Todd Blanche reaches deal with GOP holdouts and Ariana Grande steps back: Morning Rundown

Trump’s attorney general pick scraps an “anti-weaponization” fund in a deal with holdout senators. Iran denies a Trump claim that new talks will start today after he called off attacks. And wildfires in Washington state burn 250,000 acres.

Todd Blanche reaches deal with holdout senators to scrap ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

Todd Blanche announced last night that he had reached a deal with the GOP senators blocking his nomination for attorney general, issuing an order “officially” rescinding the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.

“This order establishes, beyond any doubt, that there is no fund,” the order read.

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The fund was part of a settlement agreement that stemmed from a lawsuit President Donald Trump filed against the IRS, which also shielded the Trump family from tax audits. Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis said their support for Blanche hinged on the administration’s rescinding of it.

Blanche had testified before Congress that the fund was dead, but the president threatened Saturday to “push hard” to revive it.

The Senate Judiciary Committee votes on Blanche’s nomination tomorrow.

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U.S.-brokered plan offers little relief for displaced Lebanese

A U.S.-brokered plan for Israel to withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah has so far offered little relief to displaced families. As residents return to designated “pilot zones,” many are met with rubble where homes once were.

“There is no infrastructure left. No water. No electricity. Nothing,” Mouhamad Ezzeldinne, a father of three, told NBC News about returning to his village. He said he left after witnessing the level of devastation.

With many families facing similar circumstances and with Hezbollah still refusing to relinquish its weapons, it’s unclear how the pilot zone program will progress. Negotiators from Lebanon and Israel are expected to meet for continued talks in Rome next week.

Meanwhile, Trump said Iran peace talks are set to resume today after the U.S. paused further attacks subject to “rapidly” making a deal. Iran said it was not currently holding talks with the U.S. but was in discussions with Oman over a temporary safe route through the strait. “We currently do not have negotiations with America,” and Iran had no plans to host foreign delegations or send negotiators abroad in the coming days, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters.

Wildfires in Washington state consume 250,000 acres, with Spokane hit hard

Fifteen wildfires were burning across Washington state yesterday, consuming 250,000 acres, an official said.

In Spokane, more than 600 structures were destroyed and 60,000 people were forced to evacuate. Three blazes, collectively called the Spokane Complex Fire, have burned more than 7,700 acres and are 0% contained, according to a federal incident management team.

The fires are “really the worst natural disaster our region has faced,” Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said yesterday.

Winds and dry conditions were quickly fueling the flames, and temperatures are expected to rise this week.

Ebola outbreak in DR Congo accelerates as experts say aid cuts hamper response

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the country’s second-deadliest on record, racing past 1,500 deaths in fewer than three months.

Health officials and experts say the crisis is being driven by a combination of cuts to global aid — led by Trump and Elon Musk — as well as conflict in the region and a surge in misinformation that has fueled distrust about the existence and severity of the disease.

“There’s just not enough resources,” said Trish Newport, Ebola’s emergency program manager for Doctors Without Borders in Congo. “So without a scale-up of the response, without more resources in this response, this outbreak will continue to grow, and people will continue to die.”

This outbreak went undetected, likely for weeks, experts say.

Ariana Grande to step back from public life

Ariana Grande plans to step away from the public eye following scrutiny, a representative said, as discussion swirls around her health.

The representative told People that Grande will take “a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour,” which will wrap next month.

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the representative told People.

Read more on why Grande is stepping away from the spotlight.

Staff Pick: Military meals get a MAHA makeover

If you think of military food, vats of refried beans and mystery meat probably come to mind. The Army is trying to reverse that reputation by making over a select number of dining halls with tasty, nutritious meals. I spent a day at the newest location at Fort Drum in upstate New York. I watched soldiers’ eyes widen as they took their first sips of “Apple Pie” protein shakes and fueled up on made-to-order omelettes. (I personally enjoyed my curry chickpea sandwich and side salad of eggplant, cucumber and red onion.)

Inside the Army’s overhaul of military dining

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has touted the program as a victory of his “MAHA” movement — but the Army has been working on the initiative since 2023, before the second Trump administration. There’s also still work to be done to counteract soldiers’ longstanding preferences for fast food. I noticed lots of pizza and burgers on plates, though they were made with fresh ingredients and far less greasy than your standard takeout.

Some soldiers said they still planned to go to McDonald’s or Burger King, but expected the healthier options to make those trips less frequent. One soldier described the discomfort of running six miles the morning after eating fast food: “I felt sluggish,” he said. “I felt slow.”

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