Trump Says Iran Talks to Begin; Senators Avert Election-Time Shutdown | NTD Good Morning (Aug 3)

President Trump says the intervention of the United States’ Gulf allies led him to put a pause on Iranian strikes, because there was a potential deal in the works. The president saying talks are a priority, with negotiations set to begin today. Iran has not publicly commented on Trump’s remarks, with Trump declining to comment about possible U.S. troop movements out of the region.Senators on Sunday night, reached a deal to fund the government through December 11th, with a goal to avoid a shutdown during the midterm elections. The deal, approved by both Democrat and Republican leaders, would block a grant rule proposed by the Trump administration. White House officials say the rule was meant to “improve transparency, accountability, and oversight" for federal grants, but some Senators say it could lead to "politicizing grants."Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has formally rescinded the Department's $1.8-billion anti-weaponization fund. The move follows weeks of discussions with Senators who had raised concerns about the fund and delayed Blanche's nomination as Attorney General. The agreement could pave the way for Senator John Cornyn to support Blanche when the Senate Judiciary Committee votes on his nomination Tuesday.