NPR News: 06-12-2026 7PM EDT

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Ryland Barton· Host0:13

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. A federal judge has extended a block on President Trump's one point eight billion dollar fund that the administration says could pay allies who claim they've been targeted by the government. The judge said the move was necessary despite statements from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that the fund was not moving forward. The judge is giving the Justice Department one week to provide a, quote, "clear, unambiguous declaration that under penalty of perjury that the fund will not move ahead." A federal judge has refused to stop the White House from staging a UFC mixed martial arts event on the South Lawn this weekend. The Trump administration calls the lawsuit baseless, saying it's no different from any other events hosted at public forums in the capital. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has more.

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A watchdog group has filed a lawsuit attempting to halt the fight, noting the money that UFC stands to make off the event and that Trump owns up to fifty thousand dollars of stock in the company that owns UFC. The DOJ has responded, saying in part it would be too disruptive to halt an event a year in the making and noting past presidents' White House events. White House spokesperson Davis Engel insisted to NPR there are no conflicts of interest and added that Trump's assets are in a trust managed by his children.

Ryland Barton· Host1:28

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben