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Senate Leader Thune: GOP Colleagues âHateâ Trump Too Much to Pass the Save America Act
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told colleagues during a closed-door GOP lunch that some Republican senators hate President Trump so intensely they will never support the SAVE America Act, no matter its merits. The confrontation involved heated exchanges with bill sponsor Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, as well as Sens. John Cornyn and others. The legislation, which passed the House and enjoys simple majority support in the Senate, aims to strengthen election integrity through proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration and other measures. Lee argued procedural options exist to advance it without 60 votes for cloture, while Thune has repeatedly cited insufficient votes to overcome a filibuster. Thuneâs office denied the specific characterization of the comments.
đď¸ News & Politics
Trump Iran Deal Sparks Fierce Bipartisan Backlash in Congress
Congressional lawmakers from both parties sharply criticized President Trumpâs memorandum of understanding with Iran. The agreement aims to end recent military operations and start a 60-day negotiation period for a final deal. Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker and other Republicans expressed concern that the deal gives up key leverage by ending the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days and allowing immediate waivers for Iranian oil exports. Critics worried Iran could use the resulting economic relief to fund terrorist proxies. Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer called it a lopsided deal that lets Iran off too easily. The pact includes no immediate enforcement mechanisms for Iranâs nuclear commitments and provisions for at least $300 billion in reconstruction funding from the U.S. and partners. Vice President J.D. Vance defended the deal as a win-win. He stressed that Iran would receive no benefits or resources, not a single penny from the United States, unless it fully complies and changes its behavior. Vance noted that Iranâs nuclear weapons program is already destroyed and that if Iran fails to reform, its military and nuclear capabilities remain crippled. He highlighted potential support from Arab states for reconstruction if Iran behaves and argued the weakened Iranian position makes the attempt worthwhile while protecting U.S. interests either way.
Trump Administration Puts All 50 States and Territories on Notice Over Unemployment Fraud
The Trump administration issued formal letters on June 17, 2026, to governors of all 50 states and U.S. territories, warning them to crack down on fraud, waste, and abuse in their unemployment insurance programs. Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated that the Department of Labor will use every available enforcement tool, including withholding federal administrative funding for the first time in history, if states fail to strengthen oversight, modernize systems, and implement better identity verification. Inspector General Anthony DâEsposito emphasized accountability and recovery of stolen funds. The action targets issues like outdated technology and weak controls that enabled massive improper payments, with examples cited in high-fraud states such as California, owing over $20 billion, New York losing millions daily, and Illinois at over 14 percent improper payments. This fits into broader efforts by a federal anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance to protect taxpayer dollars.
Hillary Clinton Breaks With Democrats to Endorse Trump Gaza Peace Plan
Hillary Clinton surprised an audience at a June 15, 2026, event in New York City by praising President Donald Trumpâs 20-point Gaza plan. She called it the only viable option available. Clinton described the framework as a pathway to security for Israel, reconstruction in Gaza, and some form of self-determination for Palestinians. She acknowledged resistance from those who reject ideas simply because Trump proposed them. The former secretary of state warned her listeners she would say something positive about Trump. She highlighted the planâs comprehensive approach, including Hamas disarmament as a key starting point. This marks a notable departure from typical Democratic criticism of the administrationâs Middle East efforts.
Appeals Court Backs Trump Move to Limit Unionizing for Some Federal Employees
A unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on June 17 that President Donald Trump can exclude certain federal agencies and subdivisions from collective bargaining requirements. The court vacated a preliminary injunction issued by a lower court against the presidentâs executive order. Federal law authorizes the president to make such exclusions when agencies primarily handle intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work and when collective bargaining would conflict with those needs. The decision addressed claims from unions representing around 800,000 federal civilian employees who argued the order amounted to retaliation for their lawsuits and criticism of the administration. The panel found that the order has a legitimate grounding in national security concerns separate from any alleged retaliatory intent, and the government showed the president would have taken the same action regardless. Affected agencies include the Departments of State, Justice, Veterans Affairs, and others like the EPA, along with subdivisions in Defense, Energy, and Treasury.
GAO Blasts State and USAID for Shoddy Oversight of $1.2 Billion China Counter-Influence Programs
The Government Accountability Office reported that the State Department and USAID spent about $1.2 billion from fiscal years 2020 to 2023 on roughly 470 projects aimed at countering Chinese influence worldwide. Congress had directed at least $1.6 billion overall for these efforts targeting Beijingâs economic coercion, military exports, Belt and Road activities, and other malign influence operations. An interagency working group oversaw the funding but lacked reliable data on project types, status, timelines, and outcomes for many initiatives, with incomplete information provided for 129 projects on spending periods and missing details from nearly a third of approved proposals. Auditors found no overall assessment of results across the portfolio, despite examples such as port security technology, efforts against Chinese nuclear projects and military exports, academic training on technology transfers, journalist programs to spot propaganda, and cybersecurity awareness initiatives. Officials cited incomplete reports and errors from bureaus and posts. The program ended in early 2025 amid broader foreign aid changes. GAO recommended improvements in data collection, stakeholder input, and evaluation to better track effectiveness.
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California Billionaire Tax Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot
A proposal to impose a one-time tax on the wealthiest Californians has qualified for the November 2026 general election ballot. State officials announced the measure cleared the signature threshold after verification by the secretary of stateâs office. The initiative would apply a 5 percent tax on the net worth of individuals exceeding $1.1 billion and a lower rate on those between $1 billion and $1.1 billion, with assets evaluated retroactively as of January 1, 2026. Supporters, including a major healthcare workers union, intend most revenue for healthcare programs to address budget shortfalls from federal Medicaid changes, with smaller portions for education and food assistance. Prominent Democrats remain divided, as Governor Gavin Newsom and other figures oppose the plan over concerns it could accelerate the departure of wealthy residents and investors from the state. Proponents still have until June 25 to decide whether to proceed or withdraw the measure amid ongoing negotiations.
NBC News, The Los Angeles Times
Hollywood Insiders Beg for Taxpayer Handout as Productions Flee High-Cost Los Angeles
Adam Schiff is championing a federal tax credit for movie and television production to help Hollywood compete with lower-cost locations overseas and in other states. Studios are increasingly filming outside Los Angeles due to elevated labor expenses, union rules, and living costs in California. Hollywood has lost tens of thousands of jobs in recent years, with production days hitting lows not seen since the pandemic. Schiff has drafted legislation for the incentive and seeks bipartisan backing, while California has expanded its own state program to $750 million annually. Critics argue that such subsidies represent corporate welfare that fails to deliver lasting economic returns, as past state programs have shown limited benefits and high costs to taxpayers.
Democratic Socialist Claims Victory Path in DC Mayoral Primary
D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George, a self-described democratic socialist from Ward 4, holds a commanding lead in the Democratic primary for mayor after her main opponent, former Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, conceded on June 18, 2026. With roughly 53 percent of the vote to McDuffieâs 37 percent after three-quarters of ballots counted, Lewis George stands poised to replace term-limited Mayor Muriel Bowser in the heavily Democratic city following the November general election. Bowser had backed McDuffie as her preferred successor. Lewis George joins other democratic socialist mayoral winners in cities like New York and Seattle, where anti-establishment candidates prevailed through energized progressive bases, ground games, and promises on issues such as rent controls and free services.
Americaâs First Anti Communist Film Festival Counters Hollywood Leftist Tilt
An anti-communist film festival is scheduled for October in the Washington area to revive classic Cold War era movies that highlight the failures and horrors of communism. Conservative activist and author Mark Judge, known as a high school friend of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, organized the event in partnership with the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. The festival aims to push back against what organizers see as pervasive leftist messaging in modern Hollywood productions by screening films such as Doctor Zhivago, Red Dawn, The Lives of Others, and the 1954 Animal Farm animation for audiences, including students who might otherwise encounter growing Marxist influences. Judge launched a GoFundMe that raised nearly $26,000 after interest poured in from across the country, and the foundation sees the event as a way to reach beyond typical museum visitors with its exhibits on gulag art and communist history. Plans include free or low-cost student access, potential celebrity involvement, and efforts to make it an annual gathering that could draw new filmmakers challenging the dominant cultural narrative in entertainment.
Foiled Plot to Attack UFC Event at White House Aimed at Sparking Revolution
Federal authorities thwarted a scheme by five men charged with conspiracy to commit murder who planned to deploy explosive drones and snipers at the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn on June 15, 2026. The plotters, identified as Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez of Nebraska, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Tycen Proper of Ohio, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas of California, intended to trigger chaos by detonating drones to force evacuations before opening fire on fleeing attendees, including President Trump, Vice President Vance, Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, and pro-Israel Republican lawmakers. The group, connected through online chats and motivated by grievances over the Trump administrationâs Epstein files handling, U.S.-Israel ties, and elite influence, sought to âjump-startâ a revolution by tearing down the government for rebuilding. Properâs parents alerted authorities on June 10 after noticing his weapon stockpiling and suspicious behavior, leading to raids that uncovered maps, tactical gear, and weapons; 23 other co-conspirators remain linked to the effort.
đ International
Trump Signs Iran Memorandum at Versailles Putting Ceasefire into Effect
President Donald Trump signed a copy of a memorandum of understanding with Iran during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles near Paris on June 17 2026. The agreement, which is now in effect, halts military operations between the two sides. It includes promises not to launch future attacks and respect for each otherâs sovereignty and borders. The memorandum calls for winding down the US naval blockade and reopening the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. It also establishes a watchdog group to monitor compliance. The US will work with regional partners on a $300 billion reconstruction package for Iran, along with sanctions waivers to allow oil exports, banking transactions, and the release of frozen assets. In return, Iran agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate the disposition of its enriched uranium stockpiles under IAEA supervision. The framework sets a 60-day period for negotiating a more comprehensive deal.
Starmer Implicated in UK Grooming Gang Scandal as Report Reveals 13,000 Suspects Received Only Warnings
A 219-page independent Rape Gang Inquiry Report released on June 16, 2026, led by Restore MP Rupert Lowe and survivor advocate Sammy Woodhouse, details the systematic grooming, rape, trafficking, and abuse of at least 250,000 vulnerable White British girls by mostly Muslim Pakistani gangs across the UK since the 1950s. The report covers patterns in at least 149 local authority districts and highlights how authorities sent warning letters to 13,000 suspected gang rape members instead of pursuing prosecutions. It directly implicates then-Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer for failures during his tenure. Survivor testimonies describe extreme violence, including stabbings, beatings, branding, and returns of victims to abusers by police, with officials citing fears of racism accusations as a key reason for inaction.
Ukraine Hammers Moscow Oil Refinery in Major Drone Strike
Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks yet on Moscow, striking the key Kapotnya oil refinery for the second time in days and igniting massive fires that sent black smoke over the capital. Russian officials reported intercepting hundreds of drones overnight, yet several reached the facility about nine miles from the Kremlin, disrupting operations at one of the largest suppliers of fuel to the Moscow region and halting flights at major airports. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed hits on the refinery and minor damage to a shopping center. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the assault as justified retaliation against Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure that sustains Moscowâs war effort, while urging diplomatic steps to end the conflict.
Israel Maintains Southern Lebanon Security Zone, Clashing With US-Iran Deal Terms
Israeli forces announced on June 18, 2026, that they will remain in a designated security zone in southern Lebanon stretching roughly six miles into Lebanese territory from the border. The Israel Defense Forces released a map of the area and stated that troops will continue operations there to remove threats and protect northern Israeli residents. This position directly challenges aspects of a recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding that called for a cessation of hostilities across fronts, including Lebanon. Iran responded by warning that continued occupation could annul the agreement. Israeli strikes in the region persisted, with reports of drone activity and civilian impacts amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah.
Cuba Communist Party Expands Private Business Permits in Emergency Economic Overhaul
The Cuban Communist Party approved an emergency economic reform package on Thursday that expands permits for private businesses as the government faces a deepening crisis and increased U.S. pressure. President Miguel Diaz-Canel convened an unscheduled session of the party and outlined measures to boost production, attract investment, including from Cubans abroad, ease restrictions, and open parts of the tightly controlled economy. The proposals include new models for private participation in tourism, greater autonomy for state-owned enterprises and local municipalities, decentralization of decision-making, and expanded authority for state firms in international trade and partnerships with private actors. Diaz-Canel referenced studying reforms in China and Vietnam while stressing the changes aim to strengthen the socialist system rather than abandon it. He blamed U.S. sanctions for the islandâs woes.
