Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Trump administration is scrapping its anti-weaponization fund. NPR's Jacqueline Diaz reports this came in testimony before Congress.

When pressed on the status of the controversial anti-weaponization fund, Blanche was unequivocal.

We are not moving forward with the fund, period.

He was speaking at a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the DOJ budget.

The almost $1.8 billion fund was created as part of a settlement, resulting from a $10 billion

lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS.

Trump sued over his previously leaked tax returns.

That settlement also includes a provision granting immunity from tax audits for Trump, his family, and his companies.

So the fund may be over, but the rest of the IRS settlement, including that immunity,

still stands.

And Blanche says the DOJ does not plan to change that deal. Jacqueline Diaz, NPR News. President Trump has named Bill Pulte to be the

acting director of national intelligence. The job is supposed to ensure that timely and objective

intelligence is provided to the president, but even some Republicans are questioning Pulte's qualifications.

NPR's Eric McDaniel has more.

After the intelligence failures before the September 11th attacks in Iraq war, the office of the director of national intelligence was created to be the expert voice, presenting clear, factual information to decision makers, including the president.

Pulte currently serves as the

director of the federal housing finance agency and has used the post to go after the president's

perceived enemies. Senator John Corden, a member of the intelligence community and a Texas

Republican, recently defeated by a Trump-backed primary challenger, has questions.

I don't see any evidence of any qualifications for that job.

Trump cited Pultes qualifications for the role as someone with, quote, deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America.

Eric McDaniel, NPR News, the Capitol.

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