Trump picks loyalist as top spy; administration scraps $1.8bn 'anti-weaponisation' fund

The Trump administration has recently abandoned a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, following significant political backlash and multiple legal challenges. This fund was initially established to compensate individuals purportedly targeted by government overreach or "lawfare." Critics from both political parties labeled it a "slush fund" intended to benefit political allies, with concerns raised about potential payouts to individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol incident. Despite the fund's cancellation, a key provision of its underlying settlement remains, prohibiting the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from auditing former President Trump, his family, and associated entities.

In a separate but related development, reports surfaced detailing an angry phone call between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The tense discussion centered on Israel's military operations in Lebanon, which President Trump reportedly opposed due to concerns about jeopardizing ongoing regional negotiations with Iran. Sources indicated that President Trump used strong language, allegedly calling Netanyahu "f***ing crazy" and asserting that he had prevented the Israeli leader from facing imprisonment, while also criticizing the perceived global animosity towards Israel. Netanyahu's office acknowledged the call's strained nature but reportedly disputed some of the more extreme details of the exchange.