Trump News for Tuesday, June 2, 2026

The Federal Agency Fighting Bed Bugs Keeps Getting Infested But its Workers Aren’t Allowed to Telecommute

Justin Caffier, Gizmodo.com

Trump's USDA says employees of the bed bug-infested Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are expected to show up to their noxious, itchy office or spend vacation days to work from home.

Trump's New AI Executive Order Has No Teeth and No Requirements

Omar Gallaga, CNET

The order, intended to review artificial intelligence models that could pose risks to the US, is strictly voluntary.

7 states sue Trump administration over $1 billion deal to halt offshore wind farm

Julia Jacobo, Abcnews.com

Seven states are suing the Trump administration over a nearly $1 billion deal to end French energy company TotalEnergies' offshore wind development off the East Coast.

Trump berated Netanyahu? Analysts question US-Israel feud rumours

Ali Harb, Al Jazeera English

Analysts say 'strategic leaks' aim to influence public perceptions amid diplomatic impasse in US-Israel war on Iran.

U.S. science must innovate or die, National Academy of Sciences president says

Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American

The past year has been “filled with turmoil” for science, National Academy of Sciences president Marcia McNutt said during her State of the Science address

Trump administration is scrapping the $1.8bn ‘anti-weaponisation fund’

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

DOJ's agreement with President Donald Trump to bar future audits into his or his family's past tax records will remain.

'All eyes are on Iowa this year' as Democrats hope to turn red seats blue

Gaby Vinick, Abcnews.com

Democrats hope the road to control of Congress runs through the state.

Trump’s least qualified appointee yet

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: Donald Trump is putting an unqualified loyalist in cha…

Trump pushing Iran to make firmer nuclear commitments in initial deal: Sources

Shannon K. Kingston, Abcnews.com

Iran has not signaled whether it will accept the terms, officials say.

Rep. Tom Kean hasn't voted in months, yet Trump is backing him

John Parkinson, Jay O'Brien, Lauren Peller, Abcnews.com

President Trump threw his support behind Congressman Tom Keane, who hasn't voted in months.

Why the US doesn’t want American Ebola patients to return home

Avishay Artsy, Noel King, Vox

As global concern about an Ebola outbreak in central Africa grows, hundreds of Kenyans have taken to the streets to protest a plan by the Trump administration to send American citizens who have been exposed to the virus to Kenya, rather than bringing them bac…

Trump wants to make a complicated process for millions of student-loan borrowers easier

Ayelet Sheffey, Business Insider

The Education Department is planning to streamline the process for defaulted student-loan borrowers to get help with repayment.

Acting AG Blanche says Trump administration is nixing 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'

ABC NEWS, Abcnews.com

Blanche made the comments during testimony before a House subcommittee.

Trump taps housing official Bill Pulte to be US spymaster

BBC News

The head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who pushed for criminal charges against Trump's foes, will step in as acting Director of National Intelligence.

The Trump administration aims to pull science funding under tighter political control

Katia Riddle, NPR

A Trump administration rule could shift how science funding works in the U.S. The administration says its an effort to deter waste, but science advocates say it will compromise scientific integrity.

Everyone In This LEGO Dispute Should Have Spoken To A Lawyer Earlier Than They Did

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

On Techdirt, we often complain about lawyers and bad lawyering and bad cases. But there are times when lawyers are helpful, and my one-sentence summary after spending many days trying to understand a viral dispute about [checks notes] some old Star Wars LEGO …

Seven States Sue Trump for Cancelling New York Offshore Wind Farm

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

The project would have powered more than 1.3 million homes in New York and New Jersey, the lawsuit claims.

Trump's AI E-(I)-O could let feds pick winners and losers

Brandon Vigliarolo, Theregister.com

Trump's AI executive order creates a voluntary 30-day federal review for frontier models, raising concerns over trusted partner access and agency discretion.

Philly Cops Are Reportedly Monitoring Anti-AI Memes, According to Internal Alert

Justin Caffier, Gizmodo.com

A bulletin from a regional fusion center clocks increasing anti-AI sentiment on social media and warns offline destructive action is coming.

Trump signs order seeking early access to powerful AI models before release

NBC, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that lays the foundation for federal testing of the world's most powerful AI systems before they are publicl...

New satellite imagery shows White House UFC structure and ballroom construction

Kerem Inal, Abcnews.com

The images also show the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool rehab project.

What Trump ‘telling off’ means for Netanyahu

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump reportedly lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call.

Here’s why Republicans just stood up to Trump

Zack Beauchamp, Vox

Don’t look now, but it appears that Congress is actually doing its constitutionally prescribed job: checking presidential power. On Monday multiple outlets reported that President Donald Trump was backing off of his so-called anti-weaponization fund: the $1.7…

Trump signs an executive order to vet top AI models for national security risks

MATT O'BRIEN AP technology writer, Abcnews.com

President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order on artificial intelligence, less than two weeks after postponing a White House ceremony over his concerns that a similar policy could dull America’s edge on AI technology

New York Democrats take first steps toward an aggressive 2028 redistricting plan

ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press, Abcnews.com

New York Democrats are wading into the national redistricting wars — just don’t expect a victory before this year’s hotly contested midterm elections

Trump signs AI safety order seeking voluntary review of new models

Shannon Bond, NPR

The order asks AI companies to voluntarily submit their most powerful models for the government to test up to 30 days before releasing them to the public.

Mysteriously missing New Jersey congressman receives Trump endorsement

BBC News

Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr has not been seen for months but is expected to win Tuesday's election.

Trump names Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence

NBC, Yahoo Entertainment

President Trump has named Bill Pulte, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as the acting director of national intelligence after Tulsi Gabbard res...

OpenAI Really Doesn’t Like the Attention Its Co-Founder’s Political Donations Are Getting

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

OpenAI released a statement distancing itself from a pro-AI super PAC backed by President Greg Brockman and his wife.

Trump’s new AI executive order drastically shifts the administration’s stance on the tech

Claire Cameron, Scientific American

This order asks artificial intelligence companies to give the U.S. government up to 30 days to assess frontier models before they are released

Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security

Ellie Acra, Whitehouse.gov

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  Purpose.

Trump administration takes aim at crucial ocean monitoring network

Adam Kovac, Scientific American

The Ocean Observatories Initiative has been collecting data on physical, chemical, geological and biological conditions in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for the past decade

Trump goes after green cards

Gaby Del Valle, The Verge

On the Friday before Memorial Day, on the eve of a long weekend, the Trump administration announced that it was further gutting legal immigration. The Department of Homeland Security didn't use this language. "This policy allows our immigration system to func…

Why Graham Platner’s Sexting Matters

Christina Cauterucci, Slate Magazine

The candidate's team keeps telling us to ignore his rough edges. These are more than rough edges.

Israel strikes southern Lebanon but partial truce with Hezbollah appears to hold

BBC News

Israel continues its campaign in the south, though has not struck Beirut after a deal announced by the US.

Trying to Wrap Your Head Around UFO 'Disclosure' Under President Trump

Jacob Weindling, Jezebel

The UFO files released so far are a nothingburger, but Trump has serious power to do more.

5 ways to reduce everyday exposure to 'forever chemicals'

Mara Hoplamazian, NPR

Mara Hoplamazian has spent years reporting on 'forever chemicals,' or PFAS. Here's what they've learned about what may help limit everyday exposure to the contaminant.

Five things to watch in Tuesday’s primaries

Andrew Howard, Politico

Tuesday’s primaries are a big moment for Democrats, as they continue to reckon with across the board losses in 2024.

Powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia says it will start handing its weapons to the state

STELLA MARTANY, Yahoo Entertainment

One of Iraq’s most powerful Iran-backed armed groups said Tuesday it would begin putting its weapons under government control, a major step in the new...

Meta Increases Social Media Safety Restrictions for Minors as Legal Backlash Intensifies

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

Meta is also expanding Teen Accounts globally after momentum for social media bans abroad grows.

Could Trump’s government be influencing Canada’s separatist movement?

Al Jazeera English

Alberta will vote in a referendum over whether to separate from Canada, but how is the US President involved?

Albanians protest Kushner plan for Sazan Island luxury resort

Al Jazeera English

Hundreds have rallied in Albania against plans by a Jared Kushner-linked investment firm to develop Sazan Island.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue after Trump saying they’d stop

Al Jazeera English

Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon have continued, a day after US President said the ‘shooting’ would stop

Disney Moves To Protect Its Broadcast Licenses From Brendan Carr’s Sham Investigations

Karl Bode, Techdirt

If you recall, Trump FCC censor Brendan Carr recently launched numerous sham investigations of Disney/ABC because a comedian made fun of the President. One of those sham investigations includes the bogus claim that Disney should be stripped of its eight broad…

Trump cursed at Netanyahu in call over Lebanon escalation, sources say

Rachel Scott, Katherine Faulders, David Brennan, Abcnews.com

President Donald Trump cursed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a 15-minute phone call on Monday, multiple sources familiar with the call told ABC News.

Pete Hegseth Blocks Women and Black Officers from Their Pentagon Promotions—Again

Danielle Han, Jezebel

The defense secretary seems to consider it his destiny to make the Pentagon an unconstitutional wasteland.

Israel kills five in attacks on Lebanon after Trump announces de-escalation

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

The deadly attacks raise concerns about the reported agreement on the cessation of hostilities.

Trump says Israel, Hezbollah to stop fighting: What we know

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Netanyahu agrees to halt operations near Beirut; Hezbollah to stop attacks on Israel under new truce arrangement.

The US Exports Intelligence

Alex Tabarrok, Marginalrevolution.com

Most Americans work in the service sector so it’s not surprising that most export-related jobs are in the service sector (The U.S. exports about $2.2 trillion of goods and $1.2 trillion of services, but services are more labor intensive than manufacturing so …

Trump to Drop $1.8B ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund Amid Pushback

Yahoo Entertainment

DOJ will pause $1.8 billion fund, per court order. And, key primaries to watch today

Suzanne Nuyen, NPR

The DOJ says it will abide by a federal court order pausing its anti-weaponization fund. And, six states are holding primaries today. Here are the races to watch.

Uh Oh, Trump Is Bored with Iran Peace Talks. You Know What That Means.

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

"I don't care if they're over, honestly," said the President about Iran peace talks. "I really don't care. I couldn't care less."

The Manhattan Institute Helped Kill DEI. Now It’s Coming for Protests

Ali Winston, Wired

The right-wing think tank is actively pushing “civil terrorism”—increasing penalties for minor crimes committed while people engage in constitutionally protected free speech.

Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military, appeals court rules

The Associated Press, NPR

A divided panel of appeals court judges has ruled that a Trump administration policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service.

How Will Trumpism End? My Recent Trip to Florida Gave Me Some Clues.

Luke Winkie, Slate Magazine

I went to the Trump National Doral Miami in search of one very large, gaudy item.

Concepts of an Iran Peace Plan

Mary Harris, Slate Magazine

Keeping the war going just in case Eric has a wedding.

Stripping U.S. citizenship en masse is harder than Trump vowed

Jaclyn Diaz, NPR

President Trump's vow to revoke citizenship worries immigrant advocates, legal scholars and naturalized Americans — but so far it's proving harder to do than the rhetoric suggests.

Tuesday is a big primary day. Here are key races to watch

Saige Miller, NPR

Six states — California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico — hold elections on Tuesday. Here are key races to follow.

For veterans, a place where peace can take root

Quil Lawrence, NPR

Iraq war veteran John Follmer leads vet volunteers who are rehabbing a neglected Japanese garden on the West LA Veterans Affairs Campus.

Why is Michigan loosening its rules for parents wanting to exempt kids from vaccines?

Kate Wells, NPR

A decade ago, Michigan had high rates of parents not vaccinating their children, so it required them to attend an in-person education class to get an exemption. It worked — until things got ugly.

Morning news brief

A Martínez, NPR

DOJ says it will pause its 'anti-weaponization' fund after judge's ruling, Trump says he urged Israel, Hezbollah to hold fire amid rising tensions over Lebanon, Californians vote in state's primaries.

Cambodia launches UN-backed process to settle maritime dispute with Thailand

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

BANGKOK, June 2 (Reuters) - Cambodia said on Tuesday it had launched a compulsory conciliation process under international law aimed at resolving a long-runn...

Oil slips after Trump says talks with Iran are ongoing

By Stephanie Kelly, Yahoo Entertainment

By Stephanie Kelly LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than 1% on Tuesday, paring the previous session's sharp gains, after U.S. President Donald...

Iran war day 95: Trump pushes Lebanon truce after Tehran vows to end talks

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Trump says he persuaded Israel and Hezbollah to halt attacks, seeking to prevent a wider war in Lebanon.

Hegseth blocks promotion of several Navy officers to 1-star rank

Luis Martinez, Steve Beynon, Abcnews.com

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked the promotions to one-star admirals of several senior Navy officers who had been selected for promotion by a board of officials.

Andrew Left Found Guilty in Case That Spooked Short Sellers

Erik Larson, Yahoo Entertainment

(Bloomberg) -- Famed short seller Andrew Left faces the possibility of decades behind bars after being found guilty of using disingenuous social media posts ...

Feds Begin Targeting ‘Anti-Technology Extremists’ Which Is Going To Make Everything So Much Worse

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

The whole conversation around AI is about to get much, much worse. We’ve been talking a lot about AI, generative AI, LLMs, or whatever your preferred moniker has become, for some time now. And for good reason. This is a still-emerging technology that has begu…

US Defense Department bars journalists from its press office

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Media freedom advocates condemn move as latest effort to curtail independent reporting on the US military.

President Trump attempts to end hostilities in Lebanon

Al Jazeera English

US President Trump claims a diplomatic breakthrough after speaking with Israeli PM to halt escalation toward Beirut.

Trump signs proclamation amending  tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper imports

Reuters, Yahoo Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, June 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation amending tariffs on some copper, aluminum and iron imports, the W...

Judge allows group to fly '86 47' flag in DC, rejecting claim it is a threat to Trump

Peter Charalambous, Abcnews.com

A federal judge is allowing a progressive group in Washington, D.C., to continue displaying a flag with the slang phrase "86 47" in protest of President Trump.

Usha Vance says Supreme Court, federal judges should be treated with 'respect'

Hannah Demissie, Abcnews.com

The second lady said she has been surprised by Trump's sense of humor.

How Many Wind Turbines Would It Take To Equal One Nuclear Reactor?

staff@bgr.com (Brendan Knapp), BGR

Wind is often touted as a cleaner alternative to nuclear power, but how many wind turbines would it take to match the output of a nuclear plant?

Iran war live: Trump talks to Hezbollah, Israel as Lebanon fighting surges

Lyndal Rowlands, Zaid Sabah, Al Jazeera English

Death toll from Israel's attacks on Lebanon since March has reached 3,433, with 10,395 injured, says Health Ministry.