Trump-Netanyahu clash clouds Iran talks; DOJ scraps $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization fund’

A ceasefire deal in Lebanon is on the table, but Israel is still striking, Hezbollah is still firing

and President Trump is reportedly clashing with Benjamin Netanyahu. Plus, the Justice Department backs away

After weeks of criticism, the Trump administration pulls the plug on his controversial anti-weaponization fund

And a closed-door meeting inside CBS turns heated as Scott Pelley confronts his new boss

and the recording quickly escapes the building. The stories that matter, clear and credible from across the country to around the world

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow. Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelli. Are the U.S. and Iran still talking

That question is front and center this morning after Tehran said it was pausing talks over Israel's operations in Lebanon

even as President Trump insists negotiations are moving forward. Trump says negotiations with Iran are continuing at, quote, a rapid pace

At the same time, Iran's semi-official mayor news agency reports that officials are still reviewing a final draft proposal for extending the ceasefire

despite earlier signals that talks could be put on hold. The diplomatic confusion comes just as Israel and Hezbollah agreed to halt attacks on each other

But behind the scenes, there are signs of new friction between Washington and Jerusalem

CNN reports a phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu grew heated Monday

with Trump using expletives to express his opposition to planned Israeli operations in Lebanon

Sources said the president warned that further escalation could jeopardize broader negotiations in the region

After the call, Trump posted on Truth Social that it was productive

and predicted Israeli forces would not advance on Beirut. Netanyahu confirmed the conversation, but made clear Israel is not changing course

saying the military will continue operations in southern Lebanon and will strike targets in Beirut if Hezbollah resumes its attacks on Israel

A controversial $1.8 billion fund created as part of President Trump's IRS settlement

may be dead before it ever gets off the ground The Justice Department is now backing away from the so Anti Fund just days after announcing it The program grew out of President Trump settlement with the IRS over the leak of his tax returns

and would have created a $1.8 billion fund for people who claim they were targeted

by government abuse or political prosecutions during the Biden administration. But the idea quickly ran into trouble

Critics warned the fund could end up sending taxpayer money to people convicted in connection with the January 6th Capitol attack

Senate Republicans also started asking questions about who would qualify for payments and how the money would be distributed

Then a federal judge stepped in, temporarily blocking the program and halting any transfers, claim reviews or payouts while the court considers a longer term injunction

The Justice Department says it disagrees with the ruling but will comply with the court order

And according to multiple reports, the administration is now moving away from the fund altogether

Now to another war that is still ongoing. Rescue crews are digging through rubble across Ukraine this morning

after Russia launched one of its largest air assaults of the war

Ukrainian officials say Russia fired more than 600 drones and dozens of missiles overnight

killing at least nine people and injuring more than 100 others. Air defenses shot down or disrupted most of the incoming weapons

but strikes still hit dozens of locations across the country, leaving apartment buildings, homes, and other structures damaged or destroyed

Russia's defense ministry called it a massive strike and said it targeted Ukrainian military, defense industry, fuel, and transport facilities

Moscow said the attack was retaliation for what it described as terrorist acts carried out by Kyiv

The barrage comes as Ukraine continues to press its allies for more air defense support

Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed directly to President Trump and members of Congress for additional Patriot missiles, warning that Russia's missile and drone attacks are growing both larger and more frequent

A federal appeals court has dealt a new blow to the Trump administration's transgender military policy, ruling that the ban is likely unconstitutional

In a two decision a panel of judges on the D Circuit Court of Appeals said the policy appears to target service members based on their gender identity and may violate constitutional equal protection guarantees

The case was brought by more than a dozen transgender service members and military applicants who challenged a policy put in place after President Trump returned to office

The court left in place protections for the active duty plaintiffs who sued, meaning they cannot be removed from the military while the case continues

But the ruling does not open the door to new transgender recruits, and the broader policy remains in effect for now

Writing for the majority, Judge Robert Wilkins said the government's explanation for the policy appeared to be a pretext

and that the record showed evidence of animus toward transgender people. The Trump administration has argued the restrictions are necessary for military readiness and unit cohesion

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaling the fight is far from over, posting just four words after the decision

See you at SCOTUS. He has repeatedly told military gatherings, quote, no dudes in dresses

The Supreme Court already allowed the military to enforce the policy while the legal challenges play out

Monday's decision sets up another likely showdown before the high court. CBS News is dealing with a new round of internal drama

after a heated staff meeting inside 60 Minutes turned into a very public fight over the show's future

The confrontation happened Monday during a staff meeting called to introduce Nick Bilton, the tech journalist recently hired to run the long-running news magazine

The meeting came just days after CBS removed executive producer Tanya Simon, along with correspondents Sharon Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, as part of a major shakeup inside the program

According to reports from The New York Times and CNN, veteran correspondent Scott Pelley challenged Bilton's qualifications

and the direction of the network under CBS News chief Barry Weiss

At one point after Bilton said Weiss loved 60 Minutes, Pelley fired back that she was, quote

murdering 60 Minutes and had been brought in to kill it. New York Times first reported the exchange after obtaining a recording of the meeting

Bilton pushed back telling staff he had no plans to turn the program into a social media product and promised that journalism would remain the priority The dispute is the latest sign of a deep divide inside CBS News as some staffers fear new leadership is changing the DNA of one of television most successful news programs

while network executives argue the show must evolve to survive in a rapidly changing media environment

Finally this morning, what started as repairs to Notre Dame is turning into one of the biggest archaeological discoveries Paris has seen in years

Archaeologists are digging through the forecourt in front of Notre Dame Cathedral

and keep finding new pieces of Paris history. Pretty fascinating, really. Beneath the surface, they've uncovered the foundations of medieval homes

a Roman-era street believed to be about 2,000 years old, and hundreds of artifacts

The excavation began after the devastating fire at Notre Dame in 2019

So far, researchers have recovered items including a 4th-century coin bearing the image of Emperor Constantine, and pieces of pottery marked with symbols that experts are still trying to understand

It's a rare opportunity for us to work on something that's really tangibly going to make a difference on the history of Paris

Notre Dame reopened to the public in 2024, and officials eventually plan to add trees and shaded areas outside the cathedral

But before any of that happens, archaeologists want to make sure they know exactly what's been hiding under Paris for centuries

All right, before we head out, here's what we're tracking today. Voters head to the polls in six states, including New Jersey, California, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota

At 10 Eastern, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later the House Appropriations Panel

Later in Los Angeles, a judge will decide whether a woman accused of trying to kill singer Rihanna is competent to stand trial

At 1, Dr. Oz will hold a briefing in the White House Press Briefing Room

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Go to san.com slash newsletters. Those are your unbiased updates for this Tuesday

We'll see you back here tomorrow. For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Craig DeGrelli. Have a great day