Trump Confronted Over $1.8B Slush Fund' in Oval Office: Are You Losing Control of the Senate' Over It?

The Trump Justice Department created a $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund as part of a settlement in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns. The fund is widely viewed as an unaccountable slush fund that could funnel money to the president’s allies, prompting pushback from prominent Republicans. During an Oval Office event, NBC News asked Trump whether he was losing control of Senate Republicans amid backlash over the fund and other priorities, including a ballroom. Trump responded that he did not know whether he was losing control, said he only does what is right, and claimed the ballroom is being built on time and on budget with military and Secret Service involvement. He also said he has all the money needed and described the ballroom as a gift to the United States.

"The Trump Justice Department announced the creation of a so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund on Monday as part of the settlement in Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the leaking of his tax returns by a former official. The move is widely seen as an unaccountable slush fund that could be used to funnel cash to the president's allies, and has gotten pushback from several prominent Republicans."

"NBC NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT GABE GUTIERREZ: Mr. President, with many Americans concerned about affordability ahead of the midterms, there is some backlash from Senate Republicans to some of the other priorities, the ballroom and that anti-weaponization fund. You clearly still have a stronghold in the Republican Party. Your candidates did very well this week during the primaries. But are you losing control of the Senate?"

"PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don't know. I really don't know. I can tell you, I only do what's right. I don't need money for the ballroom. You know, I'm making a gift of the ball room. This is the biggest misreporting that I've ever seen. The ballroom is being built. It'll cost it was going to be $200 million. I've doubled the size of it because we need it. And it's being done in conjunction with the military and with the very much in conjunction with military and Secret Service. We're on time, on budget, it's going beautifully. I have all the money I need. We're making a gift to the United States."

Read at www.mediaite.com