博客

Federal judge orders White House offices to comply with Presidential Records Act

2026-05-20T22:15:39.885Z / The Washington Post

The emergency order undermines the Trump administration’s efforts to weaken a decades-old recordkeeping law established after the Watergate scandal.

May 20, 2026 at 6:15 p.m. EDT Yesterday at 6:15 p.m. EDT

Workers load boxes into a truck at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in 2021. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

By Maegan Vazquez

A federal judge in Washington on Wednesday ordered White House offices to comply with the Presidential Records Act, pushing back on the Trump administration’s effort to weaken a decades-old recordkeeping law intended to preserve material related to a commander in chief’s time in office.

Acting AG insists rioter violence will be considered by new anti-weaponization fund commission

May 20, 2026 7:10 PM ET / CNN

By Paula Reid, Casey Gannon, Devan Cole
Updated May 20, 2026, 7:29 PM ET

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/20/politics/paula-reid-step-aside-with-blanche-hdfr

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defends compensation funds for administration’s allies in an interview with CNN

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche made clear Wednesday that the conduct of January 6, 2021, rioters who attacked law enforcement will be factored when the soon-to-be-set-up commission reviews applications to the anti-weaponization fund.

“One of the factors the commissioners have to consider is what the claimant did — the claimant’s conduct,” Blanche told CNN’s Paula Reid in an interview Wednesday. “The claimant would have to say, ‘I assaulted a cop and I want money.’”

“Whether the commissioners will give that person money – that claimant – it’s up to them. But that’s one of the factors they have to consider,” he continued, adding that Trump “does not stand for assaulting law enforcement.”

Blanche told CNN, said he couldn’t fully rule out the possibility that someone who was violent toward officers, saying it was up to the commissioners.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/20/politics/paula-reid-step-aside-with-blanche-hdfr

Acting Attorney General Blanche defends compensation fund for Trump allies in CNN interview.

Acting Attorney General Blanche defends compensation fund for Trump allies in CNN interview.

“So, whether the commissioners will give that person money, that claimant, it’s up to them,” he said.

The comments come as Democrats and others have raised concerns that individuals who took part in the attack on January 6 will have broad access to the massive pot of taxpayer dollars if they simply show they were prosecuted by the Justice Department in the past.

Some of those people — including ones who acted violently that day — have already been seeking millions from the government, and CNN reported earlier Wednesday that many of them were looking to submit claims to the fund whenever possible.

The comments from Blanche represent the Justice Department’s clearest explanation thus far of how the application process for the fund would work.

The fund will be run by a commission whose members are chosen by Trump’s attorney general and who can be fired by the president at any time. One of the five members will be chosen “in consultation” with Congress, though it’s unclear what the counsel will look like or how closely the attorney general will adhere to it. The members won’t be paid for their service.

Blanche said in his interview with CNN that he didn’t think “you have to be wealthy” to serve in the unpaid role and expressed optimism that he’ll find suitable people to be on the commission.

“I think that there’s a lot of professions — really smart people in professions — that can handle work like this,” he said. “They’re going to be smart people. They’re going to be people that understand the political sensitivities that you’re raising.”

“We’ve had a bunch of people apply since we announced this, but that’s something that when we’re ready to announce who the commissioners are, we will let you know,” he added.

The attorney general also attempted to dispel any concern that claimants may receive exorbitantly high payouts from the fund, saying that “This is not a ‘you’re going to get rich’ process.”

“There’s claims processes set up all the time when there’s large numbers of potential victims that that are going to be compensated,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that that all those victims get rich because there’s a claims process put up. It just means that there’s money that’s set aside.”

This story was updated with additional reporting.

Fox News Poll: As economic pain deepens, disapproval of Trump hits new high

May 20, 2026 6:00pm EDT / Fox News

Opposition to Iran war grows despite belief US is winning

By Dana Blanton, Fox News

Former Trump advisor Steve Moore analyzes the strong April 2026 jobs report and rising national gas prices on ‘Fox Report.’

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Voters are increasingly pessimistic about the economy and President Trump’s handling of key issues, while a majority opposes continued U.S. military involvement in Iran even as most believe the U.S. is winning the war. That’s according to a new Fox News national survey.

Affordability continues to dominate the political landscape.

Fifty-eight percent flag the cost of living as their top economic worry, up from 50% in February. This eclipses other issues, such as government spending (16%), jobs (8%) and tariffs (8%).

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SEE AI AS A RISK TO PRIVACY AND PAYCHECKS

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More than three-quarters also say the economy is in bad shape (77%), worse than last month (73%) and a year ago (71%).Only 23% rate it positively, the lowest in more than a year.

The pessimism is personal too.A slim majority of voters (51%) say their family’s finances are worse now than two years ago.Before the 2022 midterm elections, 44% said the same.

FOX NEWS POLL: 56% DOUBT WHITE HOUSE’S COMPETENCE AT MANAGING GOVERNMENT

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All that helps explain the deterioration in Trump’s ratings on the economy. A year ago, 56% of voters disapproved and last month it was 66%; now, it’s 71%. The increase since April comes from a 7-point rise in disapproval among Republicans.

Notably, approval of Trump on the economy among non-MAGA Republicans (36%) is more in line with independents (18%) than with MAGA Republicans (74%). The president’s overall approval on handling the economy stands at just 29%, down from 34% in April.

Trump gets his lowest ratings on inflation, where only 24% approve — down from 35% in January. Inflation marks a rare issue where a slim majority of Republicans (51%) disapprove of Trump. It reaches 85% among independents and 96% among Democrats.

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His job numbers are also net negative on foreign policy (38-62%). Until this month, border security was the one issue where Trump received a positive rating. Now voters are split (49-51%) on his border security performance, pushing his ratings underwater for the first time this term. That shift comes even as 45% of voters say border security is better today than two years ago, while 29% say it’s worse.

Approval of Trump’s overall job performance is 39%, down 3 points since last month and 10 points since his second term started — and only 1 point above his lowest in October 2017. A record 61% disapprove of the job he’s doing, including 48% who strongly disapprove.

Since April, approval has declined among some of his key constituencies, such as rural Whites (-6 points), White men without a degree (-5), and Republicans (-3).

Trump approval is at all-time lows among Republicans (80%), non-MAGA Republicans (54%), Whites (43%) and rural voters (43%).

“Despite consistently strong GOP support, the president’s numbers are leaking a bit,” says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. “Make no mistake; it’s all about affordability. Independents jumped ship in 2025, and now non-MAGA Republicans and other core constituencies are wavering.”

Plus, in the long run, more voters think Trump’s policies will hurt the country (57%) than help it (34%). The share saying “hurt” is up 6 points since last April.Fully 88% of MAGA Republicans say his policies will help, while only 43% of non-MAGA Republicans agree.

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Meanwhile, gas prices are squeezing voter budgets: 86% call rising prices a problem, including 51% who label them a “major” problem. Concern is nearly universal for the broader economy, where 96% see gas prices as a problem and 75% call it “major.”

When assigning blame for gas prices, voters aimed heavily at domestic factors, with about 8 in 10 pointing to Trump’s policies, domestic oil companies, and government regulations. However, they overwhelmingly view the Iran war as the primary driver, with 91% saying it is responsible.

Iran

Two-thirds think the U.S. is winning the war in Iran, yet opposition to U.S. military action increased to 60%, up from 55% last month.

Half think the war will last a year (18%) or more (33%), unchanged since March, while 6 in 10 favor a limited timeframe for U.S. involvement in Iran, including 3 in 10 war supporters and 4 in 10 Republicans.

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Almost all Republicans (89%) and two-thirds of independents believe the U.S. is winning the war, while more than half of Democrats say Iran is winning (56%).Generationally, voters under age 30 are the most likely to believe the U.S. is winning (79%), yet they are also some of the most opposed to the war (67%).

Among voters who have served in the military, 55% support the U.S. action against Iran and 72% believe the U.S. is winning the war.

Last summer, voter concern about Iran getting a nuclear bomb was at a record high 78%. Today, it’s at a record low 56%, down from 66% in March. Concern since March is down among Democrats (-13 points), independents (-11), and Republicans (-6).

Poll-pourri

While 45% approve of Trump’s handling of the U.S.-China summit, a 54% majority disapproves.

That matches views of the negotiation’s outcome: 52% believe Chinese President Xi Jinping got more of what he wanted compared to 46% for Trump. More than a quarter of Republicans (27%) join majorities of Democrats (75%) and independents (56%) in thinking Xi won the summit, as do nearly a quarter of those who otherwise approve of Trump’s handling of the trip (24%).

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

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Conducted May 15-18, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (109) and cellphones (635) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (258). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

As head of the polling unit, Dana Blanton runs the Fox News Poll and oversees the Fox News Voter Analysis election survey.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6395168974112

GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy takes digs at Trump, urges renewed unity in politics

May 20, 2026 / 6:36 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who recently lost his primary after President Trump backed one of his opponents, took several digs at the president — without naming him — as he called for “a renewed sense of unity” in politics.

“Americans are hungry for a politics that solves problems. To achieve this, loyalty must first be to country, Constitution, and fellow Americans, not to individuals,” Cassidy wrote in an essay published Wednesday on X.

Cassidy called for leaders who are “steady, not erratic” and “thoughtful, not impulsive.”

“Their words should lower the temperature rather than inflame division. Their actions should place the long-term interests of the country above short-term political or personal gain. Leadership is not using power to serve your own needs; it is using power to serve the needs of others. If someone does not understand this, they should not hold a position of leadership,” he wrote.

Mr. Trump lashed out at Cassidy — who was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict him in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol — ahead of Saturday’s primary. Citing the impeachment vote, Mr. Trump called Cassidy a “disloyal disaster” and “sleazebag” as he urged voters to support his preferred candidate, Rep. Julia Letlow.

Cassidy, a medical doctor, has also clashed with the administration over its vaccine policies and other health policies.

Days after his primary defeat, Cassidy voted to advance a war powers resolution to limit Mr. Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran without congressional approval. The vote marked the first time the Louisiana Republican had voted in favor of such a resolution.

“Americans are exhausted by a culture that treats every disagreement as betrayal,” Cassidy wrote.

“Our constitutional system was designed around debate, persuasion, and compromise,” he said. “Ronald Reagan famously said that someone who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and ally, not an enemy. That philosophy helped build one of the most successful political coalitions in modern American history because it welcomed people into a movement instead of driving them away.”

He also said his call for unity applies to U.S. relations with its foreign allies, saying they “need confidence that the United States approaches alliances with seriousness, steadiness, and mutual respect.”

“Short-term displays of dominance or public humiliation of allied leaders may create momentary political satisfaction, but they weaken the trust and cooperation needed to achieve long-term strategic goals,” he said. “Successful alliances depend upon credibility, reliability, and shared purpose.”

How Trump’s revenge tour against Republicans could cost the party in November

2026-05-20T22:09:26.215Z / Reuters

• Summary

• Trump purges dissenters, risking alienation of moderates and independents
• Trump’s actions could limit Republican lawmakers’ freedom to break ranks before midterms
• Cassidy’s post-defeat vote shows risk that ousted Republicans will oppose Trump’s priorities

May 20 (Reuters) – Sixteen months into his second presidency, Donald Trump may be as unpopular as he’s ever been among the American electorate – but his grip on his core base of MAGA voters remains unshaken.

That power was on full display over the last two weeks, as ​Trump ousted a string of fellow Republicans he considered apostates for not showing him enough personal fealty. The president’s revenge tour continued on Tuesday, when a hand-picked loyalist defeated U.S. Representative Thomas Massie, a ‌frequent critic, in a Kentucky nominating contest.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

But Trump’s success in purging the party of dissenters could also hurt its chances of retaining control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, some Republican strategists said.

Trump’s actions appear aimed at mobilizing his most diehard supporters, rather than reaching out to independent or moderate Republican voters who will likely play a determinative role in highly competitive races.

And the Republican candidates in those contests may feel pressure to tether themselves even more closely to Trump to avoid becoming the latest targets of his ire – even though it may cost them voters outside the Make ​America Great Again base.

“Anytime the party in power in the midterm elections faces headwinds, the president should be looking to grow his coalition,” said Jeff Grappone, a former adviser to several Republican senators.

With the Iran war driving ​energy costs higher, Trump’s approval rating was at 35% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday, reflecting growing concern about inflation and the cost of living.

‘ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION’

Trump’s spring ⁠retribution campaign notched its first victory on May 5, when five Indiana state senators who had bucked his demand to redraw the state’s congressional map lost to Trump-endorsed challengers.

On Saturday, Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy – whose sin was voting to convict Trump at his ​2021 impeachment trial over the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol – finished far behind a Trump-backed candidate.

And on Tuesday, Massie, who had cast several votes that angered Trump, was defeated.

The same day, Trump endorsed Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the state’s ​U.S. Senate race over the incumbent, John Cornyn, rejecting months of entreaties from Senate Republicans worried that the scandal-ridden Paxton could cost them a reliably Republican seat in November.

Even if Paxton ultimately prevails in the fall, Republicans will likely be forced to spend more money on that race, draining resources from competitive Senate races in states such as North Carolina and Georgia, said Rob Godfrey, a Republican strategist in South Carolina.

Chuck Coughlin, a Phoenix-based strategist who left the Republican Party in 2017 and now identifies as an independent, described Trump’s latest purges as a “purification exercise” that could ​alienate the smaller but significant minority of Republican voters who backed Cornyn, Massie and Cassidy.

“It’s addition by subtraction,” Coughlin said. “He’s shrinking the party.”

Trump dismissed concerns that he might be harming his party’s chances in November by going after incumbent Republicans.

“They’ll be ​alright with it,” he told reporters on Wednesday, referring to Republican leaders. “They want to win. I know how to win – I think I’ve proven that, haven’t I?”

VULNERABLE REPUBLICANS IN BIND

Trump’s refusal to brook any disloyalty could make it more difficult for Republicans in vulnerable ‌seats to oppose ⁠him on politically divisive votes, such as funding for the president’s ballroom or forcing an end to the Iran war.

Rachel Blum, a political science professor at the University of Oklahoma, said the party in control has traditionally given members of Congress room to break with it in the run-up to the midterm election, especially when the president is unpopular.

“That’s exactly the conditions we have right now, but you aren’t seeing that kind of freedom or leeway being given to members,” she said.

A person familiar with Republican strategy pushed back against that narrative, saying Trump has largely targeted Republicans in very safe districts – like Massie and Cassidy – while allowing some members in competitive districts to show bipartisanship or even break with the president on certain issues.

Trump on Friday will campaign with ​Republican U.S. Representative Mike Lawler, whose New York district is ​widely seen as one of Democrats’ most viable pickup ⁠opportunities in November. Lawler has broken with Trump at times, including siding with Democrats on legislation protecting Haitian immigrants from deportation.

But Trump has also shown a willingness to go after Republicans in more competitive races. In remarks to reporters on Wednesday, he criticized U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania whom Democrats have targeted in the midterms and who is one of only ​three Republican House members to vote to end the Iran war.

“I don’t know what’s with him,” Trump said. “He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that … doesn’t ​work out well.”

REFERENDUM ON TRUMP

Trump’s successful ⁠expulsions may also endanger his agenda in Washington, where Republicans’ razor-thin congressional majorities mean they can only afford to lose a handful of votes.

Less than 72 hours after losing his primary, Cassidy abruptly switched sides and backed a Democratic measure to force Trump to end the war or seek congressional authorization, helping to push it through the Senate after seven previous failed attempts.

“Trump is certainly in command of his own party, but he’s complicated his governing position on Capitol Hill,” Grappone said. “We now have Republican senators that he’s opposed ⁠or torpedoed who ​have nothing left to lose.”

Brian Seitchik, an Arizona-based Republican strategist, said the midterms will largely be a referendum on Trump’s record no matter what, ​making it difficult for Republicans to distance themselves from him even if they were inclined to try.

“As a general rule, the parties swim and drown together,” he said.

But, he noted, Trump has a track record of upending political assumptions.

“It’s conventional wisdom to say if you’re not with Trump, then you lose ​the primary, and if you’re with Trump, you lose the general election,” Seitchik said. “That’s the conventional wisdom of the day, but Trump again continues to defy gravity.”

Reporting by Nathan Layne, Bo Erickson and Joseph Ax; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Deepa Babington

Trump officials say they can build 250-foot arch without Congress’s approval

2026-05-20T20:53:29.884Z / The Washington Post

To build a triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery, the administration hopes to rely on a 101-year-old authorization for a different project on the site.

May 20, 2026 at 6:22 p.m. EDT Yesterday at 6:22 p.m. EDT

Workers take measurements on May 15 at Memorial Circle, the proposed site for President Donald Trump’s triumphal arch. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

By Dan Diamond

The Trump administration does not plan to seek approval from Congress for President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot arch, arguing that they do not need it because lawmakers a century ago authorized a somewhat similar project that was never built.

美国以谋杀等罪名起诉古巴前领导人卡斯特罗

2026年5月21日 07:21 / 联合早报

美国司法部星期三指控现年94岁的古巴前领导人卡斯特罗（图）和另外五人在1996年古巴流亡分子飞机被击落事件中，涉嫌谋杀四人和破坏飞机等罪行。 （路透社档案照片）

美国周三对古巴前领导人卡斯特罗提起刑事诉讼，加剧了外界对美国总统特朗普将试图推翻这个共产主义政权的猜测。

美国司法部星期三（5月20日）指控现年94岁的卡斯特罗（Raul Castro）和另外五人在1996年古巴流亡分子飞机被击落事件中，涉嫌谋杀四人和破坏飞机等罪行。

据美国媒体报道，今年2月，四名美国共和党国会议员致信特朗普，要求美司法部考虑起诉卡斯特罗。信中称，1996年事发时担任古巴革命武装力量部部长的卡斯特罗批准了击落飞机的行动，并称此举为谋杀。

古巴国家主席迪亚斯-卡内尔周三谴责美国政府针对卡斯特罗提出的指控完全是出于政治动机。古巴外长罗德里格斯则称美国政府的起诉是“非法闹剧”。

罗德里格斯说，美国试图掩盖古巴1996年在合法自卫情况下击落流亡分子组织“兄弟救援会”飞机的历史事实，企图为特朗普政府侵略古巴寻找借口。

特朗普一再暗示，继委内瑞拉之后，古巴政府可能成为下一个屈服于美国压力的国家。本月初，他甚至表示，华盛顿将“几乎立即”接管这个距离佛罗里达州约145公里的加勒比海岛国。

不过特朗普周三被问及古巴局势时称，“局势不会升级，我认为也没那个必要。”

Trump and Netanyahu diverge on Iran war’s future in tense phone call

2026-05-20T23:10:36.008Z / CNN

By Alayna Treene, Tal Shalev, Jeremy Diamond, Jennifer Hansler

PUBLISHED May 20, 2026, 7:10 PM ET

Donald Trump The Middle East

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Getty Images

Summary

• President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone call Tuesday in which the two world leaders offered divergent views on next steps in Iran.
• Netanyahu pushed Trump to resume military action, believing that a delay in combat operations benefits Tehran, according to US and Israeli officials.
• Trump told reporters Wednesday that the situation in Iran is in its “final stages,” and military options remain ready if diplomacy fails.

AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.

President Donald Trump had a tense conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday that reflected their different views on how to proceed with the Iran war, a US official told CNN.

It wasn’t their first conversation in recent days. When the two leaders spoke on Sunday, Trump shared that he was likely to move forward with new targeted attacks on Iran early in the week, the official said — an operation that, as CNN has previously reported, was expected to get a new name: Operation Sledgehammer.

But roughly 24 hours after that initial conversation, Trump announced he was halting strikes that he said were planned for Tuesday at the request of allies in the Gulf, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In the days since, the Gulf nations have been in close contact with White House and Pakistani mediators in working on a framework that could further diplomatics talks, the US official and a person familiar with the situation said.

“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday morning about efforts to secure a deal.

“We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty,” he went on. “But hopefully that won’t happen.”

The ongoing negotiations have frustrated the Israeli prime minister, who has long advocated for a more aggressive approach in dealing with Tehran. Netanyahu has argued that a delay only benefits the Iranians, according to Trump officials and Israeli sources.

Netanyahu made his disappointment known on Tuesday, telling Trump that he believed delaying the expected attacks was a mistake, and that the president should continue as planned, the US official said. During the hour-long conversation, Netanyahu pushed for a resumption of military action, an Israeli source familiar said. The divergence was clear: Trump wants to see if a deal can be reached, but Netanyahu was expecting something else, an Israeli official said.

CNN has reached out to the White House.

Axios first reported the tense phone call.

The Israeli concern after that Tuesday phone call extended to officials around Netanyahu, another Israeli source told CNN. There is a strong desire in the upper echelons of the Israeli government for renewed military action, this source said, and mounting frustration that Trump is continuing to allow what they say is Iran’s diplomatic foot-dragging.

But Netanyahu’s frustration with the US approach — and specifically Trump making threats only to eventually press pause — is not entirely new, sources familiar with their conversations said. US officials in the past have acknowledged differing objectives between the US and Israel when it comes to the war.

Asked what he told the prime minister the night before, Trump suggested Wednesday he’s in the driver’s seat.

“He’ll do whatever I want him to do,” the US president said.

And despite Netanyahu’s pressure to return to active combat, Trump, for now, has continued to push for a diplomatic agreement, claiming Wednesday that things with Iran are “right on the borderline” and that it’s worth giving diplomacy a few more days if it saves lives.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday that Tehran and Washington have continued to exchange messages through Pakistan.

But it’s unclear what, if any, of the key gaps between the two sides have been narrowed. Iran has not backed away from its core demands, and issues around its nuclear program and frozen assets had remained unresolved earlier this week, a regional source said.

And Trump has repeatedly indicated that military action remains an option.

“If we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” he said Wednesday.

CNN’s Kevin Liptak and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

韩联社：习近平最早可能下周访问朝鲜

2026年5月21日 07:40 / 联合早报

韩联社：习近平最早可能下周访问朝鲜

韩联社周三报道称，中国国家主席习近平最早可能下周访问朝鲜。 （法新社）

韩联社周三晚引述一名高级政府官员报道称，中国国家主席习近平最早可能下周访问朝鲜。

另有政府消息人士称，一支中国安全部门和礼宾官员团队近期访问了平壤，习近平很可能在5月底或6月初访问朝鲜。

韩国总统府周四就习近平访朝可能性表示，政府正在关注相关动向，希望朝中交流朝着有助于维护朝鲜半岛和平稳定的方向进行，也期待中方在解决朝鲜半岛问题上发挥建设性作用。

Ally of DOJ pardon attorney seeks to join board of Trump’s $1.7+ billion fund

May 20, 2026 / 7:12 PM EDT / CBS News

A Republican lawyer and close ally of Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon attorney, has submitted a request to the Justice Department to join a panel that will dispense over $1.7 billion to people who claim they were victims of legal “weaponization,” according to a letter obtained by CBS News.

On Wednesday evening, lawyer Mike Howell said in a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that he wished to “declare my candidacy for one of the five member positions on the anti-weaponization fund.”

Blanche is responsible for appointing the members of the commission overseeing the fund, according to a memo he signed this week. The fund was announced Monday as part of the DOJ’s settlement of a $10 billion lawsuit that President Trump filed earlier this year against the Internal Revenue Service for the leak of his tax returns.

“I have testified before the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and have appeared on national television and radio to lay out the cases of ordinary Americans targeted by federal law enforcement for their political views, their faith, and their exercise of constitutionally protected rights,” Howell wrote in the application letter — adding that he has “written, sued, defended, and advocated every single day to this end” and is “not planning on stopping any time soon.”

If Howell is chosen, it would place him in a powerful position to oversee payments to people who submit claims to the fund, which the DOJ said will operate through the end of 2028.

File: Attorney Mike Howell speaks outside the federal courthouse in Washington on June 6, 2023. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP

Howell is a close ally of Martin, the pardon attorney at the Justice Department who advocated for Mr. Trump’s pardons or commutations for more than 1,500 people who were charged or convicted for their role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

From outside the government, Howell ran Martin’s Senate confirmation process to be U.S. attorney for D.C., a job Martin held on an interim basis but failed to secure full-time.

Howell, who is based in Washington, D.C., is the president of a conservative group called the Oversight Project that investigates alleged weaponization of government. He is also a visiting fellow in the border security and immigration center at the Heritage Foundation.

“The anti-weaponization fund is a historic step by President Trump and Acting Attorney General Blanche,” Howell said in a statement to CBS News, adding that he is ready “to make sure it is a success.”

The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment.

Howell’s letter is the first known request to the DOJ to serve on the commission. CNN first reported on Tuesday that the first request for compensation was made by Michael Caputo, a former Trump adviser and administration official. Caputo asked for $2.7 million in “restitution and reimbursement,” arguing he was targeted by the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The fund’s announcement appears to be the latest step Mr. Trump has taken to carry out retribution for his supporters — beginning with the president’s clemency for Jan. 6 defendants. There is a loose criteria outlined in the DOJ’s settlement agreement for who may apply to receive some of the over $1.7 billion, which said the commission would consider the “totality of the circumstances.”

The DOJ said in a press release about the fund that there are “no partisan requirements to file a claim,” though Capitol riot defendants and other MAGA allies are already considering applying for relief, CBS News reported this week.

In his letter to Blanche, Howell said that, if selected for the panel, “one of my very first actions will be organizing a national gathering of the thousands of victims of weaponization, held in Washington, D.C.”

“These victims will include those who had to pay legal fees because of their support for President Trump, those who were sent to prison, including those involved with January 6th, 2021,” the letter read. “At this gathering, victims will be offered the time and space to share their stories.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/michael-caputo-former-trump-official-files-claim-for-anti-weaponization-fund/