop the fund from the settlement.
The fund aimed to provide taxpayer-funded payouts to individuals who alleged the federal government had been “weaponized” against them. But Republican opposition to the plan led GOP leaders to scrap a vote on the DHS funding late last month. Democrats threatened to force votes on amendments on the fund, putting Republicans in a difficult position. And with some GOP members likely to join Democrats, GOP leaders opted to abandon their plans and leave town for a weeklong recess.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday called the administration’s words “worthless” and said Democrats still plan to force votes on abolishing the fund.
Blanche also told Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut during the hearing that the rest of the settlement between the IRS and Mr. Trump, from which the weaponization fund stemmed, remains in place, including the government’s agreement to refrain from auditing any of the president or his family’s previous tax returns. She read the portion of the agreement that would provide them with immunity from all civil or criminal tax actions on all prior tax returns.
“But you are moving forward with this second order,” she said.
“It’s not moving forward. There’s a settlement,” Blanche replied. “There’s a settlement that the IRS entered into with President Trump and others, his family and his companies, as part of that settlement, as is customary in IRS settlements, and there’s a separate AG order.”
Ahead of Blanche’s testimony on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said senators had a “robust conversation” about the fund and how to proceed at their GOP lunch meeting, while pointing out that Blanche would testify later in the afternoon.
“I had a conversation with him a couple hours ago, in which he kind of previewed what he was going to say,” Thune said. “And I think his statements are going to be very definitive, very clear, and create this certainty that I hope all of our members and House members need as well in order for us to proceed on the reconciliation bill.”
But Thune added, “I’m not guaranteeing that happens yet,” saying conversations continue with GOP members.
“Everything dumbs down to a function of math — it’s, do we have the votes? Do we have 50 votes to execute on getting a bill like that across the floor?” he said. “We have to have Republicans hanging together in order to do that.”
Thune affirmed to CBS News ahead of the testimony that it’s his understanding that the fund is off the table.
Senate Republicans leaving the lunch meeting indicated that they would be looking to Blanche’s testimony for assurances, like Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who said “if it goes like we are told it will go, there’s a reasonable possibility we will move pretty quickly to the reconciliation.”
But Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and the former GOP whip, told CBS News, “I’m not sure that’s going to be good enough for some people.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that the fund was “off the table for consideration.” Johnson met with Mr. Trump at the White House on Monday.
“I told him that it was a difficult prospect right now, given our vote tallies,” Johnson said when asked by CBS News if he encouraged Mr. Trump to drop the fund. “I understand the intent behind it was a very noble thing. … But I don’t think it was fully understood, and that’s what it made it a difficult thing.”
Nikole Killion contributed to this report.