Ken Paxton - Texas Attorney General - and a politician with a string of sleaze investigations behind him - has just been anointed by Trump as the Texas Senate candidate.

Has Trump made a terrible mistake here? Why are the Democrats licking their lips? And is a blue seat in a deep red state starting to seem possible?

Later, Philadelphia congressman Brendan Boyle on Trump’s slush fund, the mid term races, and his urgent warning to British voters.

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Donald Trump announced a $1.776bn new scheme this week labelled an 'anti-weaponisation fund' to compensate citizens who've been mistreated by the US justice system. Who could the President have in mind as in need of compensation? How about the January 6th rioters? Well they are stepping forward in their droves to state their intentions to claim millions from the IRS - and Trump seems to be cheering them on. Critics say he's using the money to keep his own private militia on retainer - are they right?

And why did Trump secure 'forever' immunity for him and his family from tax audits?

Later, in a rare act of rebellion, Republican Congressmen stripped out $1bn worth of funding for Trump's ballroom from a Bill going through the legislature that was supposed to be about immigration enforcement funding. Trump has doubled down on the ambitions for the ballroom - talking about a drone port on the roof and a military base. But will the GOP get increasingly jittery about the exorbitant costs and the gaudy nature of his White House redevelopment when there's an affordability crisis weighing on the minds of voters?

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Did Trump really mean to tell Americans he wasn't thinking of their financial situation "at all" when he went to war with Iran? He repeated it several times so we can assume it was no slip of the tongue. The democrats are delighted. His allies are dismayed. Expect that line to get played on a loop. But has Trump stopped worrying about the economy for everyone except his own family? And has he given up on the midterms?

Later, Politico's Jonathan Martin joins Jon in the studio. What's Trump playing at? Is the base still with him? And is the American media doing enough to hold him to account?

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The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/