anti-weaponization fund – Zach Lahn defeated a Trump-endorsed candidate in Iowa’s gubernatorial primary as Democrats position for November’s midterms. In Washington, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers that plans for Trump’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund are
When Iowans showed up for primary voting on Tuesday, they weren’t just choosing who might run for office this fall. They were also signaling whether President Trump’s preferred candidates could still clear the field.
Randy Feenstra, the Trump-endorsed congressman, lost Iowa’s gubernatorial primary race last night to businessman Zach Lahn—a rare setback for Trump, who has seen almost all of his chosen candidates succeed.
The stakes go beyond one statehouse race. Iowa’s farmers have been disproportionately impacted by Trump administration policies like tariffs and the war in Iran. And while Republicans currently govern the state, voters have cast their ballots for Democrats in recent federal and state elections.
Democrats are now moving with intent: Democratic voters are strategically selecting candidates they believe will best position them to flip seats in November. In the upcoming midterm elections, Lahn will compete against Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee who ran unopposed in the primaries. Sand is also the only statewide Democratic elected official. The race begins as a true toss-up, with California governor’s primary and other state contests still playing out.
In California, the governor’s primary election remains too close to call. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton lead the field, with Democrat Tom Steyer in third.
While political battle lines hardened in Iowa, a separate fight over federal power took center stage in Washington.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told members of Congress yesterday that plans for Trump’s $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund are no longer moving forward. Blanche’s remarks came just days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the creation of the fund after Democracy Forward and other organizations filed a lawsuit.
The fund. NPR’s Ryan Lucas said in describing its impact. had prompted many Republicans—especially in the Senate—to publicly oppose Trump. Many of those Republicans disliked the possibility that payouts could go to Capitol rioters who attacked police on Jan. 6, 2021. That pushback has stalled some administration legislative priorities, including funding for immigration enforcement.
Democrats have been attacking the plan since the beginning, arguing it would operate as a slush fund—allowing the president to give nearly $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to supporters and allies.
The same day. Trump announced he is appointing Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence. replacing Tulsi Gabbard. who is stepping down at the end of the month. Pulte’s biography on the FHFA website highlights his career experience in housing and philanthropy. but it does not mention any background in intelligence.
The law that established the director of national intelligence position after 9/11 says all nominees must have “extensive national security experience. ” NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben said. But Pulte isn’t being named as a nominee; Trump is making him acting director. which means he will not go through Senate confirmation. Kurtzleben said the role is a key position as the U.S. engages with foreign threats worldwide, especially during the war with Iran.
Pulte has also used his Federal Housing Finance Agency position to legally pursue Trump’s perceived enemies, accusing multiple people of mortgage fraud, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff.
Outside the political and intelligence fights, scrutiny also landed on the administration’s language. Researchers are speaking out against a new White House web page, saying it uses dehumanizing language to target immigrants. The site aliens.gov discusses the threat of “aliens,” accompanied by the opening theme of The X-Files. The webpage equates undocumented immigrants with extraterrestrials.
The administration refers to those individuals as an “it” and claims “they do not belong here.” Ernesto Castañeda. director of the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University. said: “for a few people. it may be another license to act violently against people that they may think are aliens. undocumented. They may be another incitement to hate crimes and to profiling people.”.
Taken together, the day’s developments carry a clear through-line: power is being tested in courtrooms, in primary elections, and in how the administration talks about people whose status determines whether they fear the knock on the door or the next setback at a worksite.
Blanche’s decision to stop the anti-weaponization fund before it can take shape answers one question—whether the plan can survive federal scrutiny. Iowa’s primary results, meanwhile, raise another: how much room Trump’s choices have left once voters decide the direction of their own November odds.
Iowa primary Zach Lahn Randy Feenstra anti-weaponization fund Todd Blanche DOJ Democracy Forward Bill Pulte director of national intelligence aliens.gov PFAS drinking water George Santos Kalshi Julia Elliott Carol Shields Prize MISRYOUM Politics