[MUSIC]
President Trump is backing off additional attacks on Iran. They said, "Please don't do it." And other their neighbors said that too. The negotiations resume today.
“How does the U.S. get out of the cycle of attacks followed by stabs at diplomacy?”
I'm Steve Nskip with A. Martinez, and this is a first from NPR News. [MUSIC] President Trump's nominee for Attorney General gave senators a letter they demanded.
Todd Blanch finally rescinded in order to create a $1.8 billion fund for Trump's political allies.
Is that enough to persuade senators who blocked his nomination? Also, how far can progressive candidates make it in the Midwest? Candidates on the left are running in Democratic primaries. Their goal is to shoulder a side more mainstream contenders. Primaries beginning tomorrow will do a lot to shape the midterm elections.
Stay with us, we've got news you need to start your day. [MUSIC] >> Myelin seems like everything is being called a recession indicator these days. >> Yeah, like the box of hamburger helper in my pantry. >> Or the new Apple Neo book?
>> Or the resurgence of press on nails or lipstick or no lipstick, I've lost track. >> There is only one way to know if these are actual economic warning signs, though. Listen to the indicator from planet money on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. >> Hey there, I'm Brittany loose and I don't know, maybe this is a little out of pockets
“to say, but I think you should listen to my podcast.”
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>> Big news stories don't always break on your schedule, but with the NPR app,
news, culture, and podcasts are ready when you want them in your pocket download the NPR app today. >> President Trump's nominee for attorney general has finally canceled an order that got him in trouble with some senators. >> Acting attorney general Todd Blanch released a letter last night. He says he's rescinding a plan to create a $1.8 billion fund for President Trump's
political allies, two Republicans have been demanding that action in writing. They had been blocking his nomination to hold the job permanently. >> And Pierre's Claudia Grisallis has been covering the action in the U.S. Senate. Claudia, come on in. >> Good morning, Steve.
“>> Okay, so what did the acting attorney general say in writing this time and what's it”
mean for his confirmation?
>> Right, this order was issued just a few hours ago and it does indeed rescind this controversial
effort, the administration dubbed the quote anti-weaponization fund. This came from a deal that was made with Trump's IRS agency under his administration. And he threatened to revive this fund just this weekend if two Republican senators that senators John Corne and of Texas and Tom Tillis of North Carolina would not back off their objections to this fund.
But there's a lot more elements to this deal that were not addressed in that order. The deal with the IRS also included a provision to protect Trump and his family from future tax audits and that's another very controversial provision for Republicans. So while this order may address a major hurdle that has held this confirmation up on committee, there are plenty of other questions remain.
>> Yeah, and here's another question. I've been reading Blanch's letter that came out overnight. It's mostly in the present tense. He says the fund quote is not moving forward, for example. He doesn't say this fund was bad or inappropriate.
He doesn't say what he would do if his boss orders him to revive it next week. And you just said Trump still spoke in favor of it. This past weekend, there's senators persuaded by any of this. >> That's the big question now. This letter may address, again, those concerns for court and untilists who are on the judiciary
committee, but Blanch still faces a lot of concerns that are not clear. Making not clear that he has enough support on the Senate floor from Republicans to get that confirmation. And as we know, Republicans are operating with tight margins. So it doesn't take much to derail a vote in that chamber.
And while all the focus has been on court and untilists because of their roles on this committee, it's a new ballgame when we talk about a whole of the Senate Republican conference. And so we should also note the administration has resisted for weeks to go this far. So this is still a lingering issue for many. It's just one of several items causing headaches between the administration and Republicans
in Congress. >> What's another? >> Well, a big part of this comes back to Trump's push for the SAVE American Act. That's a GOP bill that would require proof of citizenship and photo ID to cast a ballot. Trump has blamed Senate Majority Leader John Thune for not getting a lot of this done.
Even if it means getting rid of the filibuster in this past week, Trump was asked whether
He was confident in Thune and he did not give a ringing endorsement.
How's Thune responding to that pressure?
>> Well, he is not exactly taking his lumps and going home. He's been consistent. The votes are not there to pass the SAVE American Act and they are not going to get rid of the filibuster. Trump is one of them to stay in for the month of August.
But Thune has said that would not be productive either. >> Claudia Rosales, thanks so much. >> Thank you. [MUSIC] >> President Trump wants more backed out of threats to unleash strikes on Iran.
On Wednesday, he said a U.S. would be, quote, hitting them very hard. Saturday night, he called the strikes off. The U.S. has been in a cycle of Iranian attacks, U.S. strikes, U.S.
threats, and quick stabs at negotiation.
>> And Pierre Sadeel Al-Shalci has been covering all of this from Istanbul. >> Welcome. >> Thank you.
“>> Why did the President say he canceled his strikes?”
>> Well, President Trump said that his allies, including Saudi Arabia, had talked him out of a series of renewed attacks. Yesterday, the Saudi Crown Prince, Hamid Bin Salman said he'd called Trump by phone and that he quote, "affirm the necessity of prioritizing the language of dialogue to reduce escalation." Of course, Saudi Arabia was at the receiving end as Iran targeted U.S. bases in the Gulf
and Jordan in response to U.S. strikes. In March, a U.S. service member was killed by an Iranian strike on a base in Saudi Arabia. And then on his social media platform, true social trump wrote that the quote, "perimeters of a deal were reached to reopen the straight of Hormuz and end Iran's nuclear capabilities." Here's Trump's speaking to reporters, Sunday evening on Air Force One.
>> I was asked to by Saudi Arabia, UAE, and by Qatar, and by Iran. >> We were all said to go, it's about at this time right now, and we would have been a massive attack. We're all said to go, but when the allies asked to call it off, we got to sort of say, "Well, let's see."
And the reason they asked is they think there's a deal. >> Yeah, so he said that they were close to a deal, and that talks will, in fact, start today, but Iran didn't confirm this yet. And we're yet to hear about what the potential deal could look like, what those perimeters are.
We haven't heard from the Iranians about the deal. We do know that over the weekend Iran's foreign minister had a whole series of phone calls with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and mediator Pakistan. He also told them that Iran will strike if it is attacked again. And like you mentioned, this has become a cyclical pattern.
Trump threatens strikes, pulls back, saying diplomatic solution has been reached to rinse and repeat. He's done it several times since a deal with Iran was struck initially in April. And I'm just noticing what feels like a contradiction now had a deal. If he's saying we're close to a deal and talks will start today, that implies maybe there's
a little more work to do than the President would have said, just judging by his own words. And the President keeps encountering an Iran that is more defiant than he would like. >> Absolutely. I mean, Trump and his secretary defense Pete Hexaf have repeatedly said that the U.S. has delivered blows to Iran's military capabilities that they've completely destroyed them.
And every time the U.S. strikes, Iran is able to respond. And they're targeting these U.S. installations in the Gulf and Jordan and making damage. And so we've seen also this war widened. Yemen's Iranian backed hoothees have also gotten involved. They imposed a blockade on Saudi ships in the Bebb and Mendeb straight, which is a choke
point, and connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. And then last week, Iran attacked two gas tankers, one belonging to the U.S. near Egypt's Suez Canal.
“>> What was the each Iranian attack and each U.S. head fake seems to move oil markets?”
>> Mm-hmm. >> I mean, yesterday oil prices plummeted after the Trump announcement that he'd hold off on those strikes, the price of Brent Crude, the global benchmark for oil fell 8% to about $83 per barrel yesterday. The price of oil has been, of course, as you said, has been on a roller coasters since
the war started at the end of February, hitting over $100 a barrel many times. And earlier in the day, OPEC approved an increase of oil production to about $188,000 barrels a day. >> Interesting. You all shall thank so much.
>> You're welcome. [MUSIC] >> Far left challengers have won Democratic primaries this year in some deep blue congressional districts from New York to Colorado. >> Progressive politics is about to undergo its biggest test yet in Midwestern swing states
and competitive districts that could decide control a Congress.
>> The first of these primaries comes tomorrow and Michigan and NPR senior political correspondent
Tamer Keith is covering everything. Tamer, good morning. >> Good morning.
“>> Okay, U.S. Senate primary and Michigan, why so much focus there?”
>> It's a true swing state and Democrats really need to hang on to that seat. Currently held by a retiring Democrat if they want a chance of gaining control of the Senate. The primary matchup really reflects something Democrats have been wrestling with at least
Since 2016 who can win a populist progressive or a moderate favored by the De...
In this case, polls show former public health official Abdul-Elsaid in the lead for the primary. His campaign is very much anti-establishment and the other candidate is Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens, recent polls have shown her with a better chance of winning in November. >> Okay, that's interesting. But I also know there is this progressive tradition in the Midwest.
Tam going way back, the region is more diverse than it seems. Lots of different kinds of people, lots of different kinds of thought.
“But what do Democrats think right now about a progressive chances in Michigan?”
>> Right, just because a state is purple, it doesn't mean that its partisans are moderate. The issue is swing voters, establishment Democrats say nominating Elsaid is too much of a risk because some of the positions that he's taking could be painted as extreme. But those in the insurgent wing of the party say playing its safe is the real electability problem.
William Lawrence is running to shake things up in Michigan's seventh congressional district. >> People are not interested in going along to get along in a time like this. We've seen that fail time and time again. Okay, what message do you think voters are sending? >> Well, primary election voters are only a small, motivated subset of those who will vote in November.
But the message is unmistakable, voters are angry and incumbents are facing a lot of opposition. Liz Smith is a Democratic consultant who has worked with candidates in Michigan. She says voters appear willing to take a risk on candidates whose public statements and
“policy positions could be seen as a general election liability.”
>> It seems like that is a trade off that Democratic primary voters in places like Michigan are willing to accept. Is that surprising to you? No, because when people are angry, sometimes they go with their heart over their head.
And the reality is that one of us know how it's going to play out in November.
But what happens in November could really determine the direction of the Democratic party. >> Also. >> You know, the party is trying to figure out what it stands for and not just who it's against, namely Trump. If a progressive populist is able to prevail in a general election in a swing state, that
could change the way Democratic primary voters think about electability. In Wisconsin, which has its primary next week, Francesca Hong is dominating in the polls in the Democratic-Goobinotorial primary. She's aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. So this race is another swing state test for the left.
In Wisconsin, or Michigan could deal a significant blow to that wing of the party.
>> And Pierre Stammerke, it's always a pleasure to hear from you.
>> Always good to be on. Thank you. >> We're also following this story. In recent weeks, prominent Republicans have been sounding at alarm. >> This is not a game.
This is not our father's Democrat party. We're not arguing over marginal tax rates anymore. We're arguing over whether or not freedom is going to survive. >> Their concern is communism coming to America. >> Let's call it what it is.
>> It's communism. >> Back in 2024, President Trump outlined the thought behind this strategy. Oh, we have to do is define our opponent as being a communist or a socialist or somebody that's going to destroy our country. This week on the Sunday Story, how Republicans are using the accusation of communism ahead
of the midterm elections.
Listen to the Sunday Story right here in the up-first podcast.
And that's up first for this Monday, August 3rd, I'm Steve Nskip. >> Hi, my name is Martinez, today's episode of a first was edited by Tina Cryo, Jason Breslow, Megan Prats, Arzu Resbani, and Lindsay Toddy was produced by Zia Butch and Mia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Nisha Heines, our technical director, as Carly Strange, joining us again tomorrow.
“>> Have you ever been so upset that you can't even think straight?”
And we're distressed and in high anxiety, we tend to breathe from our chest, which is actually more hyperventilating and is the opposite of relaxing. So we want to breathe from our belly area. >> This week on the life kit podcast, tips for those painful, stressful moments. Listen to life kit on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
>> Zendaya and Tom Holland are back in Spider-Man brand new day. And the movie has a more grounded tone than we've seen from the franchise. So does it strike the right balance of fun and darkness? We'll talk about it on NPR's pop culture happy hour.
