Trump Faces GOP Backlash Over Iran Deal and $1.8B Fund

President Donald Trump is negotiating a peace and denuclearization deal with Iran, maintaining a blockade until a certified agreement is signed. While Trump described the talks as orderly and constructive, the framework sparked a public rift with high-ranking Republicans. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senator Ted Cruz warned the deal could return to Obama-era appeasement, potentially funding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' WMD program and allowing Iran to enrich uranium.

White House officials rebuked the critics. Communications director Steven Cheung attacked Pompeo, while deputy assistant on counterterror Sebastian Gorka suggested Pompeo may be illegally using his security clearance. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the diplomatic approach but remained cautious about Iran's implementation. The conflict extended to social media, where Senator Cruz clashed with administration advisor Alex Bruesewitz, whom Cruz called a political grifter.

Simultaneously, the administration faces an internal Republican revolt over a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund established after Trump dropped a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. During a volatile closed-door meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Republican senators alleged the fund constituted self-dealing. Senator Thom Tillis labeled the fund a payout pot for punks, citing concerns that it could compensate January 6 rioters. The dispute derailed a planned vote on a bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.