The Dictatorship
Trump says Tehran ‘will have to pay the price’…
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Here’s what we’re following:
- The U.S. launched airstrikes Wednesday against Iranand President Donald Trump said more are comingas Tehran fired back at countries in the region. U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that the military is striking “multiple targets in Iran” and it is happening “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”
- The U.S. military said it had fired on a tanker trying to transport oil from Iran in violation of its blockage on Iranian portsthe eighth merchant vessel disabled in the waters off Iran. Trump wouldn’t say if he planned to follow through on threats he made earlier in the war to attack bridges and utility plants in Iran. He urged Iran to sign a deal with the U.S.
- The president signed a $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement aimed at ensuring uninterrupted funding for the administration’s deportation agenda through the end of his term.
- Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota hosted primary elections Tuesday, but much of the political world was focused on Maine’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest.
$60M and 7 federal agencies required to stage Trump’s UFC fight at White House
Workers continue building the stage for a future UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Workers continue building the stage for a future UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
The president’s planned UFC fight on the South Lawn has required a monumental effort from more than seven federal agencies, hundreds of staff working on-site daily and at least $60 million, according to a legal filing that offers a glimpse into the preparations.
The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, and it is scheduled for the weekend with the main attraction — seven mixed martial arts matches — on Sunday.
That is, if a judge doesn’t halt the proceedings, something sought by two Virginia residents in a federal lawsuit against the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn.
The agency filed a rebuff of the request Tuesday in court and in it laid out the operations for the event.
“Well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been expended,” the document reads, adding that the money came from the UFC and affiliated groups.
OB-GYN group makes vaccine recommendations for the first time
A vial of the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is prepared for a 12-month-old child at Tiger Pediatrics in Easley, S.C., on March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon)
A vial of the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is prepared for a 12-month-old child at Tiger Pediatrics in Easley, S.C., on March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Mary Conlon)
A prominent OB-GYN group announced vaccine recommendations Wednesday that differ from what the U.S. government advises.
The schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women. It aligns with prior recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before changes were made under the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists withdrew this year from a CDC advisory committee on vaccines because of those changes, which have spawned legal challenges.
“So now for the first time, ACOG has made the decision to formally release its own immunization schedule to provide and communicate clear evidence-based guidance and to address the growing vaccine misinformation that is circulating,” said Dr. Christopher Zahn, the group’s chief of clinical practice.
The schedule has been endorsed by 13 other professional and medical societies. Some other groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have also put out schedules this year that differ from the CDC’s.
Florida high court allows use of new US House districts drawn by Republicans for midterms
The Florida Supreme Court declined a request to issue a temporary injunction against the map, which is backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Attorneys representing voters had argued that the new districts violate a state constitutional ban on political gerrymandering.
Republicans currently hold 20 of the state’s 28 U.S. House seats, and the new voting districts could improve the GOP’s chances to win four additional seats this year.
Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier, who defended the new districts in court, declared “complete and total victory” in a social media post.
Opponents expressed outrage while vowing to continue the court fight, even though it may stretch into the 2028 election cycle.
Trump has urged Republican-led states to redraw voting districts to try to hold on to a slim House majority in November.
Administration plans intensive, year-round construction schedule for Trump’s triumphal arch
Artist renderings and diagrams for President Donald Trump’s new triumphal arch released by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts that is planned to be built in Washington between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, are photographed Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
Artist renderings and diagrams for President Donald Trump’s new triumphal arch released by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts that is planned to be built in Washington between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, are photographed Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
Construction of the 250-foot-high triumphal arch that the president wants built near the Lincoln Memorial could occur 20 hours per day, year-round, as officials push to complete the project within three years, according to a preliminary assessment by the National Park Service.
Tower cranes up to 320 feet tall, forklifts, concrete pump systems and other equipment would be needed to build the arch, which would be more than twice as high as the Lincoln Memorial. Work would occur year-round in two 10-hour shifts per day, the Park Service report said.
The 24-page assessment by NPS staff was released last week as a part of a fast-tracked historic preservation review that began Friday. The park service oversees the land where the administration wants to build the arch.
Judge rejects watchdog’s bid to block Trump administration’s $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
A federal judge has rejected a government watchdog’s request for a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from forging ahead with a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.
But the judge ended a hearing Wednesday by warning President Donald Trump’s administration not to “play possum” with the court.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled from the bench in favor of the administration, which argued that the watchdog’s lawsuit is moot because acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress last month that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund.
US military says it is striking ‘multiple targets’ in Iran in latest escalation of tensions
U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that the military is striking “multiple targets in Iran” and it is happening “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”
Iranian media reported that explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Minab in the south of the country.
The strikes come just a day after the U.S. hit Iran following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that Trump blamed on Tehran.
JUST IN: US military says it’s striking ‘multiple targets’ in Iran in latest escalation of tensions
US Embassy in Baghdad issues new warning to citizens
In a statement it advised U.S. citizens in Iraq “to maintain heightened readiness and stay alert to local news sources” as “travel disruptions and airspace closures could occur on short notice.”
Washington previously issued a warning for U.S. citizens not to travel to Iraq and advised those there to leave. The statement reiterated that warning.
The advisory comes amid rising tensions and renewed exchanges of strikes between the U.S. and Iran. After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, sparking the war in the Middle East, Iran-backed Iraqi militias launched regular attacks on U.S. bases and diplomatic facilities in Iraq.
Hegseth says US has ‘options’ when asked about possible capture-or-kill operation in Cuba
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the military has various options for the president if he greenlights military intervention there.
Asked about the possibility of a capture-or-kill operation, the defense secretary said: “All I would say is options, options, options. Our job is to present options at different scales depending on where the commander in chief and president the United States wants to go.”
Trump has warned that Cuba is next following a U.S. military raid in January that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has also ordered a punishing oil embargo on the island nation, while former Cuban president Raúl Castro, 95, faces federal murder charges if ever brought to the U.S.
Hegseth says US will strike Iran tonight
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military will strike Iran “hard” Wednesday night following threats for more strikes from Trump earlier in the day.
While Trump said the strikes are further retaliation for what he said is Iran’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter, Hegseth said they are happening “not because we want to restart anything” but because the Pentagon “is prepared to set the terms to ensure that we get the kind of deal President Trump expects.”
“Those strikes that will happen tonight will be strong; they will be clear,” Hegseth said. “If they have to happen tomorrow night, they will be strong and they will be clear.”
Bill Gates testifies about his ties to Epstein, calls meetings a ‘grave error in judgment’
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Washington, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Washington, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bill Gates said Wednesday that he made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting with Jeffrey Epstein but denied any wrongdoing as the Microsoft co-founder faced hours of questioning from lawmakers about his relationship with the disgraced financier.
In an opening statement provided to The Associated Press, Gates said he “should never have met with Epstein in the first place,” but that he “never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct.”
The tech billionaire became the latest powerful figure linked to Epstein to testify before the House Oversight Committee. The committee chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer, formally requested that Gates testify after he appeared multiple times in a trove of documents released by the Justice Department as part of its Epstein probe.
Iran’s UN envoy says Trump should refrain from threats of force if he wants a deal
Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stressed to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that “no sustainable deal can be reached through terrorists, intimidation, or the use of force.”
“Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” he said.
Iravani said the United States has repeatedly pursued this policy and should have learned by now “that threats and military intimidation are counterproductive.”
“If Washington is genuinely interested in a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of terrorism and engage with Iran on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality, and full adherence to international law,” the Iranian ambassador said.
Israeli defense minister says Israel is prepared to strike Iran ‘with great force’
Speaking at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, Israel Katz said the campaign against Iran was “far from over” and warned that if Iran attacks Israel again, “it will suffer a severe blow.”
The comments came shortly after Trump said the United States would be striking Iran again on Wednesday, after a day of escalating attacks in the region.
Israel and Iran traded fire earlier this week for the first time in two months.
Trump says h e ordered US military mission to help oil tankers navigate Strait of Hormuz
The president said on social media that he ordered the U.S. military last month to execute “a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships” through the strait. He claimed the effort helped get more than 100 million barrels of oil through the strait, though there was no immediate confirmation of that figure.
It was not immediately clear what role the military played. When asked about the secret mission, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said, “U.S. forces continue to communicate and coordinate with commercial vessels seeking to freely and safely transit.” He did not offer details on the specific military support being offered to vessels.
Hegseth warns Cuba over buying certain weapons, saying it’ll invite confrontation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued his tough talk against Cuba’s government while visiting the U.S. base on the island, warning Cuba against the purchase of weapons that could strike the Guantanamo Bay Navy base or the U.S. mainland 90 miles (145 kilometers) away.
“They would be inviting the kind of confrontation, not only do they not want, but they could not stand,” Hegseth said, adding that the U.S. military “will give the commander in chief every single option he needs inside that contingency.”
Trump has been threatening Cuba with military intervention as he tries to pressure its government’s leadership into stepping down.
Rubio to attend World Cup opening ceremony and US-Paraguay match in LA
The State Department says the secretary of state will travel to Los Angeles for Friday’s U.S. opening ceremony of the World Cup 2026 soccer tournament and Team USA’s first match against Paraguay that night.
The department said in a statement that Rubio would lead the U.S. delegation to the opening and be accompanied by Secretaries of Transportation and Homeland Security Sean Duffy and Markwayne Mullin.
In addition to attending the World Cup events, Rubio will also meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña in Los Angeles.
US says it has boosted Ebola response funding by another $20 million
Various rumors and mistrust have persisted in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as the region battles an Ebola outbreak. (AP Video by Justin Kabumba)
The State Department says that the Trump administration has contributed another $20 million toward efforts to counter the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa, bringing the total U.S. contribution to more than $220 million since the outbreak began last month.
The department said the new funds would go to assist the most affected countries – Congo and Uganda – as well as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, to help them prepare for an outbreak and prevent its spread. That will cover support for national emergency operations centers, surveillance, testing and border screening, and infection prevention and control, as well as assistance in managing potential victims of the virus.
The announcement came a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Europe needed to step up its response to Ebola.
Hegseth says, ‘We are taking back our hemisphere’ to US troops in Cuba
Speaking to American troops in Cuba on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is “defending the homeland. And we are taking back our hemisphere.”
Hegseth cited the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which is often invoked to justify U.S. intervention in the Western Hemisphere. He also mentioned the “Donroe Doctrine” to reference Trump’s aggressive focus on Latin America and drug cartels.
Trump has been trying to bring about regime change in Cuba with a punishing oil blockade on the island nation and federal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro. Trump has also threatened military intervention while pointing to the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.
UN chief warns escalating attacks and rhetoric risk ‘full war’ in Iran and Gulf region
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the ceasefire in the Gulf region “is more like a lesser fire,” as the world has witnessed in the last 48 hours, with the downing of a U.S. helicopter, U.S. retaliatory attacks on Iranian targets, and the Iranians firing at U.S. bases and facilities in the Gulf.
“The world needs to see a complete ceasefire, with navigational rights and freedoms restored … and serious negotiations on the nuclear issues – ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,” he said.
Guterres also called for full implementation of the ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza and an end to settler violence in the West Bank, now averaging six attacks a day.
He said, “It’s time to get serious about the only credible way forward” – moving toward a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace.
GCC condemns Iranian strikes on Gulf states and Jordan
The Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, condemned Iranian air attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan on Wednesday, saying the “new heinous Iranian aggression” doesn’t create stability or build relations.
“The Council affirms that these hostile acts do not serve any understanding or rapprochement, but rather distance peoples from one another, undermine the foundations of trust, sow discord, and close the doors of dialogue to which the GCC states have always called,” the GCC said in a statement on the sidelines of a meeting it held in Bahrain’s capital of Manama.
The GCC blamed Iran for destabilizing the region and impacting international navigation and energy supplies through these “hostile acts.”
The ministerial council said GCC states remain committed to diplomacy and good-neighborly relations, but questioned how future ties could be built while the attacks continue.
Treasury sanctions Chinese and Hong Kong-based people and companies for supporting Iran
The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on nine people and firms allegedly associated with supporting Iran’s weapons procurement program.
Among those hit with sanctions is Hong Kong‑based firm Mustad and its leadership, who are accused of acting as an intermediary to facilitate transactions that would help Iran procure weapons.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that his agency is “disrupting the foreign procurement networks that support the Iranian military’s efforts to acquire weapons.”
Speaker Mike Johnson says Pulte is coming ‘short term’ to renovate and downsize intelligence office
The Republican leader spent another morning with Trump at the White House and said the president is “working very hard” to name a more permanent pick to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence – perhaps even by the time Pulte takes over June 19.
Johnson called it a “good faith gesture” from Trump that Democrats should accept as part of an agreement for a short-term extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. The spy tool expires on Friday if Congress fails to act, but lawmakers object to Pulte in the role, saying he is unqualified.
Trump made it very clear, Johnson said, that Pulte will serve a “very short term – a sort of renovation role” to help the office of the Director of National Intelligence be “renovated and downsized.”
US military disables merchant vessel trying to transport oil from Iran
A woman walks past a mural depicting a U.S. aircraft carrier under missile attack in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A woman walks past a mural depicting a U.S. aircraft carrier under missile attack in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The U.S. military disabled an eighth merchant vessel in the waters off Iran on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command announced in a social media post on Wednesday.
According to U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces disabled Palau-flagged M/T Settebello, which they say was trying to transport oil from Iran, after their crew failed to co mply with their directions. “A U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the ship’s engine room,” the statement said.
In a black-and-white video accompanying the statement, a small object can be seen slamming into the back of the ship before a large explosion erupts. Afterwards, the video zooms out, and the ship is seen floating, but with smoke billowing from the back.
Trump seems to suggest the US is ferrying oil out of the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. president seemed to say that “millions of barrels of oil” have been secreted past Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, helping to ease energy price pressures.
“Do you know, we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil?” Trump said. “Nobody knows it. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran. Until right now. We took out the other night, 22 ships late at night with no lights, because they don’t have any radar, because we blasted the crap out of it.”
The president said that U.S. forces have been removing millions of barrels of oil on a nightly basis, and he had previously “wanted to say it so badly.”
JUST IN: US military says it fires on oil tanker trying to transport oil from Iran in violation of its blockade on Iranian ports
Inflation just climbed to 4.2% annually and Trump calls those numbers ‘great’
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
As affordability concerns hurt his popularity, the U.S. president declared that he loves the figures in the latest consumer price index report, which showed inflation hitting 4.2%, the highest level since April 2023.
“I love it,” Trump said without irony. “The numbers were great.”
The president said that he thought the numbers were good because he believes that they’ve been driven by higher energy costs tied to the Iran war, suggesting that inflation would ease “as soon as this war is over.”
Inflation has worsened under Trump’s watch, initially because of last year’s tariffs and now because of a conflict that has blocked oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump piles on about Platner, saying ‘he’s just an outright pig’
The president continued his sharp criticism of Platner in subsequent comments, saying, “He’s like a pig.”
“I watched him a couple of times,” the president said. “He’s like a pig. That’s what he reminds me of.”
Trump added, “You know, I come up with good names for people. I don’t want to stick him with that one, although I think pigs would be very upset,” drawing laughter from Republican lawmakers in the Oval Office with him.
Trump has used “pig” or variations of it as insults before against reporters and political opponents.
Trump signs $70 billion immigration enforcement bill
Trump has signed a bill into law that gives his immigration and deportation agenda a nearly $70 billion boost for the rest of his time in the White House.
The bill provides $38 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion for the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs, according to the White House.
Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office on Wednesday, a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote over the objections of Democrats. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Goodin January during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
Trump says he doesn’t want to renew trade pact with Canada and Mexico
The U.S. president told reporters that he’s “not looking to renew” the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade deal that, without a commitment by July 1, would face annual reviews of its status and possibly expire in 2036.
“I’m not looking to renew it,” Trump said, even though he originally negotiated the pact to replace an earlier trade deal for North America.
Trump said that the earlier agreement was worse than the USMCA. Still, he was displeased with the results.
“You know, with Mexico and Canada, we have trade deficits,” Trump said. “We should have surpluses with them. We don’t need their cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything that they have.”
JUST IN: Trump signs bill giving his immigration and deportation agenda a nearly $70 billion boost through the end of his term
Trump says Maine’s Collins is ‘not my best friend’ but he’s backing her
Trump said that Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has his backing in her reelection campaign this year, even though she voted in 2021 to convict him of impeachment for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
After repeatedly insulting Collins’ Democratic opponent, Graham Platner, Trump said he was backing Collins “because she’s a sane woman.”
“She’s not my best friend at all,” the president added.
Trump said that Collins has “maybe a little different ideology than me,” but she’s “a respected person” and a better choice than Platner.
Iran says the US bombed 2 of its water reservoirs
Water supply to thousands of residents was cut off on Wednesday after two reservoirs in the city of Sirik were damaged by a U.S. strike, according to Hashem Amini, the head of the state-owned National Water and Wastewater Engineering Company, and the head of the local water company.
Iran’s state media published a video of what it said was a damaged water reservoir in southern Iran. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage or the claims.
U.S. Central Command had no immediate comment. Central Command said earlier Wednesday that it had “struck Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.” Sirik is at the eastern end of the strait.
Trump threatens more strikes against Iran
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the U.S. would be striking Iran again on Wednesday after a helicopter collision with an Iranian drone.
“We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump said. He wouldn’t say if he planned to follow through on threats he made earlier in the war to attack bridges and utility plants in Iran.
He urged Iran to sign a deal with the U.S., saying “we were really close to a deal but they keep tapping us along.”
JUST IN: Trump threatens more strikes on Iran after US helicopter collision with Iranian drone
Trump says of Platner: ‘He’s worse than any human being that’s run for office probably’
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The president spoke at length about Democrat Graham Platner, who clinched Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination on Tuesday.
Trump said Platner “is a thug. He’s a cheap, no-good person.” He also called him “fake” and “phony.”
The president mentioned the numerous accusations against Platner and wondered what would happen if Republicans had a candidate like that.
Trump himself has faced numerous accusations about his past treatment of women, including being found liable for sexual abuse. The president also has endorsed Senate hopeful Ken Paxton, a Texas Republican with a checkered public past.
Trump also, unprompted, mentioned Jeffrey Epstein, faulting Democrats for fixating on Epstein while still backing Platner.
Trump to sign immigration funding bill
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Reporters were allowed into the Oval Office shortly before 11:20 a.m. to accompany Trump for his signing of a bill to fund immigration agencies through the end of his presidency.
Several Republican lawmakers are in attendance, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. A frequent Trump nemesis, he chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is one of the panels with jurisdiction over immigration.
“Boy oh boy, it’s nice to have Rand,” Trump remarked Wednesday as he kicked off the event.
Trump asks Congress for short-term FISA extension
As reauthorization of a critical national security law remains snarled in Congress, the president is asking lawmakers to send him a short-term extension to avoid a lapse in surveillance authorities.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires this Friday. Democrats are now balking at an extension because of the president’s surprise appointment of Bill Pulte as his director of national intelligence.
Pulte has no apparent background in national security and is seen primarily as a Trump loyalist. Yet Trump has not backed down from temporarily appointing Pulte.
“FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations,” Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday. A short-term extension will “provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency,” he wrote.
Hegseth says US military is prepared as he visits American sailors at base on Cuba
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived at Leeward Point Field in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Wednesday. His trip comes as the U.S. continues an oil blockade against Cuba and following Trump’s threats to oust its leaders by force.
Speaking to sailors at a U.S. Navy base in Cuba Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American forces will be prepared to do whatever the president decides regarding the island nation that Trump has repeatedly threatened with military intervention.
Hegseth said the Pentagon will be “postured for any possible contingency” as the Trump administration pressures Cuba’s leadership to stand down with an oil blockade, charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro and repeated threats of force.
The U.S. has maintained a Navy base on the island despite diminished relations with Cuba following its revolution in the 1950s. Cuban leaders recently told The Associated Press that the Trump administration’s pressure campaign is “pretext” for trying to persuade the American people to support a military intervention.
US households, businesses stung by higher energy prices
Prices have now risen faster than wages for several months, pressuring many Americans’ finances and causing consumers to take a decidedly dim view of the economy. Families are dipping into savings and falling behind on their credit card bills. Large retailers have noticed changes in customer behavior, like buying smaller amounts of gas at the pump.
Inflation is now well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, and economists note that child care and many other services are still rising much more quickly.
New Fed chair Kevin Warsh will preside over his first policy meeting next week. The central bank is expected to keep its key interest rate unchanged but will likely remove a suggestion that its next move could be to lower rates. With inflation proving stubborn, financial markets expect it could instead raise rates by the end of the year. That could make mortgages, auto loans, and business borrowing even more expensive.
David Flippo wins Nevada GOP congressional primary with Trump’s backing
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. David Flippo has won the Republican primary in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District after securing Trump’s endorsement in the closing weeks of the campaign.
Democrats had hoped for a Flippo victory, thinking it would make it easier for former majority floor leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson to win over less-partisan voters in November.
Tuesday’s primary also set the general election contest for governor, with state Attorney General Aaron Ford defeating a progressive candidate and moving on to face Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo. Ford would be Nevada’s first Black governor if elected.
UN human rights chief urges ‘rethink’ of US immigration policy ahead of World Cup
Issues around “racial profiling, surveillance and immigration enforcement” were cited by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk even before the 48-nation, 39-day tournament starts Thursday.
Iran’s team was moved to a training camp in Mexico, some Iranian officials were denied U.S. entry visas, Africa’s top referee from Somalia was refused entry in Miami and images circulated of a Senegal player being frisked on an airport tarmac. Fans who spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels and tickets for the most expensive World Cup ever have had their travel documents denied or revoked.
“I really hope that there is a massive rethink of how immigration enforcement is respecting human rights and human dignity,” Türk told reporters. He called for a “dignified and safe environment, for the teams that compete but also for the supporters, for the whole society and frankly for the world.”
22 nations call on Iran to stop targeting people in other countries
The U.S., Britain and 20 other nations said Iranian security groups must stop plotting to kill, kidnap and harass people in Europe, North America and Australia.
Britain’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said Wednesday that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Intelligence Organization, Quds Force and Ministry of Intelligence and Security have targeted Iranian dissidents, journalists and Jewish and Israeli communities and interests. The countries also condemned attacks claimed by a group named Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya.
“We stand united in our determination to protect our countries and our people against these threats,’’ the statement said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran must halt these actions now.’’
The statement was backed by Albania, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.
US national parks visitors slam Trump administration for censoring history
The Trump administration asked national park visitors last year to report any displays or exhibits saying “negative” things about Americans. Instead, most people who responded criticize the effort itself.
The Associated Press analyzed 35,000 comments that were recently made public through a Sierra Club lawsuit. One visitor called the administration’s efforts “un-American.” Another derided the idea of “having Americans call in and snitch on each other.”
“Hey Donald Trump!” wrote another — “Trying to erase history doesn’t mean it didn’t still happen!”
But considering that the National Park Service logged some 323 million visits last year, the initial public comments were a tepid response. And a watchdog group calling itself Save Our Signs has documented at least 59 historical references being removed or modified as a result of Trump’s order.
Solar beats coal for US electricity generation despite Trump policies
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Solar panels operate on a farm with cattle Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Cows graze as a wildfire burns in Soacha, near Bogota, Colombia, Aug. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)
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Cattle graze under solar panels Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at a farm in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Solar panels operate on a farm with cattle Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Solar panels operate on a farm with cattle Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Cows graze as a wildfire burns in Soacha, near Bogota, Colombia, Aug. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)
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Cows graze as a wildfire burns in Soacha, near Bogota, Colombia, Aug. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)
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Cattle graze under solar panels Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at a farm in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
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Cattle graze under solar panels Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at a farm in Christiana, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Solar power has hit a new milestone even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy: In May, for the first time, solar supplied more electricity to the United States than coal — 12.8% compared to 12.2% for coal, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever.
Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the U.S. in May, behind natural gas and nuclear, according to data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie.
Solar remains the leading source of new power in the United States even as the Trump administration has canceled solar and wind projects, implemented policies that slowed clean energy permitting and development and terminated $7 billion in funding for affordable solar energy projects. “Coal’s a great business,” Trump said last week as he announced nearly $700 million to support coal-fired power plants and coal exports.
Bill Gates arrives to testify about Jeffrey Epstein in closed-door hearing
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Washington, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in Washington, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“I hope my testimony is helpful to the work, the important work of the committee, to find justice for the victims,” Gates said, noting that he came voluntarily.
The Jeffrey Epstein files read like a who’s who of powerful men across tech, finance, politics and other industries, some of whom maintained or formed friendships even after Epstein’s history of sexual abuse came to light.
The files include calendar entries for meetings between the billionaire Microsoft co-founder and Epstein, email correspondence about philanthropic projects and photos of Gates at Epstein events. The Gates Foundation chairman has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of girls. Both he and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, have said his association with Epstein created tension in their marriage.
House Oversight Committee Democrats want Trump to testify. Republicans have said they haven’t seen evidence Trump did anything wrong.
Defying Trump ended some Republicans’ careers. It could help Susan Collins win reelection in Maine
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, heads to the chamber before votes on the immigration enforcement funding package, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, heads to the chamber before votes on the immigration enforcement funding package, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
This election year is déjà vu for Sen. Susan Collins — the Maine Republican is running for reelection as Democrats pin their hopes on a new candidate, this time combat veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platnerto defeat her.
But Collins has proven to be a hard target even for candidates without the baggage of Platner, who has faced criticism for his relationships with womeninflammatory online posts and a previous tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol. Collins is seeking her sixth term with sky-high name recognition, a record-breaking run of consecutive Senate votes and a long history of delivering federal funding.
She is also the rare Republican who sometimes can boost her own popularity back home by keeping her distance from Trumpa delicate dance she’s perfected even as Trump’s tightening grip on the party has cost two other Senate Republicans their seats.
The US election system can be slow
It took a full week for California’s general election matchup for governor to become clear — Republican Steve Hilton has now joined Democrat Xavier Becerra in qualifying for the November ballot. The final results for Maine could take even longer. And key primary contests in South Carolina are headed to a June 23 runoff.
Despite what you may be reading on the internet, this is how U.S. democracy works. These differences in how votes are counted — and how long it takes — exist because the Constitution sets out broad principles for electing a national government and leaves the details to the states.
Tallying votes collected by local officials in individual precincts can take a long time — especially in states like Maine that offer ranked-choice voting, or South Carolina, which requires a runoff if none of the candidates earn more than 50% of the vote.
Inflation spikes to highest level in 3 years as voters face affordability concerns
Consumer prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.8% in April and the third straight increase. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.5% last month, after big gains of 0.6% in April and 0.9% in March.
The numbers are a headache for the Federal Reserve and a political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near.
Inflation had been cooling before Trump’s sweeping tariffs in April 2025 made many goods more costly. Prices surged again after the Iran war made oil and gas more expensive, potentially spreading price hikes across the economy.
Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.9% in March from a year earlier, up from 2.8% in April. On a monthly basis, core prices increased a modest 0.2%, down from a 0.4% gain in April.
JUST IN: US inflation rises to highest level in three years, highlighting affordability challenge as elections nears
Netanyahu says Iran could never have a nuclear weapon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X around the same time as Trump, again insisting that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon and defending Israel’s decisions to attack the Islamic Republic in the past.
While Iran and the U.S. seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict, Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. That will make compromise much harder.
A federal judge in Washington has denied a bid Wednesday brought by a watchdog group to immediately block the Justice Department’s “anti-weaponization” fund, for now choosing to trust the department’s assertions that it is not moving forward with the fund.
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled immediately, denying Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked the Department of Justice from taking steps to create the fund.
Throughout the 30-minute hearing, the DOJ reiterated that the administration was not moving forward with the nearly $1.8 billion fund, which seeks to compensate individuals who allege they have been politically targeted or victimized by the DOJ.
Andrew Block, the only lawyer present for the government, repeatedly cited Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s June 2 congressional testimonyin which he said the administration was “not moving forward” with plans to create the fund.
Leon indicated he agreed with the DOJ’s position that the case appeared to be moot, saying he was not persuaded there was an issue for the court to decide regarding the creation of the fund. He issued a stern warning to the DOJ, saying, “Don’t play possum with this court!” — meaning he does not want to be deceived.
The plaintiffs argued Blanche’s testimony did not amount to an official cancellation. Nikhel Sus, CREW’s attorney, said Blanche “refused to memorialize that rescission,” or in other words, put it in writing. Sus said that was “highly unusual.” Leon responded, “This whole case is highly unusual to say the least.”
Leon asked the government twice why they would not just rescind the order that established the fund. Block responded, “I don’t know,” and pointed again to Blanche’s public statements about the fund’s future.
Both Leon and Sus raised the issue of Trump’s continued public defense of the fund. “It can still be an important issue and also not moving forward,” Block said. “That isn’t a direction to move forward with the fund.”
Although Leon rejected CREW’s bid for an immediate block, he indicated he is still considering its request for a longer-term block against the fund.
A block order from a separate federal judge in Virginia remains in effect until at least Friday.
Fallon Gallagher is a legal affairs reporter for MS NOW.
The date when Social Security’s trust fund is expected to run out of money just got bumped up. The fund is now projected to empty in 2032according to a new report released by Social Security’s trustees.
The new depletion date isn’t an earth-shaking change — it’s only a quarter earlier than the estimate in last year’s report. But it illustrates how President Donald Trump’s policies are degrading a program he promised to never jeopardize — and accelerating an approaching crisis in how our government will assist the elderly and disabled.
The report names three factors that contributed to the earlier insolvency date. One is a declining fertility rate, but the other two drivers can be traced back to Trump: a drop in immigration into the country, and the “substantial effect” of the tax policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill he signed last summer.
Trump’s acceleration of the program’s insolvency comes atop his assaults on the program’s administrative capacities.
Reduced immigration during Trump’s second term — especially when coupled with a declining fertility rate — strains Social Security because the program is funded through payroll taxes. Those come out of people’s paychecks, and fewer workers supporting an aging population means the program receives less revenue. Indeed, Social Security already has been tapping its trust fund for the better part of the past two decades because the program’s costs have exceeded its cash income. And as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities pointed out last yearlast year’s tax cuts were a boon to the rich but a bust for the solvency of the Social Security trust fund.
To be clear, if the fund is depleted, Social Security won’t go belly up. Benefits will continue to be paid out, but there will be a large drop in the amount. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that the “average monthly cut would total $500, which is more than what the average retired household spends on groceries each month.”
That would be a huge blow to the budgets of many older Americans. Social Security is a major source of income for most retirees, and roughly 40% of beneficiaries over the age of 65 rely on it for most of their income. And it would mark the destabilization of the sole source of retirement security for most Americans that is supposed to be insulated from ups and downs — unlike 401K plans. As the CBPP has pointed outSocial Security is “most workers’ only source of guaranteed retirement income that is not subject to investment risk or financial market fluctuations.”
Trump’s acceleration of the program’s insolvency comes atop his assaults on the program’s administrative capacities. His cuts to the Social Security Administration have left offices understaffedincreased wait timesand reduced quality of customer service.
Ultimately, Trump is exacerbating a colossal social safety net problem that predates him, and the trust fund will hit dire straits after he has left office. Democrats need to have clear plans for shoring up the program and making it robust for the future — which will require not being sheepish about taxes as a tool for renewing the social contract. And when Republicans try to claim that they, too, are champions of Social Security, all Democrats need to do is point to the truth.
Zeeshan Aleem is a writer and editor for MS NOW. He primarily writes about politics and foreign policy.
Today’s edition of quick hits.
* The latest from Northern Ireland: “The family of a man who lost an eye in a knife attack appealed for calm on Wednesday after the incident triggered a wave of anti-immigrant violence in Belfast overnight, with masked men burning families out of their homes and torching vehicles. The appeal came as a Sudanese man appeared in court charged with attempted murder and as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and politicians in Northern Ireland condemned the violence by ‘masked thugs’ that had targeted ethnic minorities.”
* In related news: “The British government hit out at X owner Elon Musk Wednesday, accusing him of whipping up tensions online ahead of disorder in Belfast.”
* The tenuous state of a dubious ceasefire: “Trump said the U.S. is going to hit Iran ‘hard’ today when pressed by reporters in the Oval Office about his statement earlier that Tehran will ‘pay the price’ for taking ‘too long’ to reach a peace agreement. ‘Well, we’re going to be attacking them and attacking them very hard, resuming bombing,’ he said.”
* The latest casualty figures from Lebanon: “Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon has killed at least 3,666 people, including 131 healthcare workers, and injured more than 11,300 since the U.S. and Israel began their war with Iran in late February, the Lebanese health ministry reported yesterday.”
* The changing nature of modern warfare: “Ukraine is wreaking havoc on unarmored trucks and trains in the battlefield’s rear, using drones with upgraded engines and batteries, integrated Starlink communication systems and new artificial-intelligence capabilities. The ramped-up attacks are causing fuel shortages, complicating troop rotations and reducing Russian military activity on the front.”
* This seems like a reasonable request: “Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee demanded Wednesday that Bill Pulte, President Donald Trump’s controversial pick for acting director of national intelligence, submit to a full security check before assuming the post, including an examination of his financial holdings and foreign contacts.”
* Some market trends can’t be stopped despite the White House’s best efforts: “Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power. Data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%, Ember said.”
* A bizarre schedule for a nonemergency vanity project: “Federal officials are laying more groundwork to begin construction on President Donald Trump’s planned 250-foot-tall triumphal arch, sharing additional documents that detail the project’s scope and an aggressive timetable for potentially completing work before Trump’s term ends. According to National Park Service documents posted this month, the administration envisions 20 hours per day of construction on the arch, year-round, in hopes of completing the project within two to three years.”
See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for “The Rachel Maddow Show,” the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He’s also the bestselling author of “Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans’ War on the Recent Past.”
- US to reach $41T debt ceiling as soon as late winter, forecasters predict
- Court denies request to immediately block DOJ ‘slush fund’
- Trump is accelerating our Social Security insolvency crisis
- Wednesday’s Mini-Report, 6.10.26
- Trump embraces inflation after a new report shows it’s spiking
- Trump signs bill giving nearly $70B to his immigration enforcement agenda through end of his term
- Trump says Tehran ‘will have to pay the price’…
- Solar power beats coal for electricity generation despite Trump policies
- Inflation increases stretch into 3rd month with gas prices driving costs higher
- Trump’s missile diplomacy fizzles
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