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1/ House Republicans passed Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-and-spending bill by a 218-214 vote after overcoming weeks of internal disputes and late-night negotiations to flip holdouts, which ultimately required direct pressure from Trump, who called the legislation “the biggest bill ever signed of its kind.” He said that flipping skeptics was “very easy.” All Democrats and two Republicans opposed a bill, while some Republicans criticized the process and policy, but voted yes anyway. The 887-page bill makes Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, adds new tax breaks for tips, overtime, and seniors, increases spending for border security and defense, raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, cuts Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion, cuts SNAP benefits by $185 billion, imposes stricter work requirements for safety-net programs, and phases out most clean-energy tax credits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will increase the national debt by $3.4 trillion and lead to 11.8 million fewer Americans with health insurance coverage by 2034, while 3 million more would lose SNAP benefits. Speaker Mike Johnson characterized the megabill as “a key cornerstone of America’s new golden age.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delayed the vote with a record-breaking 8-hour, 44-minute floor speech, calling Trump’s signature legislation “an immoral document” that would “end Medicaid as we know it.” He warned that “People will die,” and said Republicans were taking “a chain saw” to the safety net. “What is contemplated in this one big, ugly bill is wrong. It’s dangerous, and it’s cruel,” Jeffries said. “We don’t work for Donald Trump. We work for the American people,” he added, urging lawmakers to “vote no” on what he called “a crime scene.” After the vote, Trump told reporters he thinks the bill is “going to make this country into a rocket ship, it’s really great,” adding: “I think I have more power now.” Trump plans to sign his “big beautiful bill” on July 4th at the White House. (New York Times / Associated Press / Politico / NPR / Washington Post / Axios / NBC News / CNN / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Washington Post / Bloomberg / ABC News)

• How this impacts you:

• Medicaid: Nearly $1T in cuts over 10 years; 11.8M expected to lose coverage by 2034 (CBO); New 80-hour/month work requirement for non-disabled adults without young children (starts 2026); States must charge up to $35 for some visits (starts 2028); Caps provider taxes that states use to increase federal funding; $50B rural hospital fund added

• SNAP (Food Assistance): Work requirement extended to age 65 (was 55); Caregiver exemption limited to parents of kids under 14 (was 18); States must begin covering part of benefit costs starting in 2028

• Student Loans: All income-driven repayment plans eliminated for new loans after July 1, 2026; SAVE plan repealed; Two new repayment options: fixed 10–25 year plan or 30-year income-based plan; Grad Plus loans eliminated; Parent Plus loans capped at $65K per student; Grad loans capped at $20.5K/year; Professional loans capped at $50K/year; Aggregate caps: $100K for grad, $200K for professional students

• Tips & Overtime Tax Breaks (2025–2028): No federal income tax on tips up to $25K; No federal income tax on overtime pay up to $12.5K (or $25K for couples); Income cap for both: $150K

• Senior Tax Deduction (2025–2028): Deduct up to $6K from taxable income if earning under $75K ($150K for couples); Phases out completely above $175K ($250K for couples); Does not affect Social Security taxes

• Auto Loan Interest Deduction (2025–2028): Deduct up to $10K in interest for U.S.-made cars; Phases out above $100K income

• Child Tax Credit: Raised from $2,000 to $2,200 starting in 2026; Indexed for inflation; Made permanent

• Trump Accounts: One-time $1,000 deposit for children born 2025–2028; Funds grow tax-deferred; Withdrawable at age 18; Up to $5,000/year can be contributed

• SALT Deduction: Cap raised to $40K in 2025; Grows 1%/year through 2029; Phases down starting at $500K income; Reverts to $10K cap in 2030 unless extended

• Clean Energy & EV Credits: EV credits ($7,500 new / $4,000 used) end Sept. 30, 2025; Home charging credit ends June 30, 2026; Solar, heat pump, weatherization, and energy-efficient home credits end Dec. 31, 2025

• ACA Marketplace Coverage: Open enrollment shortened by about a month; Automatic renewals eliminated — must verify income and immigration status each year; Stricter verification for special enrollment; Subsidies cut for some lawfully present immigrants (not green card holders); No extension of enhanced subsidies — premiums expected to rise 75% in 2026

• National Debt: Adds $3.4T to the debt over 10 years (CBO); Moody’s warned of higher interest rates for mortgages, car loans, and other credit

• Sources: (CNBC / NBC News / ABC News / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / New York Times / Axios / NPR / Business Insider)

2/ The U.S. economy beat expectations and added 147,000 jobs in June, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. Most of the gains came from state and local government, health care, and education, while private-sector job growth slowed to its weakest pace since October. Manufacturing and federal employment each lost 7,000 jobs, and the labor force shrank for the second straight month as 130,000 people left. Trump, nevertheless, claimed the “economy is BOOMING.” (Axios / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Bloomberg / NPR / New York Times / CNBC / Wall Street Journal / CNN)

3/ Trump made “no progress at all” with Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. The call came two days after the U.S. paused shipments of air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Trump claimed the U.S. hadn’t officially stopped support and needed to “make sure we have enough for ourselves.” The Kremlin said Putin told Trump that Russia “will not back down.” (Axios / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg)

4/ The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deport eight foreign nationals to South Sudan, overturning a lower court’s order that blocked the removals. Only one of the men is from South Sudan; the others are from Cuba, Vietnam, Myanmar, Mexico, Laos, and South Korea. They were held for six weeks in a converted shipping container on a U.S. military base in Djibouti. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote that the ruling lets Trump “send the eight noncitizens […] to South Sudan, where they will be turned over to the local authorities without regard for the likelihood that they will face torture or death.” (Politico / New York Times / CNN / Bloomberg)

The midterm elections are in 488 days.

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1/ Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax and spending bill stalled in the House as Republican leaders struggled to secure enough votes amid opposition from both conservatives and moderates. The Senate version – passed 51-50 with JD Vance breaking the tie – increased tax breaks, added $3.4 trillion to the debt over a decade, and leave over 17 million without health insurance. The Tax Policy Center projected the top 20% of earners would receive tax cuts nearly 70 times larger than the bottom 20%. House Republicans objected to the Senate’s deeper Medicaid provider cuts, which rural members said would threaten hospital funding, and to the removal of spending caps tied to the bill’s new tax breaks. They also criticized the stripped-down immigration provisions and expanded clean energy tax credit timeline. “Our bill has been completely changed,” Rep. Ralph Norman said. “This bill’s a nonstarter.” Nevertheless, Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump held hours of closed-door meetings with Republican holdouts, while the House froze in place during a procedural vote that remained open for most of the day. “We are going to get this done,” Rep. Richard Hudson said. “Trump is the best closer.” Democrats, unanimously opposed, warned the bill would cut food aid, close hospitals, and “slash Medicaid and SNAP to fund tax cuts for billionaires.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the bill would “hurt children, hurt families, hurt seniors, and hurt everyday Americans with disabilities.” (Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / CNN / Associated Press / NPR / NBC News / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Axios / ABC News)

2/ A federal judge blocked Trump’s attempt to shut down asylum claims at the southern border, saying Trump can’t “adopt an alternative immigration system” by declaring an “invasion.” U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss ruled that neither the Immigration and Nationality Act nor the Constitution give Trump “the sweeping authority” to unilaterally prevent people who cross the southern border between “ports of entry” from seeking asylum or invoking other legal protections to temporarily remain in the U.S. The decision applies nationwide, though it’s paused for 14 days to allow for appeal. The court certified the case as a class action, effectively sidestepping the recent Supreme Court ruling against broad injunctions. The White House vowed to appeal, calling the ruling “an attack on our Constitution” and saying a “local district court judge” has no power to stop Trump from securing the border. (Politico / CNN / Washington Post / New York Times / CBS News)

3/ The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the state’s 1849 abortion ban. In a 4-3 ruling, the justices said newer laws “so thoroughly” regulate abortion that they “were meant as a substitute” for the 1849 statute without formally repealing it. The court also threw out a separate lawsuit that sought to establish abortion as a constitutional right in Wisconsin. (NPR / NBC News / Associated Press / New York Times)

4/ The U.S. reached a preliminary trade deal with Vietnam that will impose a 20% tariff on Vietnamese imports, as well as a 40% tariff on goods shipped through Vietnam from other countries. In return, Vietnam agreed to drop all tariffs on U.S. exports, giving what Trump called “TOTAL ACCESS to their Markets for Trade.” Trump claimed “Vietnam will pay the United States a 20% Tariff,” though U.S. importers will bear the cost. The deal came days before Trump’s July 9 deadline to secure “fair and reciprocal” deals with nearly 90 countries in 90 days. So far, the administration has signed three: the U.K., China (a framework deal), and Vietnam. (New York Times / Associated Press / CNBC / NPR / Washington Post / Bloomberg)

5/ Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over the editing of a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. The company said it wouldn’t apologize and denied wrongdoing, but the deal includes future release of transcripts for interviews with presidential candidates. CBS journalists condemned the settlement, calling it “cowardly capitulation” that undermines press freedom. Sen. Elizabeth Warren called the payout “bribery in plain sight” and demanded an investigation, citing Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance, which needs approval from a Trump-led FCC. Trump’s team said the deal proves he “holds the Fake News media accountable.” (Associated Press / Washington Post / NBC News / New York Times)

6/ Trump blocked nearly $7 billion in federal school funding days before the academic year begins, impacting after-school programs, English-language support, and teacher training. The Education Department told states the funds were “under review” and gave no timeline for release. The Office of Management and Budget claimed some programs “grossly misused” funds to support a “radical leftwing agenda,” including undocumented students and LGBTQ-related programming. School officials and advocates warned the move could force layoffs, cancel programs, and leave low-income families without basic support. (ABC News / New York Times / Washington Post / Politico)

The midterm elections are in 489 days.

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1/ Senate Republicans’ current version of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” would be the largest rollback of the U.S. safety net in decades, cutting Medicaid by 18% and food assistance by up to 22%. The Congressional Budget Office estimated 11.8 million Americans would lose health insurance and over 2 million would lose food assistance, with up to 17 million people affected by the broader cuts. The bill cuts more than $1 trillion from federal health programs, imposes new work rules, and shifts costs to states, while delivering $1 trillion in tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. The bill also repeals all major clean energy tax credits and ends consumer rebates for electric vehicles, rooftop solar, and heat pumps, while adding a new tax in 2027 on wind and solar projects using Chinese-linked parts – even those not receiving federal subsidies. Elon Musk called the plan “utterly insane and destructive,” warning it “destroys millions of jobs” and props up “industries of the past.” The Rhodium Group said the changes would raise renewable project costs by 10–20%, cut new installations by 72%, and raise household electricity bills by up to 18%. Industry groups said the bill would also eliminate millions of construction and manufacturing jobs, freeze private investment, and give China and India a global edge in energy and AI infrastructure. The clean energy rollback, however, now faces resistance in the Senate with some Republicans, who call Trump’s energy plan “disastrous” for their states. Even with the deep cuts, Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” would still add at least $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. (Washington Post / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / NBC News / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / Reuters / Bloomberg / Noahpinion)

2/ Senate Republicans adopted a new budget method to reduce the “official” cost of their tax and spending bill by simply excluding the $3.8 trillion cost of extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. The method, known as the “current policy” baseline, treats expiring tax cuts as permanent, so extending them counts as costing nothing. Under traditional rules, the bill would add at least $3.3 trillion to the deficit over 10 years – more than $1 trillion higher than the House version – according to the Congressional Budget Office. The estimate doesn’t include added interest costs, which could push the total near $4 trillion. Under the new accounting method, however, it appears to reduce the deficit by $508 billion. Republicans used the change to qualify the bill for reconciliation, bypassing the 60-vote filibuster threshold. While Democrats objected to the change, Republicans ignored a parliamentarian ruling by asserting that Budget Chair Lindsey Graham had authority to set the baseline himself. “Republicans are doing something the Senate has never done before,” Chuck Schumer said, calling the move “fake math” that would “dramatically further erode the Senate.” (Washington Post / Bloomberg / New York Times / Politico / Politico / New York Times / Axios / Associated Press)

3/ The Senate began voting on amendments to Trump’s 940-page, $3.3 trillion tax and spending bill. The “vote-a-rama” – an open-ended series of votes on amendments – started shortly after 9 a.m. ET and is expected to continue into early Tuesday. The bill must pass with a simple majority under reconciliation rules, but at least six Republicans remain undecided, while Rand Paul and Thom Tillis have pledged to vote no. Trump has demanded the bill reach his desk by July 4, though Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged that “This may take a little while,” and House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that major changes could derail final passage. (CNN / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / Politico / NBC News / CNN / NPR / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

• EARLIER: Senate Republicans narrowly advanced Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” on Saturday with a 51-49 procedural vote. Republicans spent hours negotiating with holdouts to secure the support needed to begin debate. The White House, meanwhile, called the vote essential and warned that “failure to pass this bill would be the ultimate betrayal.” Trump called it a “GREAT VICTORY” and praised senators who flipped their votes, while threatening Sen. Thom Tillis with a primary challenge after he voted against the bill. Tillis, who opposed the bill over Medicaid cuts, announced the next day he won’t run for re-election in 2026, citing the toxic political climate. On the Senate floor, Tillis accused Trump of breaking his Medicaid promises, asking, “What do I tell 663,000 people […] when President Trump pushes them off of Medicaid?” He told colleagues the bill “betrays the very promise that Donald J. Trump made in the Oval Office.” Directing his remarks at Trump, Tillis added: “I’m telling the president, you have been misinformed.” (CNN / NBC News / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Bloomberg / Axios)

4/ Canada dropped its digital services tax two days after Trump suspended trade talks and threatened new tariffs. The tax targeted U.S. tech firms like Google, Meta, and Amazon and was expected to raise billions. Trump said Canada was “very nasty to deal with” and accused it of copying Europe’s anti-U.S. rules. In response, Ottawa said it would stop collections and repeal the law “in anticipation of a mutually beneficial” trade deal. Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Carney agreed to resume negotiations and aim for a deal by July 21. (Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Axios / Washington Post / Politico)

5/ The Trump administration accused Harvard of a “violent violation” of civil rights law and warned it could lose all federal funding for failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment. The findings came from a 57-page report by the Department of Health and Human Services, which said Harvard acted with “deliberate indifference” and at times was a “willful participant” in antisemitic conduct, citing assaults, hateful symbols, and chants like “Heil Hitler.” The administration wrote, “Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources.” It has already frozen more than $2.6 billion in research funding and is now threatening Harvard’s ability to accept federal student aid. Harvard rejected the findings, said it “strongly disagrees,” and accused the government of retaliation, while talks over a possible settlement appear to have collapsed. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Politico / CNN / New York Times / Bloomberg / Washington Post)

poll/ 58% of Americans say they are extremely or very proud to be an American – a record low, down nine percentage points from last year. The drop came almost entirely from Democrats, with pride falling from 62% last year to 36%. American pride among independents also hit a new low at 53%, while Republican pride rose to 92%. Younger generations expressed the least pride, with just 41% of Gen Z adults saying they were proud to be an American. More Gen Z Democrats said they had “little or no pride” than said they were proud. (Gallup)

The midterm elections are in 491 days.

🧐 Supreme Court Notables.

1. The Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to limit the power of federal judges to block Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship, saying nationwide injunctions “likely exceed” their authority. The decision paused enforcement of the order for 30 days, but opened the door for it to take effect in 28 states that haven’t joined the lawsuits. The court, however, didn’t rule on the constitutionality of the order, which seeks to deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants and short-term visa holders. Trump, however, called the ruling “monumental” and said it would let his administration “promptly file to proceed” with stalled policies. (New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Politico / ABC News / Axios / Associated Press)

2. The Supreme Court upheld a key provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring insurers to cover preventive care, rejecting a conservative-led challenge to how a federal health panel is appointed. In a 6–3 decision, the justices ruled that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force doesn’t violate the Constitution, because its members are “inferior officers” who can be hired and fired by the health secretary. The plaintiffs claimed the task force had “unreviewable power” and objected to covering HIV drugs, which they claim promote “homosexual behavior” and drug use. (NBC News / NPR / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

3. The Supreme Court ruled that parents in Maryland can pull their children from public school lessons that include LGBTQ storybooks if they claim religious objections. The 6–3 decision ordered Montgomery County schools to reinstate opt-outs and notify families in advance when these books are used. Justice Alito wrote that forcing children to attend these lessons places “an unconstitutional burden” on their parents’ religious rights. Justice Sotomayor, meanwhile, called the ruling a threat to civic education, warning that “The result will be chaos for this nation’s public schools.” (Washington Post / Reuters / New York Times / Associated Press / NBC News)

4. The Supreme Court ordered lower courts to reexamine rulings that had blocked state restrictions on transgender care and legal recognition, following its decision backing Tennessee’s ban on treatment for transgender minors. Cases from Idaho, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and North Carolina will now return to appeals courts, where previous rulings found the policies unconstitutional. The Court also let Kentucky’s ban on gender-affirming care take effect by rejecting a separate appeal. (Associated Press / CNN / Washington Post)

5. The Supreme Court agreed to hear a Republican-backed challenge to federal limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates. The Trump administration declined to defend the law, calling it a “rare case” that violates the First Amendment. Spending limits now range from about $63,600 to nearly $4 million depending on the race. The National Republican Senate and House campaign committees, joined by JD Vance and Steve Chabot in 2022, argued the caps weaken parties and fuel reliance on super PACs. Democrats, however, warned that removing the limits would allow donors to funnel unlimited funds to candidates, calling it an attempt to “return us to the pre-Watergate era.” The court upheld the same law in 2001. (Politico / CNN / Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / NBC News)

✏️ Notables.

1. U.S. intelligence intercepted Iranian officials privately saying Trump’s airstrikes caused less damage than expected. The White House called the claim “nonsense” and insisted the nuclear program was “obliterated.” But the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran could resume uranium enrichment “in a matter of months” and confirmed the sites were heavily damaged, but not destroyed. A preliminary Pentagon report also found the strikes set back Iran’s program by months, not years. In 2018, Trump withdrew from the Obama-era nuclear deal, which allowed Iran to restart key bomb-making work that he’s now trying to dismantle through military force. The Senate, meanwhile, rejected a Democratic push to require Trump to get congressional approval before any further action, with Republicans voting it down. (Washington Post / NPR / Politico / New York Times / The Guardian / NBC News)

2. Trump threatened to sue The New York Times and CNN for reporting on a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment that contradicted his claim that airstrikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. Trump’s lawyer called the Times article “false,” “defamatory,” and “unpatriotic,” and demanded a retraction. The Times, however, refused: “We told the truth to the best of our ability. We will continue to do so.” Trump also demanded CNN fire reporter Natasha Bertrand, calling her “Fake News” and saying she tried to “destroy our Patriot Pilots.” Defense officials, however, haven’t denied the existence of the intelligence report, which found the strikes delayed Iran’s nuclear program by months, not years. (New York Times / The Hill)

3. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued Fox News for $787 million, accusing the network of defamation over claims he lied about a phone call with Trump. The lawsuit says host Jesse Watters falsely claimed Newsom denied speaking with Trump and aired a selectively edited clip to support the allegation. Newsom said the call happened June 6, while Trump mistakenly said is occurred “a day ago” on June 10. “If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case,” Newsom said. (Politico / New York Times)

4. The Trump administration sued Los Angeles over its sanctuary city laws, claiming the city discriminated against federal immigration officers. The lawsuit named Mayor Karen Bass, the City Council, and Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, alleging their policies blocked immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “Sanctuary policies were the driving cause of the violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles.” (NBC News)

5. Trump sent a handwritten note to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell demanding interest rate cuts. The note, written on a chart of global interest rates, accused Powell of costing the U.S. “hundreds of billions.” He wrote, “Jerome — You are, as usual, ‘too late,’” and demanded rates drop “by a lot.” Trump also said Powell and the Fed board should be “ashamed of themselves” and had “FAILED — And continue to do so.” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump believes rates should fall to around 1%, well below the current 4.25% to 4.50% level. Powell, whose term runs through 2026, has resisted cuts amid uncertainty over Trump’s trade and tariff policies. (The Hill / Axios / Washington Post)

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1/ Trump will restrict classified briefings to Congress after a leaked Pentagon report showed U.S. airstrikes didn’t cripple Iran’s nuclear program and likely only set it back “a few months.” Trump called the leaked report “very inconclusive,” and claimed without evidence that the damage was “total obliteration” and that Iran’s program had been set back “basically decades.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, however, confirmed the intelligence assessments that the strikes delayed Iran’s capabilities by only a few months, but dismissed it as “spin.” Secretary of State Rubio said critics “don’t want to admit this was a success.” The Pentagon and FBI have since launched a criminal investigation into the leak. Democrats, meanwhile, accused Trump of withholding intelligence to “hide bad news” that contradict his repeated claims the nuclear sites were “obliterated.” Senate Minority Leader Schumer said, “This isn’t about national security – it’s about Trump’s insecurity,” and Sen. Dick Durbin called the leak “embarrassing” for the White House because it revealed the strikes “did not obliterate the Iran nuclear program as promised.” And, Rep. Jim Himes said using “unsubstantiated speculation” to justify blocking oversight was “unacceptable,” adding, “The law requires the congressional intelligence committees to be kept fully and currently informed.” (Axios / New York Times / Politico / NPR / CNBC / Politico / Axios / NBC News)

2/ Trump said the U.S. will meet with Iran next week, but claimed a nuclear deal “is not that necessary” because the U.S. strikes already “destroyed the nuclear.” He told reporters that the U.S. bombing campaign “blew it up […] to kingdom come,” referring to Iranian nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. “We may sign an agreement,” Trump said, adding: “I don’t care if I have an agreement or not.” Secretary of State Rubio said any deal would require Iran to negotiate directly, not through intermediaries. (Wall Street Journal / CBS News / Bloomberg / CNN / New York Times)

3/ NATO allies agreed to raise defense spending target to 5% of GDP by 2035 – more than doubling the previous 2% goal. While Trump celebrated the deal as a personal win – saying, “They said, ‘You did it, sir, you did it’” – he also singled out Spain for refusing to commit and threatened tariffs: “We’re going to make them pay twice as much – and I’m actually serious about that.” Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who helped broker the agreement, referred to Trump as “daddy” during a press event, prompting Trump to joke, “Daddy, you’re my daddy.” Rutte tried to later walked back the comment, saying, “Not that I was calling President Trump daddy.” (Politico / Washington Post / Semafor / NBC News / CNBC / Reuters / Axios / Politico / Reuters)

4/ Trump said he might allow Ukraine to buy additional U.S.-made Patriot missile systems, but gave no timeline or commitment. “We’re going to see if we can make some available,” Trump said after a 45-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that the systems are “very hard to get,” but the Ukrainian leader “couldn’t have been nicer.” Meanwhile, Trump called Putin “misguided” and “more difficult” than expected, admitting the war “has been more difficult than other wars” despite previously promising to end it in 24 hours. (New York Times / The Hill / USA Today / Bloomberg / ABC News)

5/ The U.S. won’t deliver $1.2 billion in promised funding to the global vaccine alliance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced, accusing Gavi of “neglect[ing] the key issue of vaccine safety.” Kennedy claimed the group “ignored the science” and treated safety concerns “not as a patient health problem, but as a public relations problem.” He provided no evidence other than a disputed study claiming children who received a Gavi-backed vaccine were ten times more likely to die than unvaccinated peers. Gavi rejected the claims, saying its decisions align with “recommendations by the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.” (Politico / New York Times / Reuters)

6/ Health Secretary Kennedy’s new vaccine advisory panel will revisit the long-standing childhood immunization schedule, including the timing of hepatitis B and MMR shots. Chair Martin Kulldorff said the group will study “the cumulative effect” of vaccines and may change recommendations for shots routinely given to infants and toddlers. Kennedy fired all 17 prior members without explanation earlier this month and replaced them with eight handpicked members, several with records of vaccine skepticism. On Thursday, the panel will hear from Lyn Redwood, a former leader of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine group now working inside HHS, about thimerosal, a preservative removed from most childhood vaccines in 2001. Notably, Redwood’s original presentation cited a study that “does not exist,” according to the scientist listed as its author. “I do not endorse this misrepresentation of the research,” UC Davis professor emeritus Robert Berman said. The CDC removed the slide after infectious disease expert David Boulware flagged the error. (New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Reuters / CNN / NBC News)

7/ Zohran Mamdani won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary after Andrew Cuomo conceded. Trump, meanwhile, responded by calling Mamdani a “Communist Lunatic,” claiming “Democrats have crossed the line” and adding that “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous.” Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, led with 43.5% of first-choice votes on a platform of rent freezes, free buses, city-run grocery stores, and $10 billion in new taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Wall Street donors who spent over $30 million backing Cuomo began organizing a $20 million campaign to block Mamdani in November. Mamdani’s win marks a sharp break from the Democratic establishment, which had lined up behind Cuomo with endorsements from Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg. If elected, Mamdani would be the first socialist to lead the country’s financial capital one of the most powerful cities in the world. (Bloomberg / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Politico / NPR)

The midterm elections are in 496 days.

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1/ Iran launched a missile strike on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, retaliating for U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites two days earlier. Qatar said its air defenses intercepted most of the 14 missiles fired, with one striking near the base; no casualties were reported. Trump called the strike “very weak” and thanked Iran for giving “early notice,” adding, “Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system.’” Iran claimed the number of missiles matched the U.S. bomb count and said the attack “posed no danger” to Qatar. The Pentagon said the base had been evacuated and confirmed it was hit with short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. Iran also launched missiles toward the U.S. Ain al-Assad base in Iraq, but they failed to reach their target. On Saturday night, the U.S. launched coordinated airstrikes using B-2 bombers and submarines to hit three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan – marking the first direct U.S. military attack on Iran since 1979. Trump said the sites were “completely and totally obliterated” and warned that if Iran doesn’t make peace, “future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.” He said the mission was a “spectacular military success” aimed at ending the “nuclear threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror.” Iran’s foreign minister called the strikes “outrageous” and said the country “reserves all options” to defend itself. Trump ordered the strikes days after saying he would decide on military action “within two weeks.” European allies, U.S. intelligence agencies, and the U.N. nuclear watchdog had warned against attacking active enrichment sites, citing risks of radiation and escalation. While Trump did briefed congressional leaders, he rejected seeking formal approval from Congress to authorize the strikes. Trump later posted, “CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!” (Associated Press / Axios / Politico / NPR / Washington Post / New York Times / ABC News / NBC News / CNBC / CNN / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / Bloomberg / Politico / NPR / Axios / NBC News / Washington Post)

2/ Trump called for regime change in Iran, posing on social media, “Why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” The comment directly contradicts his own administration’s repeated claims that the U.S. wasn’t trying to overthrow Iran’s government. “We don’t want to achieve regime change,” JD Vance said, insisting that the U.S. was “not at war with Iran” but “at war with Iran’s nuclear program.” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, meanwhile, said Trump was “just simply raising a good question,” but added, “our posture has not changed.” (CNN / Axios / Politico / The Hill / NBC News / Politico / Axios)

3/ Pentagon officials can’t confirm whether U.S. strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities despite Trump’s claim the program was “completely and fully obliterated.” Defense Secretary Hegseth confirmed that the three sites hit sustained “severe damage,” but admitted a final assessment would “take time.” Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said inspectors must be allowed to verify “the stockpiles of uranium, including, most importantly, the 400kg enriched to 60%.” (The Guardian / New York Times / NBC News / Politico / ABC News)

4/ Trump’s strike on three Iranian nuclear sites triggered bipartisan backlash in Congress, with lawmakers accusing him of violating the Constitution by bypassing congressional approval. “This is not Constitutional,” Rep. Thomas Massie said, adding that there was “no imminent threat to the United States.” Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna introduced a resolution to block further strikes unless Congress explicitly authorizes them. Sen. Tim Kaine called the attack “an offensive war of choice” and said he would force a Senate vote under the War Powers Act: “We should not be sending troops and risking lives without a debate in Congress.” Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, rejected efforts to hold a vote on war powers, saying Trump “used that authority judiciously,” claiming U.S. troops and assets were “in imminent danger” but offered no evidence. Democrats were not briefed in advance. “We’ve seen no evidence that an offensive strike of this nature was justified,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the strike “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” and warned Trump “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.” (ABC News / Washington Post / NBC News / Semafor / Politico / New York Times)

5/ Trump demanded energy producers keep oil prices low after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of retaliation and supply disruptions. “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY,” he posted on Truth Social. Trump also ordered the Energy Department to “DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!” despite the agency having no control over private oil production. Oil prices had surged over the weekend, but dropped below $70 a barrel after Iran launched missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq and Qatar without hitting energy infrastructure. (New York Times / Politico / CNBC / The Hill / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)

The midterm elections are in 498 days.

✏️ Notables.

1. The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deport immigrants with criminal records to countries where they have no ties and may face torture. The justices lifted a lower court’s order that required at least 10 days’ notice and a chance to challenge the removal. Immigrants have already been sent or scheduled for deportation to South Sudan, Libya, and Guatemala – all countries with documented instability, violence, or past abuse of returnees. The unsigned order offered no reasoning, but the court’s three liberal justices dissented. “The Government took the opposite approach,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, saying the ruling rewarded officials who “repeatedly defied” court orders. (NBC News / Politico / NPR / CNBC)

2. A federal judge ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from jail, rejecting the Trump administration’s claim that the Salvadoran man was a gang-affiliated threat to public safety. Judge Barbara Holmes said the government failed to prove he posed any danger or flight risk, calling its case “strained” and based on “double hearsay” and “contradictory” testimony from informants seeking immigration favors. Prosecutors accused him of smuggling undocumented immigrants after a 2022 traffic stop, but Holmes found the evidence inconsistent and noted the charges involve smuggling – not trafficking or violence. Homeland Security, meanwhile, called the ruling “a mistake,” insisting, “he will never go free on American soil.” Abrego is likely to remain in ICE custody despite the order. (ABC News / CNN / Politico / New York Times / Associated Press)

3. A federal judge ordered the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate, rejecting the Trump administration’s attempt to keep him jailed without charges. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz called the government’s case “highly, highly unusual” and found “a very strong and uncontested record” that Khalil wasn’t a flight risk or danger. “There is at least something to the underlying claim that there is an effort to use immigration proceedings here to punish the petitioner,” Farbiarz said, calling that “unconstitutional.” Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was arrested in March after organizing pro-Palestinian protests; he missed his graduation and the birth of his son while detained. Homeland Security, meanwhile, called the ruling “yet another example of how out-of-control members of the judicial branch are undermining national security.” (Axios / Politico / Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / Wall Street Journal)

4. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from stripping Harvard of its authority to host international students. Judge Allison Burroughs said the administration couldn’t enforce its May 22 revocation, ordering officials to “disregard” instructions to bar Harvard students at borders and consulates. The move came after Homeland Security pulled the university from the federal student visa program with no warning, prompting Harvard to sue. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the school argued in court filings. A Homeland Security spokesperson dismissed the ruling, saying, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students.” (Associated Press / CNN / New York Times)

5. Texas will require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments under a new law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott. The law mandates a specific English version be posted in every classroom, despite a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a similar Kentucky law as unconstitutional. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court reached the same conclusion on Friday, blocking nearly identical legislation in Louisiana. (Associated Press / PBS News)

6. The Trump sent layoff notices to 639 employees at Voice of America, gutting the federally funded news agency and cutting total staff by 85%. Kari Lake, a Trump adviser and head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, said the agency was now “near its statutory minimum” and would retain just 250 staff across all outlets. Lake, who previously promoted a plan for One America News to supply VOA content for free, called VOA “a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy” and said: “that ends now.” (CNN / New York Times / Politico / Associated Press)

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