Top Trump officials set to be grilled by Congress today on ‘slush fund’ and mass deportations: Live updates

Top Trump officials set to be grilled by Congress today on ‘slush fund’ and mass deportations: Live updates Marco Rubio, Markwayne Mullin and Todd Blanche face grilling from members of Congress amid Trump’s budget battle - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Key officials from Donald Trump’s administration will face a series of congressional hearings Tuesday as they plead for funding while facing a firestorm of criticism over the president’s agenda. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche are all testifying in budget hearings amid heightened scrutiny over the war in Iran and the administration’s mass deportation campaign. Blanche is also expected to face questions about the president’s much-maligned $1.8 billion compensation fund for his political allies and how the Department of Justice is handling investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, former Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawmakers during a close-door deposition that she delegated oversight of the so-called Epstein files to her now-former deputy, who is also the president’s former criminal defense attorney. A nearly $72 billion budget bill — which largely includes funding for immigration enforcement funding — faces an uphill battle in Congress thanks to the administration’s push for what critics are calling a taxpayer-funded “slush fund” for Trump’s allies. The Justice Department has backed off the fund — for now — while a legal challenge plays out. Blanche's hearing comes as 'anti-weaponization' fund faces setbacks During his hearing today, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is expected to face questions about Trump’s $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, though the fund appears dead in the water. After bipartisan backlash in Congress and a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that blocked the fund on a temporary basis, the Justice Department announced it will “will abide by the Court’s ruling.” A White House official told Politico that the fund “is no more.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments