Trump News for Thursday, June 11, 2026

WATCH: Police issue warning over criminal groups recruiting teens for violent crimes

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Authorities say teens in Europe are being recruited online by gangs and criminal organizations for killings, bombings and abductions – a growing trend that police say is making its way to the U.S.

Ariana Grande Slams ICE Video Using Her Song As “Barbaric, Inhumane, Heinous” Nonsense

Glenn Garner, Deadline

Add Ariana Grande to the list of artists who will never collab with Donald Trump on a TikTok video. The 3x Grammy winner recently slammed the White House for using her 2024 song ‘Bye’ in a video promoting the Trump-signed Secure America Act, which would fund …

Trump says US and Iran have reached a ‘great settlement’

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump claims Washington and Tehran have reached a ‘great settlement’ and are finalising documents

US Researchers Say Trump’s Attack On Science Has Resulted In Self-Censorship

Eric Welch and Timothy P. Johnson, Techdirt

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The American academic research engine has long been the envy of the world. Generally well-funded, labs in the United States have been able to attrac…

US lawmakers press Israel to let cancer patients out of Gaza for treatment

Brian Osgood, Al Jazeera English

Group of lawmakers call on Trump administration to facilitate medical evacuations out of Gaza amid dearth of services.

Trump (still) has a spy chief problem

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 has a new pick for director of national i…

Giant '86 47' found marked in the grass on the National Mall

Nicholas Kerr, Abcnews.com

Park Police investigating what it calls vandalism after the numbers 86 and 47 were found marked in National Mall grass, near the site of Trump's UFC event this weekend.

Trump's missile diplomacy fizzles

Paul McLeary, Nahal Toosi and Jack Detsch, Politico

“You’re bombing what to get what at this point?” said a former Trump administration official.

Why I'm Forced to Say Farewell: Google Management Has Lost Its Moral Compass

René Mayrhofer, Eu.org

I am forced to leave Google with 2026-08-31 because of the deal with the US Department of War, which is incompatible with my ethical principles.

Trump Faces Backlash Over $14 Million Project As Citizens React With Anger And Sarcasm: “Spot The Difference”

Lei RV, Boredpanda.com

“Amazing what a good camera filter can do.”

Before-and-after satellite photos show Trump's changes to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC

Talia Lakritz, Business Insider

The Trump administration renovated the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. The changes are visible from space.

Trump administration sanctions Cuba’s national oil company, blasts Castros

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounces Union Cuba-Petroleo as having 'unlawfully expropriated' US resources.

Spencer Pratt Breaks Silence On L.A. Mayor’s Race Loss

Dominic Patten, Deadline

Spencer Pratt’s near deafening silence over being shut out of the runoff race to be Los Angeles’ Mayor has come to an end, sorta. Three days after counted ballots in the bids between The Hills self-declared villain and Councilmember Nithya Raman to secure the…

America’s Solar Just Hit a Critical Milestone That Won’t Make Trump Happy

Ellyn Lapointe, Gizmodo.com

Despite the Trump administration's efforts to revitalize domestic coal power, renewables continue to set new records.

Trump to pick US attorney Jay Clayton for director of national intelligence

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Nomination comes amid pushback over Donald Trump's selection of Bill Pulte as acting director of the agency.

Shall we play a game? – LLMs use tactical nukes in 95% of simulations

Kenneth Payne, Kennethpayne.uk

My AI nuclear simulation is out now, and it's a WOPR.

Trump nominates top SDNY prosecutor to key national intelligence post

Samantha Max, Gothamist

File photo of U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, top prosecutor in the influential Southern District of New York, who has been nominated by President Trump to lead the national intelligence agency. Jay Clayton has also served as chairman of the Securities and Exch…

Hakeem Jeffries Finally Finds a Spine: Dem Leaders Rallied Against Extending Domestic Spy Law

Matt Sledge, The Intercept

Advocates welcomed centrist Democrats switching sides but warned against extending the spy law with or without Bill Pulte as spy chief. The post Hakeem Jeffries Finally Finds a Spine: Dem Leaders Rallied Against Extending Domestic Spy Law appeared first on Th…

The U.S. stockpiles oil in huge underground salt caverns. Here’s why

Cody Cottier, Scientific American

Salt, with its ability to seal liquid in, is uniquely suited to storing the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve

NY lawmakers OK measure requiring Wi-Fi in homeless shelters statewide

Karen Yi, Gothamist

The bill requires all shelters to provide high-speed broadband internet service. [ more › ]

Inside the industrial boom bringing millions of people to the South

Jan Klauth, Business Insider

For some time now, industry has been moving from coastal hubs to Southern states and millions of people have followed.

Trump administration identifies 'super-sponsors' of migrant children in a possible prosecution tack

ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and VALERIE GONZALEZ, Yahoo Entertainment

The Trump administration has identified more than 15,000 cases of adults gaining custody of multiple immigrant children who enter the U.S. without a parent,...

It's TACO time (again): Stocks surge after Trump cancels Iran strikes

madams@businessinsider.com (Max Adams), Business Insider

Stocks surged after Donald Trump called off attacks on Iran scheduled for Thursday. Brent and US oil prices tumbled.

Trump Mobile T1 Phone teardown confirms it's an HTC in disguise

Vlad, GSMArena.com

The Trump Mobile T1 Phone was announced last year and went through quite a few design iterations in the meantime, but now seems to have been finalized. The phone has started shipping to some media outlets (around nine months after it was first promised to), a…

Trump picks Jay Clayton for director of national intelligence

ABC NEWS, Abcnews.com

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a new permanent pick to head the Office of the Director of National Intelligence: Jay Clayton.

Grandpa Pudding Brains says Iran is in submission, they just don't know it yet

Jason Weisberger, Boing Boing

Dementia Donnie has a bold new theory of diplomacy: drop $250 million worth of bombs on people, then announce they are "really in submission" even if they have not noticed. On Fox & Friends, Trump said Iran is "dying to make a deal" and bragged, "We dropped $…

Jeff Bezos says AI is like a knife that can be used for good or bad, and the solution isn't 'no more data centers'

Brent D. Griffiths, Business Insider

The Amazon founder is serving as the co-CEO of Prometheus, a physical AI startup that just closed a $12 billion round.

House Of Cards: Gambler’s Suit That Brought Down Jeff Shell At Paramount Settled, Dismissed. Done

Dominic Patten, Deadline

Two months after Jeff Shell was axed as president of Paramount over accusations of loose lips and more, the ex-exec and the David Ellison-run conglomerate have settled with the self-styled professional gambler who threatened to bring the whole house of cards …

A Point-by-Point Breakdown of Trump’s Failed Iran War Objectives

Nick Turse, The Intercept

None of Trump’s stated goals in his war with Iran have been achieved. The post A Point-by-Point Breakdown of Trump’s Failed Iran War Objectives appeared first on The Intercept.

Why 60 Minutes Shouldn’t Ignore the Accusations of Bias

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

Scott Pelley’s recent interview reveals why the show should take critiques of its work seriously.

UFC Previews Unprecedented White House Event — With An Eye On D.C.’s Tempestuous Summer Weather

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Nothing quite like “the claw,” as it is called, has ever been constructed on the White House grounds: The giant overhang covers the ring for Sunday’s Ultimate Fighting Championship event, occurring on Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and billed as one of the Free…

Melania Trump, noted independence expert, explains success

Jason Weisberger, Boing Boing

Melania Trump, who married into the dirtiest, most scandal-slimed money pile she could find herself photographed rolling in, would like everyone to know success is really about independence. Speaking about "Fostering the Future Accounts," Melania said, "Succ…

Meth Scandal Rocks Nascent Greg Bovino '28 Campaign...

Will Sommer, The Bulwark

Meth Scandal Rocks Nascent Greg Bovino '28 Campaign... (Second column, 7th story, link)

White House response to hantavirus and Ebola contrasts with COVID criticisms

Rob Stein, NPR

The administration imposed mandatory quarantine orders on two passengers from the cruise ship hit by hantavirus and is blocking Americans who catch Ebola from returning home for treatment.

The bill that would let Jimmy Kimmel sue Brendan Carr is here

Lauren Feiner, The Verge

Under a new bipartisan bill, Americans could sue for damages if a government official illegally tries to coerce a social media, AI, or broadcasting company to remove their post - regardless of whether the platform actually does it. Senate Commerce Committee C…

Melania Trump unveils a spinoff of Trump Accounts for foster kids

FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press, Abcnews.com

First lady Melania Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have announced the launch of Fostering the Future Accounts

Congress Fails to Reauthorize America’s Most Powerful Surveillance Law, Which Expires at Midnight Friday

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

“Every day that Section 702 is in effect without reforms is a day that Americans’ rights are under threat," Sen. Ron Wyden said.

OpenAI Adds Fuel to Republican Drive to Label Anti-Data Center Movement a Chinese Psy-Op

Webb Wright, Gizmodo.com

State-backed Chinese hackers "sought to exploit and amplify existing public concerns about energy prices and local impacts of data center development," the company said.

Someone is marking a huge '8647' into the grounds of the National Mall in DC

By Nathan Howard, Yahoo Entertainment

By Nathan Howard WASHINGTON, June 11 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities were responding on Thursday to what appeared to be a large tracing of "8647" into the groun...

Lights! Camera! Cage match! The White House lawn's Octagon is ready for Trump's 80th birthday bash

WILL WEISSERT, Yahoo Entertainment

Maybe it's the kind of contraption that has carried space aliens to the White House to force a meeting with America's leader. Overhead looms The Claw, a fou...

Musk's Starlink hooked rural customers. Then came the price increases.

Faiz Siddiqui, (c) 2026 , The Washington Post, Yahoo Entertainment

When Julie Slama and her husband moved to a home outside Dunbar, Nebraska, in April 2022, they were happy customers of Elon Musk's Starlink. The satellite-ba...

Josh Hawley Wants Todd Blanche’s Version of the DOJ to Help Him With His Anti-Abortion Agenda

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Specifically, Hawley wants a Blanche that would settle various states’ lawsuits against mifepristone, the first of two pills taken in a medication abortion.

The New Law of Political Prosecutions

Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic

Judges have long defaulted to a posture of trust toward the federal government, but under Trump that is changing, and a new set of legal possibilities is emerging.

The Trump Phone Is Literally a Gilded Cage for a Two-Year-Old Smartphone

Kyle Barr, Gizmodo.com

Tell me if this reminds you of the 45th U.S. president in any way.

Trump says US will ‘be taking’ Kharg Island in latest Iran war threat

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Trump says US will be hitting Iran 'very hard' as two days of strikes threaten to derail ceasefire negotiations.

An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down near Iran. Take a closer look at its weapons and capabilities.

Talia Lakritz, Business Insider

An Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday amid the US war with Iran. Here's a closer look at their weapons and capabilities.

JD Vance To Guest On ABC’s ‘The View’ In VP’s First Appearance On Show

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Vice President JD Vance will make his first appearance on The View next week. His guest spot comes as the show is the subject of an FCC investigation, led by President Donald Trump’s appointed chairman Brendan Carr, over the agency’s equal time rule. ABC has …

The Trump Mobile T1 really is an HTC phone from 2024, teardown shows

Taylor Kerns, Android Authority

The gold-colored phone is a lightly modified version of an HTC design from 2024, and it's being manufactured at a factory in China.

War Crimes Seem to Be Official US Policy Now

Phillips P. OBrien, Substack.com

We Will Rue The Day

What to know about Iran's Kharg Island as Trump threatens to seize it

Imtiaz Tyab, CBS News

Kharg Island is a heavily fortified, strategically vital island off Iran's north coast that President Trump says the U.S. may seize control of militarily.

So the White House Apparently Freaked Out Over Epstein Files in the Situation Room

Danielle Han, Jezebel

According to a New York Times report, the files “paralyzed” the administration much more than previously thought.

What Happens If AI Causes 25% Unemployment? Anthropic Has a Concept of a Plan

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

"Some amount of displacement, though we cannot say how much ... and our responsibility is to prepare for it and respond to it," Anthropic wrote.

'I love the inflation' comment out of context, Trump and Johnson argue

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today

President Donald Trump said on June 10 'I love the inflation' when asked about the May CPI report. He later told the New York Post it was out of context.

GOP’s bogus claims of fraud pose a dire threat to democracy

Heather Digby Parton, Salon

Trump told us this was coming 10 years ago: Republicans will only accept election results if they win

Iran shuts Hormuz strait: But wasn’t it already closed?

Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera English

The strait is a crucial maritime route, through which 20 percent of global oil and natural gas is shipped in peacetime.

Trump says will hit Iran ‘very hard tonight’, US will take over Kharg Island soon

Express Global Desk, The Indian Express

Trump escalated tensions with Iran by threatening strikes on Tehran and warning that US forces could take control of oil markets in Iran like Venezuela.

Brendan Carr Prepares To Make Broadband Shittier, Censored, And More Expensive For U.S. School Kids

Karl Bode, Techdirt

I’ve noted repeatedly how the Trump administration is going out of its way to not only destroy all oversight of the country’s shitty and predatory telecom monopolies, but to eliminate any and all systems that try to ensure that U.S. broadband access is actual…

Did US sneak 100 million barrels of oil out of Hormuz, as Trump claims?

Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera English

The maths doesn't appear to hold up, even though the US has likely managed to get some oil out of the strait.

Apple Fights Back Against Epic's Bid to Kill Supreme Court Appeal

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors

Apple has filed a 12-page response to Epic Games' attempt to have its Supreme Court petition dismissed, arguing that Epic's own filing "confirms the need for review." Epic filed a 35-page opposition on June 4, 2026, urging the Supreme Court to reject App…

India says US hit another ship off Oman, confirms 3 dead in separate attack

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

All 20 Indians aboard vessel involved in the latest incident are safe, said an Indian shipping ministry official.

The U.S. Is Terrorizing Cuba to Make Rich Men Richer

Nathan J. Robinson, Currentaffairs.org

There’s barely any pretense that Trump cares about Cuban democracy. This is about privatizing Cuba’s public assets and getting them into the hands of Trump’s cronies.

$60M and 7 federal agencies required to stage UFC fight at White House...

Jesse Bedayn, Associated Press

President Donald Trump's UFC fight on the White House's South Lawn requires a monumental effort from more than seven federal agencies, hundreds of staff working onsite daily and about $60 million. The event is part of the 250th anniversary of America's foundi…

With Vow to Take Kharg Island, Trump Just Announced a Ground Invasion of Iran

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Estimates of U.S. casualties in the taking of Kharg Island have been high in simulations. Trump is about to feed troops into the grinder.

U.S. launches second day of Iran strikes. And, World Cup facts to know before kickoff

Brittney Melton, NPR

The U.S. launched air strikes on Iran for a second consecutive day. And, the World Cup kicks off today in Mexico City, where tensions threaten to disrupt events.

Trump Isn’t Giving Up on His Slush Fund

Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic

Despite insisting that a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund has been scrapped, the administration is quietly assuring allies that payout plans remain on track.

When Both Parties Try to Out-Macho Each Other

Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic

The modern politics of masculinity

Why MAGA can’t hear the Trump boos

Sophia Tesfaye, Salon

Once you understand the MAGA reaction to the NBA Finals boos, everything else snaps into focus.

Chinese immigrants overtake Dominicans as NYC's largest foreign-born group

Arun Venugopal, Gothamist

File photo of people gathered people gathered in Chinatown, Manhattan, to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year marking the Year of the Fire Horse in New York City, on Feb. 17, 2026. The Newest New Yorkers report tracks a bevy of other changes across…

10 Thursday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My morning train WFH reads: • The Future of Work & AI: How 16 top economists think AI will change the job market, and how to prepare for AI’s labor-market implications. Useful as a baseline against the louder, less data-grounded takes. (Wall Street Journal) •…

GOP candidate pushed to award a donor with a government contract

Russell Payne, Salon

Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina is hoping his record in South Texas will carry him to Congress

Why Trump keeps avoiding Senate confirmation for top government roles

Yahoo Entertainment

White House targeted Mukesh Ambani. Then, he went into business with the Trumps

Joshua Kaplan, Alex Mierjeski, Justin Elliott, Salon

An obscure Texas firm secretly connected to the president’s son said it received at least $100 million from Ambani

Scott Pelley Shows How Legacy Media Got It Wrong — Before Bari Weiss Made It Worse

Radley Balko, The Intercept

Scott Pelley describes Weiss’s horrific pro-Trump meddling, but he also shows how “both sides” journalism was already dooming our country. The post Scott Pelley Shows How Legacy Media Got It Wrong — Before Bari Weiss Made It Worse appeared first on The Interc…

US and Iran wrangle over frozen funds as they edge toward interim deal, Iranian sources say

By Parisa Hafezi and John Irish, Yahoo Entertainment

By Parisa Hafezi and John Irish DUBAI, June 11 (Reuters) - Efforts to reach an interim deal to end hostilities between Iran and the U.S. have intensified, th...

Along the 7 train in Queens, World Cup fans welcome the 'beautiful game'

Jasmine Garsd, NPR

The 2026 World Cup is being played in New Jersey, but in Queens, New York, home to immigrants from all over the world, soccer is not just a sport. It's a way of life.

Amnesty accuses Israel's government of 'ethnic cleansing' of West Bank Palestinians

The Associated Press, NPR

The London-based rights group says the Israeli government is deliberately trying to annex the Palestinian territory.

Iran war day 104: Iran says it attacks US bases after American strikes

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Iran says it launched retaliatory strikes on US bases in the region after America launched new attacks inside Iran.

Thousands rally in Albania in largest protest yet against Kushner resort

Alex Milan Durie, Al Jazeera English

Protesters chant 'Albania is not for sale' as demonstrations swell against Kushner-backed luxury resort plan.

US launches a second day of strikes on Iran and Iran fires back at Gulf States and Jordan

JON GAMBRELL, MICHELLE L. PRICE and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, Yahoo Entertainment

The United States launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran into Thursday morning after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the pri...

The Democrats fight back Trump-style in Maine… but have they messed up?

BBC News

New scandals and allegations emerge against Democrat Graham Platner in Maine

Iran’s media posts photos purportedly showing US bomb remains at destroyed water reservoir

Thomas Bordeaux, Haley Britzky and Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN

Iran’s semi-official news agency posted photos of a drinking water reservoir that officials said was destroyed in a missile strike as well as images of munit...

Which World Cup teams, players and officials were denied US visas, entry?

Anushe Engineer, Al Jazeera English

Top Somali referee Omar Artan latest victim of stringent US travel policies after Iranian squad's visas were delayed.

Oracle Upsets the Market With Even More AI Spending and Debt Issuance

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

Even record revenues couldn't ease investor fears.