Trump pausing DOJ "anti-weaponization" fund

The Justice Department says it will stop work on the $1.8-billion antiweaponization fund for now. The move is meant to comply with the judge's ruling, which temporarily blocks it. The fund was-- or I should say the fund has received bipartisan backlash. Senate Democrats unveiled legislation yesterday to kill it permanently. This thing's a disgrace. Let's call this what it is. This is corruption in broad daylight, and it should outrage every American, regardless of political party. CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang joins us now to discuss both the antiweaponization fund and the latest updates on Iran. Good morning, Weijia. What is fresh on your beat this morning? Good morning, Errol. Well, there's a lot happening here at the White House. First, Iran has not responded to the latest US offer, but President Trump says talks are ongoing, and he remains optimistic for a peace deal. As for that antiweaponization fund that critics called a slush fund for Trump supporters, in a rare reversal, the president is pausing his plan. President Trump promoted the so-called antiweaponization fund as a way to compensate targets of politically motivated prosecutions. These were people that were weaponized and really treated brutally by a system that was so corrupt with corrupt people running it.

But Democrats and several Republicans balked at who might get paid after administration officials refused to rule out all former January 6 defendants as potential beneficiaries. On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson met with Trump to talk about the fund, amid GOP backlash. Shortly afterward, CBS News learned the administration planned to scrap it, and the Justice Department agreed to comply with a court order temporarily blocking the fund. Democrats vow to take action to make that permanent. Trump is claiming that the slush fund is dead for now, but Democrats will not stop until it's well and truly buried and can never see the light of day.

Meanwhile, Trump remains locked in a frustrating stalemate with Iran, which had threatened to break off talks with the US on Monday for what it called ceasefire violations. But in an interview, Trump said Iran hadn't expressed that to him. He added, "I think we've been talking too much, if you want to know the truth," and that "going silent would be very good." But less than two hours later on social media, the president insisted, "Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran." President Trump said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and representatives for Hezbollah, and both agreed to stop shooting. But there were already signs overnight that short-lived ceasefire isn't holding, possibly further complicating those fragile negotiations with Iran. Errol.

All right, Weijia Jiang reporting from the White House for us. Weijia, thank you.