Trump News for Thursday, June 25, 2026

The Meltdown

Jonathan Lemire, Russell Berman, The Atlantic

One day that captures how Trump has gone from unpredictable to chaotic

Americans Deserve Answers From Hegseth

William H. McRaven, The Atlantic

The president and the secretary of defense have a right to remove officers, but also an obligation to explain their actions.

Vance, an admirer of Richard Nixon, says Watergate would be a 'a 12-hour news story' today

Associated Press, Yahoo Entertainment

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon would have been a blip in today's news cycle, and he...

Kelsey Grammer Meets With Donald Trump In Oval Office During D.C. Visit For ‘Young Washington’ Screening

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Kelsey Grammer was the latest celebrity visitor to the Oval Office, as the actor met with Donald Trump or about an hour on Thursday. The actor is in D.C. for a screening on Thursday evening of Young Washington, about the pre-Revolutionary War experiences of G…

Texas Man Gets 30 Years in Prison for Transporting 'Anti-Government' Pamphlets

Autumn Billings, Yahoo Entertainment

Eight of the Prairieland Detention Center protesters were sentenced to a combined 450 years in prison.

WATCH: Inside rescue efforts after Venezuela earthquake

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Ciarán Donnelly of the International Rescue Committee discusses the humanitarian response as rescue efforts continue following the deadly earthquake in Venezuela.

IMPEACHMENT WATCH: 53% of Americans see grounds to support...

G. Elliott Morris, Gelliottmorris.com

IMPEACHMENT WATCH: 53% of Americans see grounds to support... (First column, 4th story, link) Related stories:Even QAnon Hates Trump Now... Outrage over $25 pretzels at Great American State Fair... Drudge Report Feed needs yo…

Europeans Are Buying Teslas Again, Surrendering the Easiest Front in the War on American Big Tech

Bruce Gil, Gizmodo.com

Tesla is hiring new workers and ramping up production at its German factory to meet demand.

ICE Detention Center Contractor Endangered Detainees, Destroyed Homicide Evidence

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

One of ICE’s largest detention centers is conveniently located only miles from the US border in El Paso, Texas. Erected on an apparently unused section of the Ft. Bliss military base, the detention center was crafted to hold up to 5,000 detainees at a time. C…

The Trump Administration Wants to Keep National Park Deaths Quiet

Matthew Phelan, Gizmodo.com

A leaked memo from U.S. Department of the Interior has blocked National Parks staff from confirming deaths or “the severity of injuries” sustained by any park patrons.

Supreme Court lets Trump turn away asylum seekers at the border

Devin Dwyer, Abcnews.com

The decision effectively allows border agents to shut the door to migrants fleeing violence and persecution.

Trump Admin Wants to Make Brake Pedals Optional in Autonomous Vehicles

Ece Yildirim, Gizmodo.com

Huge news for Tesla's Cybercab.

The Supreme Court lets Trump deport people back to war zones

Ian Millhiser, Vox

The Supreme Court held on Thursday that the Trump administration may ignore procedural rules governing the “temporary protected status” (TPS) program, which allows foreign nationals from war torn or otherwise unsafe countries to temporarily remain in the Unit…

Trump Claimed to Run Venezuela. After Earthquakes, He’s Walking That Back.

Nick Turse, The Intercept

In January, Trump said “we’re in charge” of Venezuela. Amid a humanitarian crisis, they’re merely “our new and great friends.” The post Trump Claimed to Run Venezuela. After Earthquakes, He’s Walking That Back. appeared first on The Intercept.

Obama knows he drives Trump mad. Now he’s taunting him

Sophia Tesfaye, Salon

Calling out Donald Trump’s obsession with Barack Obama is the perfect troll

The Democratic Party Gets Its Populist Takeover

The Intercept Briefing, The Intercept

How democratic socialists, boosted by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, swept the Democratic establishment in Tuesday’s primaries. The post The Democratic Party Gets Its Populist Takeover appeared first on The Intercept.

Giant Baby Brendan Carr Is Very Upset That ABC Is Fighting Back

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Earlier this week we noted how ABC has been asking its audience to give the Trump FCC an earful about its clumsy efforts to censor journalists, comedians, and daytime talk show hosts: The ad only hints at the fact that FCC boss Brendan Carr has launched a fak…

Judge blocks part of Trump's proposed mail-in voting restrictions

Peter Charalambous, Abcnews.com

The injunction bars the creation of a national list of voters eligible to receive mail-in ballots.

Cops Warn CEO Bodyguards That Luigi Mangione Fever Could Spark Class War

Glen Stellmacher, Noah Hurowitz, The Intercept

Cops warned corporate bodyguards that “challenges faced by the middle and lower classes” might spur attacks on wealthy CEOS. The post Cops Warn CEO Bodyguards That Luigi Mangione Fever Could Spark Class War appeared first on The Intercept.

Pragmatic choice: Israel’s war backfires as Gulf backs US-Iran deal

Urooba Jamal, Al Jazeera English

A war meant to isolate Iran instead deepened Gulf pragmatism and strengthened support for diplomacy.

Everyone Wants to Build AI Using Someone Else’s Work

Webb Wright, Gizmodo.com

Publishers and artists aren’t the only ones accusing AI startups of foul play these days.

US Park Police seek to ID person in Reflecting Pool vandalism investigation

Jack Date, Abcnews.com

U.S. Park Police is seeking assistance in identifying a person in connection with an investigation related to the Reflecting Pool.

Judge again directs DOJ to address whether 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' is dead

Katherine Faulders, Steven Portnoy, Allison Pecorin, Alexander Mallin, Abcnews.com

A judge is again directing the DOJ to formally address whether the Trump administration's "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is dead, as the agency has claimed.

Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

MATTHEW DALY, Yahoo Entertainment

A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed...

US Supreme Court paves way for government to block asylum seekers at border

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

Liberal justices say the ruling 'circumvents' US law by allowing agents to prevent asylum seekers from filing a claim.

The Supreme Court’s embarrassing new Second Amendment decision, explained

Ian Millhiser, Vox

On Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down a Hawaii gun law, claiming that it violates the Second Amendment. As is almost always the case in the Court’s Second Amendment decisions, Wolford v. Lopez was decided along party lines. The Republican justices agreed…

CDC buried this COVID vaccine study, so scientists published it anyway

Séamus Bellamy, Boing Boing

During Grandpa Puddin' Brain's first term, he declared that COVID-19 wasn't a big deal. He asserted that he wouldn't close the country down for a flu, so COVID wasn't gonna lock the doors either. He scoffed at how dangerous the coronavirus was at the time, do…

Judge halts executive order seeking to create federal voter list...

Michael Casey, Associated Press

A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani on Thursday sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that…

Her outrageous social media past...

Jeff Maurer, Imightbewrong.org

Her outrageous social media past... (Second column, 9th story, link) Related stories:Socialists cemented power in New York. Next, the rest of the country? Dems already had AOC. Now they have DAC...

Even QAnon Hates Trump Now...

Will Sommer, The Bulwark

Even QAnon Hates Trump Now... (First column, 2nd story, link)

As banks close accounts, experts point to immigration crackdown

Kate Berry, American Banker

More than 20,000 consumers have seen their bank accounts abruptly terminated in recent months. Experts believe financial institutions are responding to the Trump administration's restrictionist immigration policies.

Supreme Court allows Trump to restrict asylum seekers at border

https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews, BBC News

The ruling will allow Trump to revive a turn-back policy rescinded in 2021 under President Joe Biden.

Supreme Court says U.S. can turn away asylum-seekers at the border

Grady Martin, NPR

By a 6 to 3 vote, the high court ruled that that federal law allows the government to to stop asylum-seekers from physically setting foot in the United States, effectively keeping them from applying for asylum.

Trump can begin deportations of Syrian, Haitian TPS holders, Supreme Court says

Nina Totenberg, NPR

Writing for the court majority, Justice Samuel Alito that under the TPS law, the president has unreviewable authority to end the program, without intervention from the courts.

Iran accuses NATO of ‘complicity’ in US war: What role did EU nations play?

Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera English

NATO boss tries to convince Trump that European allies were there for the US during war on Iran.

Supreme Court allows Trump administration's cancellation of TPS for Haitians, Syrians

Devin Dwyer, Peter Charalambous, Abcnews.com

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration can cancel the temporary protected status (TPS) for thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

Iran negotiator Ghalibaf rejects claim unfrozen funds will buy US goods

Heba Habib, Al Jazeera English

The denial contradicts the US administration, which said unfrozen funds will be spent on produce from American farmers.

Supremes block thousands of lawsuits against maker of ROUNDUP weedkiller...

Lindsay Whitehurst, Associated Press

The Supreme Court has sided with the maker of Roundup weedkiller, blocking thousands of lawsuits alleging it failed to warn users the product could cause cancer. The decision Thursday is a victory for the Trump administration but could complicate relations wi…

U.S. Supreme Court backs Monsanto in its fight against liability from popular weed killer

Carrie Johnson, NPR

The central issue in the Roundup case, filed by Missouri resident James Durnell, was who decides what should appear on a pesticide or insecticide label—and whether a federal law overrides state claims.

US Supreme Court sides with Trump in asylum-processing case

Yahoo Entertainment

Supreme Court Decision on Glyphosate Shoves More Humiliation Down RFK Jr. and MAHA Throats

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The Supreme Court and Donald Trump joined forces to yet again betray a spineless RFK Jr. and the MAHA movement by boosting herbicide.

Supreme Court ruling blocks thousands of lawsuits against maker of Roundup weedkiller

LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Yahoo Entertainment

The Supreme Court sided with the maker of the Roundup weedkiller Thursday in a ruling expected to block thousands of lawsuits alleging it failed to warn peop...

Supreme Court strikes down gun limits for stores, other public places

Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, USA Today

Four years after expanding the right to bear arms outside the home, the Supreme Court made it harder for states to control where in public guns are allowed.

US judge blocks Trump's mail-in voting executive order

By Nate Raymond, Yahoo Entertainment

By Nate Raymond BOSTON, June 25 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Boston on Thursday blocked implementation of U.S.

A federal judge in Boston has blocked parts of Trump's order to limit voting by mail

Hansi Lo Wang, NPR

A federal judge in Boston has blocked parts of President Trump's executive order to limit voting by mail. The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.

Quake is devastating blow at time of uncertainty

https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews, BBC News

The quake comes less than six months after Venezuela's then-leader Nicolás Maduro was seized by US forces.

Venezuela quakes: How will sanctions impact aid operations?

Federica Marsi, Al Jazeera English

Financial sanctions are known to limit the flow of aid, but political influence is also a concern amid the devastation.

AI-Powered War Is Coming. This Fight Over a Data Center Just Made That Case

Katelyn Chedraoui, CNET

A legal battle over a data center's environmental impact opens a window into the US military's rapid adoption of AI for warfighting.

Administration’s Favorite Z-Lister Denies It's Her A-List Connections That Landed Her the Freedom 250 Gig

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Kash Patel’s girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, kicked things off by singing “The Star Spangled Banner” on Wednesday—and did not take kindly to accusations that she only landed the gig because of her boyfriend.

Marco Rubio Personally Authorized Detention Of An Immigrant Who Criticized A Politician Trump Likes

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

It’s absolutely irritating to be living under the thumb of an administration filled to the brim with facile subservients who think they’re the biggest and best people to ever walk the earth. It’s a bunch of boys pretending to be men, right up until they have …

The Pentagon Lost Its War Against Flu Shots in Less than Two Months

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

Flu shots are mandatory once again, less than two months after being made "optional," following a major military base outbreak.

2 earthquakes in Venezuela kill at least 164. And, Trump cancels housing bill signing

Brittney Melton, NPR

Two major earthquakes in Venezuela have killed at least 164 people and left hundreds injured. And, President Trump canceled the signing of a massive bipartisan housing bill yesterday.

After Catastrophic Earthquakes Hit Venezuela, Here Are 22 Harrowing Clips That Reveal The Full Horror Of It

Gabija Saveiskyte, Boredpanda.com

Venezuela was struck by two massive earthquakes back-to-back on Wednesday, June 24, causing widespread destruction in the capital city of Caracas and nearby areas.

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

Regina Garcia Cano, Juan Pablo Arraez, Associated Press

At least 164 people have died and 971 were injured after a pair of powerful quakes rocked Venezuela, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said. Wednesday evening’s 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a centu…

10 Thursday AM Reads

Barry Ritholtz, Ritholtz.com

My morning train WFH reads: • The Coming Loop: I don’t prompt Claude anymore. I have loops running that prompt Claude and figuring out what to do. My job is to write loops. The Flask creator on agentic AI and the feedback loops we’re about to build into every…

The white working-class myth that made JD Vance

Chauncey DeVega, Salon

From "Hillbilly Elegy" to "Communion," Vance's narrative is about power, not solidarity

US says Iran will buy its goods: What could US-Iran trade look like?

Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera English

Before the 1979 revolution in Iran, Washington and Tehran had close trade ties. Could a peace deal revive them?

Why Can’t America Have a Housing Bill? Because of Trump’s Signature Obsession.

Jim Newell, Slate Magazine

The president took a win-win-win situation and found a way for everyone to lose.

World reacts as devastating Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 32

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Global leaders express solidarity with Venezuela as dual earthquakes kill at least 32 and leave widespread devastation.

Matt ‘Fortune Favors the Brave’ Damon Is Back for More Crypto Fun

Kyle Torpey, Gizmodo.com

This time Ripple is laundering its reputation through Matt Damon and his Water.org charity.

Trump keeps sabotaging legislation over a voting bill. Here's what's in it

Ashley Lopez, NPR

President Trump blew up what could have been a win for his party — and he did it to force lawmakers to pass an elections overhaul bill that has been all but doomed in the Senate.

4 surprising things to know about abortion in America since Dobbs

Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR

A confusing patchwork of state laws began to take shape hours after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn <em>Roe v. Wade</em> on June 24, 2022. Here's where things stand now on the abortion issue.

Eager for a break, farmers don't expect much relief after the Iran peace deal

Kirk Siegler, NPR

Fertilizer prices have gone down with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the prospect of a U.S.-Iran peace deal. But struggling American farmers won't likely see any relief for months.

Morning news brief

A Martínez, NPR

At least 32 killed and 700 injured after two earthquakes hit Venezuela, Trump and Senate GOP face off in tense meeting, a top general is expected to retire, joining a number of Pentagon shakeups.

People Found A Photo Of The Guy Trump Hired To Renovate The Reflecting Pool, And They’re Losing It

Gabija Saveiskyte, Boredpanda.com

John J. Cafaro became the butt of jokes over his connection to the company, slammed for its handling of recent work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Iran war day 118: IRGC rejects new Hormuz route; Rubio to meet GCC leaders

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Iran's Revolutionary Guard warns against alternative route in Strait of Hormuz as top US diplomat to meet Gulf leaders.

ICC judges sue Trump over sanctions, call measures unlawful

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Judges argue sanctions aimed to punish and coerce ICC decisions on US and Israeli war crimes cases.

Venezuela earthquakes live updates: At least 164 dead and nearly 1,000 injured after powerful twin tremors

Stuart Henderson, Yahoo Entertainment

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the death toll would most likely run into the thousands.

Appeals court deals biggest setback yet to Trump DOJ’s demands for confidential voter roll data

Tierney Sneed, CNN, CNN

A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected demands by the Justice Department that Michigan turn over non-public information in their voter registration fi...

Venezuela rocked by 7.5, 7.2 earthquakes: What happened and what we know

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Venezuela declared a state of emergency after twin 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes caused widespread damage and rescue efforts.

Trump says UK’s likely next leader Andy Burnham is ‘extremely liberal’

Al Jazeera English

Trump has made his first comment on the UK’s likely next leader describing Andy Burnham as ‘extremely liberal’.

In reversal, Senate votes to block war powers resolution, delivering Trump a win

Allison Pecorin, Abcnews.com

Sen. Bill Cassidy voted with the majority of Republicans late Wednesday to block a resolution aimed at reining in the president's war powers.

Trump Is Making the 250th Small

Tom Nichols, The Atlantic

The State Fair rally was an empty celebration of a man instead of a country.

Anthropic’s White House Negotiations Are Reportedly On Track After ‘Weirdo’ Dario Amodei Was Replaced

Mike Pearl, Gizmodo.com

Amodei was reportedly hard to deal with and not a good listener.

Rutte attempts to ease Trump-NATO rift over Iran ahead of annual summit

Al Jazeera English

NATO chief Mark Rutte visited the White House to ease tensions with Trump ahead of next month's NATO summit.

USPS won't deliver ballots if states don't turn over voter lists under Trump proposal

Peter Charalambous, Katherine Faulders, Laura Romero, Alexander Mallin, Abcnews.com

Postmaster General David Steiner answered questions about the proposed rule during an appearance before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Leonard Cohen’s Estate Issues A Pre-Event Objection To Use Of ‘Hallelujah’ At Trump’s Freedom 250 Kickoff

Ted Johnson, Deadline

It’s not at all uncommon for performers or their families to object when Donald Trump uses their music at a rally or video. Their public pushback, though, usually happens after the fact. But on Wednesday, the Leonard Cohen estate offered a prebuttal to the us…