Up First from NPR
Primary Results, DOJ Scraps Anti-Weaponization Fund, Trump Appoints Acting DNI
03 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Voters in six states picked their midterm candidates.
Chapter 2: What were the primary results of the recent Iowa gubernatorial primary?
Iowa Republicans rejected President Trump's choice for governor, and Democrats chose a more moderate candidate to try and flip the state's Senate seat. We run down the results from Iowa and across the country.
I'm Leila Faudel, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch told Congress the Justice Department is scrapping President Trump's anti-weaponization fund.
Chapter 3: Why did the DOJ decide to scrap the anti-weaponization fund?
We are not moving forward with the fund.
Not moving forward ever.
Correct.
Oh.
Chapter 4: What implications does the DOJ's decision have for Trump and his family?
But the part of the deal that shields Trump and his family from IRS investigations still stands.
Chapter 5: Who is Bill Pulte and what is his new role as acting DNI?
And President Trump named a new acting director of national intelligence to replace Tulsi Gabbard. Bill Pulte spent his career in housing with no intelligence experience.
Chapter 6: What qualifications does Bill Pulte bring to the role of Director of National Intelligence?
Even some Republicans are skeptical.
Chapter 7: How have Senate Republicans reacted to Pulte's appointment?
Stay with us.
Chapter 8: What are the potential impacts of the Iowa primary results on the upcoming November elections?
We've got the news you need to start your day.
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Another round of primaries offer a glimpse into the midterm landscape.
Last night, President Trump's pick for governor of Iowa lost his race. The loss is a blow for Trump, who has seen almost all of his chosen candidates this cycle sail to victory or advance to runoff elections. Democratic voters chose candidates they hope give them the best shot at flipping congressional seats in November.
NPR political reporter Stephen Fowler has been watching all the primaries for us. He's here with some pretty important takeaways. So let's start with Iowa, a state with a number of competitive races in November. What do the matchups look like?
Well, Democrats chose their nominee for U.S. Senate. Republicans chose their pick for governor. Three of the four House races are indeed viewed as the few competitive races in November. For Senate, the nominee is State House Representative Josh Turek.
He's a Paralympian who holds a seat that voted for Trump and argued that his background and campaign strategy is the best way for Democrats to win in a red state. Primary voters agreed, picking him over a progressive state senator by a two-to-one margin. Turek now faces Republican Congresswoman Ashley Henson, who had a nominal challenger in her race. What about Iowa's governor's race?
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