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Latest developments and key stories from across the United States
Senator Marco Rubio said the war with Iran is "over now" while speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He disagreed with Senator Cory Booker, who criticized plans to ease sanctions on Iran and questioned claims about the Trump administration’s approach to Iran.
Key Facts
Senator Marco Rubio spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rubio stated that the war with Iran is "over now."
Senator Cory Booker opposed easing sanctions against Iran.
Rubio denied that the Trump administration wants a deal like the one from the Obama years.
The discussion involved current U.S. policy toward Iran and sanctions.
The debate showed a disagreement between Republican and Democratic senators on Iran.
Sanctions are penalties designed to pressure Iran over its actions and policies.
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Senate Republican leaders are meeting to discuss a paused $1.776 billion fund intended to compensate some of President Donald Trump’s political allies. President Trump is considering whether to continue with the settlement fund after some GOP senators raised concerns about it.
Key Facts
The Justice Department is following a court order that stops the $1.776 billion settlement fund from being used for now.
The fund aims to compensate some supporters of President Trump involved in the January 6 Capitol events.
Some Senate GOP members opposed the fund and want more details about its future.
Senate Republicans plan a news conference to update on the situation.
President Trump is reconsidering whether to proceed with the fund.
Legislation to fund immigration enforcement agencies is stalled because of disagreements related to the settlement fund.
Democrats want to change or remove the judgment fund, forcing Republicans to take a public position on it.
The dispute threatens funding for agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.
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Downing Street confirmed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer uses disappearing messages on his phone, which deletes WhatsApp conversations after a set time. This raised concerns because many government documents and messages related to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US were released, but there were few messages from Starmer himself.
Key Facts
Prime Minister Keir Starmer uses an auto-delete feature on WhatsApp that erases messages after a set time.
MPs voted to publish all documents and communications about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US.
Many messages from ministers and civil servants were disclosed, but only a few from Starmer appeared.
Government rules say disappearing messages are allowed if they don’t harm record keeping or transparency.
A review is ongoing about the use of WhatsApp in government communication.
Officials warn that using WhatsApp can cause security problems and make it hard to track decisions.
Other ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, also use disappearing messages.
Some released messages show discussions about meetings and internal views on welfare policies.
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Some Republican senators are questioning President Donald Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte to be the acting director of national intelligence. Senators say Pulte lacks the usual experience in national security or intelligence for this important job.
Key Facts
President Trump chose Bill Pulte to be acting director of national intelligence (DNI).
Bill Pulte currently works as director of the Federal House Finance Agency.
Some Republican senators say Pulte has no background in national security or intelligence.
Senators describe Pulte as “unqualified” for this role.
Pulte is known as a loyal deputy to President Trump.
There is confusion and concern among GOP senators about this appointment.
The DNI is a key position responsible for overseeing U.S. intelligence agencies.
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee about President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2027. Senate Republicans are discussing a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, but face challenges because of concerns about a Justice Department fund.
Key Facts
Markwayne Mullin is the Secretary of Homeland Security.
He is testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The topic is President Trump’s 2027 budget request for DHS.
Senate Republicans want to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
There is opposition over a $1.8 billion Justice Department fund.
This fund is called the “anti-weaponization fund.”
Criticism has slowed down the progress of the spending package in the Senate.
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New York Democrats have started a plan to change how voting district lines are drawn for the 2028 elections. They want to change the state constitution to make it easier for them to control redistricting and remove rules that stop political bias in drawing district lines.
Key Facts
New York Democrats introduced a proposal to change redistricting rules for the 2028 elections.
The plan would allow them to have more control over drawing congressional district lines.
Current rules require a constitutional amendment, which takes two years and voter approval.
The proposal seeks to remove the ban on partisan gerrymandering, meaning districts could favor a political party.
This change follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakening part of the Voting Rights Act.
The amendment keeps the independent redistricting commission but speeds up deadlines and allows legislative majority to pass maps.
If approved by the legislature twice and then by voters in 2027, new district lines could be drawn for 2028.
Republicans oppose the plan, saying it would corrupt the redistricting process to benefit Democrats.
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Helen Spree, who was in charge of monitoring conditions at Liverpool prison, was sentenced to over five years in jail for sending sexual messages to inmates and smuggling drugs into the prison. She admitted to helping prisoners by bringing in cannabis, phones, and other banned items while working at the prison.
Key Facts
Helen Spree was the head of the independent monitoring board (IMB) at HMP Liverpool.
She sent sexual texts to a prisoner serving life for manslaughter and two other inmates.
Spree smuggled cannabis, mobile phones, sim cards, and chargers into the prison.
Police found pillows with a prisoner’s face and a tattoo related to him at her home.
She was jailed for five years and three months for misconduct, conspiracy to supply drugs, and conspiracy to bring banned items into prison.
Spree had no previous criminal record and had a history of trauma that made her vulnerable to manipulation.
The prisoner involved received an additional 12-month sentence for drug smuggling.
Spree started volunteering for the prison watchdog in 2017 and became head of the board in January 2021.
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Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr from New Jersey has not been seen in public or at work for months due to a medical issue. Despite his absence, President Donald Trump gave him a strong endorsement for re-election, and Kean is expected to easily win his party’s nomination since he is running unopposed.
Key Facts
Tom Kean Jr is a Republican Congressman from New Jersey.
He has not been seen in Washington or his hometown since early March.
Kean missed over 100 votes in Congress due to a medical issue.
President Donald Trump gave him a "complete and total endorsement" for re-election.
Kean is running unopposed in the upcoming party nomination vote.
Kean said he plans to return to work and the campaign soon.
The district Kean represents is a swing district, important for control of Congress.
Kean will run against a Democratic candidate in the November midterm elections.
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New York police are investigating several cases where groups of people have been coming out of manholes in different neighborhoods at night. Officials checked the sewer systems for damage or danger but found nothing, and no one has been arrested or hurt.
Key Facts
People have been seen climbing out of manholes in various parts of New York City at night.
Videos on social media show groups of 7-8 individuals emerging from the sewer system.
Police sent emergency officers into the sewers and found no threats or damage.
The city’s Environmental Protection Department also inspected the sewers and reported no harm to the equipment.
Police think the groups might be searching the sewer system for valuables.
Incidents happened recently in Brooklyn neighborhoods Gravesend and Williamsburg, and earlier in Queens.
Witnesses described the people wearing special gear and carrying flashlights.
No arrests or injuries have been reported related to these cases.
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Senator Ted Cruz said that high gas prices caused by the conflict involving Iran will not affect the U.S. midterm elections in November. He also stated that decisions about national security should not be influenced by short-term politics.
Key Facts
Senator Ted Cruz spoke on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
He addressed concerns about high gas prices linked to the Iran conflict.
Cruz believes these prices will not influence voters in the upcoming midterms.
He emphasized that national security decisions should be made independently of political timing.
The midterm elections will take place in November 2024.
The conflict involving Iran is affecting global gas prices.
Cruz is a Republican senator from Texas.
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Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the Trump administration’s actions related to Iran during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. He also opposed changes to foreign aid policies and other U.S. actions abroad.
Key Facts
Senator Chris Van Hollen is a Democrat from Maryland.
He spoke during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
Van Hollen called the war in Iran "illegal."
He strongly criticized President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
Van Hollen opposed recent changes to U.S. foreign aid.
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, was a focus of Van Hollen’s criticism.
The hearing discussed U.S. actions and policies in other countries.
The discussion included broader concerns about the Trump administration’s approach overseas.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will testify before the House Appropriations Committee about the Justice Department’s budget and a controversial fund linked to President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has paused plans for a $1.8 billion fund that could compensate some of Trump’s allies who claim they were wrongly investigated.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche is the Acting Attorney General and will testify in a House hearing.
The hearing is focused on the Justice Department’s budget but will highlight the new compensation fund.
The fund was proposed to pay allies of President Trump who say they were unfairly investigated or prosecuted.
The fund is worth nearly $1.8 billion.
There is concern the fund might pay violent pro-Trump rioters involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
President Trump is reconsidering whether to continue with the fund due to criticism from Republicans and legal problems.
A Virginia court temporarily blocked the fund, causing the Justice Department to pause the plan for at least two weeks.
The announcement came shortly before Blanche’s scheduled testimony.
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A judge canceled the divorce trial between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his estranged wife, Texas state Senator Angela Paxton. The trial was called off after several difficult months in their legal and personal matters.
Key Facts
Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General.
Angela Paxton is a Texas state senator.
They are going through a divorce.
The divorce trial was scheduled to be public.
Collins County judge Lindsey Wynne canceled the trial.
The cancellation followed a tense period between the couple.
Both Ken and Angela Paxton are members of the Republican Party.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order that lets AI companies voluntarily share their most advanced AI models with the U.S. government before releasing them to the public. This order aims to help the government check these models for cybersecurity risks within 30 days.
Key Facts
The order creates a voluntary process for AI developers to give government access to their advanced AI models before public release.
Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic can share their models up to 30 days before launching them publicly.
This move was prompted by concerns over Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was not released because it could reveal weaknesses in critical computer systems.
Initially, the government wanted up to 90 days to review AI models, but the final version settled on 30 days after industry feedback.
David Sacks, Trump’s AI and crypto advisor, opposed longer review times, saying it might slow down innovation.
The order also asks Treasury, NSA, and CISA to work with private companies and critical infrastructure to monitor and fix AI security issues.
President Trump cancelled a previous AI safety order from President Biden, which had relied on voluntary safety test sharing.
The European Union has its own AI rules that are stricter, with mandatory safety checks and reporting for powerful AI systems.
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Robert Kenyon, Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, admitted to making some "crass" comments online before entering politics. He said he has changed and focused on representing local people, while Reform UK said it has no plans to investigate his past remarks.
Key Facts
Robert Kenyon is the Reform UK candidate for the Makerfield by-election in Greater Manchester.
The by-election is on June 18, triggered by the resignation of former MP Josh Simons.
Kenyon faced criticism for past online comments on Brexit, abortion, and Ukraine.
He admitted some comments were "crass" but said they were made before he was a politician.
Reform UK supports Kenyon and will not investigate his previous social media posts.
Kenyon is a local plumber and councillor and says he wants to give a voice to the community.
He denies making sexual remarks and says he regrets earlier comments, promising to behave responsibly if elected.
Kenyon criticized Labour’s stance on issues like transgender rights and grooming gangs in the interview.
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Jill Biden said that if President Joe Biden had stayed in the 2024 presidential race, he would have won against President Donald Trump. She made this statement in an interview on a TV show called "Morning Joe."
Key Facts
Jill Biden believes President Biden would have beaten President Trump in 2024.
She shared this opinion during an interview on MS Now's "Morning Joe."
President Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race in July 2024.
The interview took place after Biden's exit from the race.
Jill Biden is the wife of President Joe Biden.
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A New Mexico legislative panel is investigating alleged sexual abuse at Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch. They plan to issue subpoenas to 14 institutions, including government agencies and banks, to gather information about the estate and related activities.
Key Facts
Fourteen subpoenas will be issued to public and private institutions connected to Epstein’s New Mexico ranch.
The investigation is led by the New Mexico Survivor’s Truth Commission, a group formed to look into abuse claims.
The Zorro Ranch is a 7,500-acre estate near Santa Fe that Epstein owned since 1993.
Subpoenas will target financial institutions like Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan Chase, federal agencies such as the FBI and Department of Justice, and several New Mexico state offices.
Some federal subpoenas, such as those to the FBI and FAA, may take longer due to special rules.
Epstein died in jail in 2019 while waiting for trial on sex trafficking charges.
Survivors have accused Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell of abuse at the ranch.
Epstein had donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Santa Fe Institute, a research organization linked to some scientists he supported.
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President Donald Trump has appointed Bill Pulte, a loyal supporter without government or intelligence experience, as acting director of national intelligence. This decision has raised concerns in Washington due to Pulte’s previous use of government power for political purposes and his lack of relevant expertise.
Key Facts
Bill Pulte is a strong supporter of President Trump and had no government experience before his previous appointment.
Trump first appointed Pulte to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees government mortgage lenders.
At the agency, Pulte removed board members and made himself chair, actions seen as politically motivated.
Pulte pushed for legal actions against several public figures linked to Trump’s political rivals.
Some of the prosecutions supported by Pulte were dismissed by courts due to improper procedures.
Critics say Pulte politicized and used his previous government role to target Trump’s opponents.
National security experts and politicians express concern that Pulte lacks the skills needed for intelligence leadership.
Congress’s investigative agency is looking into allegations that Pulte misused protected mortgage information.
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House Oversight Committee Democrats want to officially order Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear for questioning about files related to Jeffrey Epstein. They base this request on statements from former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who mentioned their roles in handling the Epstein case.
Key Facts
House Oversight Democrats want subpoenas issued to Todd Blanche and Kash Patel.
Todd Blanche is the Acting Attorney General.
Kash Patel is the FBI Director.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi cited their involvement in decisions on Epstein files.
Bondi spoke to the committee in a closed-door session recently.
Ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) requested the subpoenas after Bondi’s testimony.
The subpoenas aim to gather more information on the handling of Epstein-related documents.
The investigation is part of the committee’s oversight duties.
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CBS has canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," leading late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to express worry about the future of late-night television. Kimmel suggested that political pressure during President Donald Trump's time might have influenced the decision to end Colbert’s show.
Key Facts
CBS ended "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
Jimmy Kimmel, another late-night host, shared his concerns about this cancellation.
Kimmel feels uncertain about what will happen to late-night TV moving forward.
The cancellation has caused speculation about the role of political pressure.
This pressure is linked to the time when President Donald Trump was in office.
Kimmel described feeling "a bit defeated" because of the changes in late-night TV.
The news was reported in a profile by Vulture on Monday.
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