The Senate narrowly passed Trump's massive tax and spending bill after a marathon series of amendment votes stretching more than 24 hours — 51 to 50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The bill now returns to the House for sign-off, and Trump has vowed to sign it by July 4. It pays for part of its tax cuts with hundreds of billions in reductions to Medicaid and SNAP, and raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion — so if you rely on health coverage or food assistance, this one directly affects you.
Speaker Mike Johnson will be forced to scramble to pass the revised bill before Trump's self-imposed July 4 deadline — and it faces real hurdles. The Senate made changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking new problems in the lower chamber. Sen. Murkowski, whose vote was critical to passing it, said afterward: "My sincere hope is that this is not the final product" and that "this bill needs more work across chambers." Watch the House vote closely — it's anything but guaranteed.
For weeks, US-Iran talks have centered on a preliminary memorandum of understanding that would formally extend the fragile ceasefire, gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and set a timeline for nuclear talks — and last week American and Iranian negotiating teams landed on a draft both sides believed could win approval. Trump told ABC News he expects Iran to agree to his terms within the week, but US officials continue to express doubt about fractures within the Iranian regime. Rubio did note there are now "indications" that Iran's Supreme Leader — injured in the strike that killed his father — is "increasingly engaging at some level" in negotiations. This is the clearest signal yet that the deal might actually be close.
North Korean state media published photos of Kim Jong Un visiting what is likely a new plant to produce weapons-grade uranium. The timing is pointed: it comes as the US is neck-deep in nuclear negotiations with Iran and trying to set a global precedent on nonproliferation. Kim is essentially signaling that while Washington is busy, Pyongyang is pressing ahead — and daring anyone to respond.
A new study found that the National Guard's presence in Washington, DC had no measurable effect on violent crime in the city — even though the Guard has been deployed since last August as part of a federal task force, and their numbers are set to double in the coming weeks. That's an uncomfortable finding for an administration that has made the DC deployment a centerpiece of its law-and-order messaging. Expect this data to land hard in the ongoing political debate over the federal role in policing American cities.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, and New York transit officials are preparing to handle up to 100,000 extra travelers a day as fans pour into the New York and New Jersey metro area for matches. It's the first World Cup ever hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico simultaneously — and for anyone commuting in or around New York this month, the crowds are about to be unlike anything the region has handled before.
The Obama Presidential Center is set to open later this month in Chicago. Years in the making — and not without controversy over its design, location, and impact on the South Side neighborhood — the center's opening is a major cultural moment for the city and for the Obama legacy. It's also opening during a politically charged period, arriving as his former VP's exit from the 2024 race is still being relitigated in real time.
Iranian sources say "no dialogue will take place" until fighting in Lebanon ends — and Trump's own position on the talks has varied by the day and even the hour. Iran has insisted any deal must include an end to Israel's military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, while Israel conducted fresh airstrikes on a southern Beirut suburb and the coastal city of Tyre, killing at least 14 people across the country's south. The Lebanon front is becoming the deal-breaker that could unravel the entire ceasefire framework.
The full House voted to formally limit Trump's ability to wage war on Iran without congressional approval — a significant bipartisan rebuke. It's one of the most direct challenges to presidential war authority in years, and it comes as oil prices are clawing back toward $100 a barrel. If you drive, heat your home, or just buy groceries, this conflict is already costing you.
Trump told reporters Wednesday that negotiations are going 'very well' and hinted at a possible deal as soon as this weekend — but Iran's foreign minister said there has been no 'significant progress' and that there's no formal negotiation process underway. The two sides are exchanging messages, but they're telling the public very different stories about where things actually stand.
The Pentagon, State Department, and USAID inspectors general have launched a formal joint review of the US war with Iran — legally required once any overseas military operation exceeds 60 days. This is the kind of accountability mechanism that tends to produce uncomfortable findings, and it's now officially ticking. Rubio also faced a contentious grilling on Capitol Hill Wednesday over how the war has been conducted.
In a notable statement at the White House, Trump told reporters that Tehran has agreed — 'as of this moment' — to allow the US into Iran to recover and remove buried nuclear material once the conflict ends. That's a remarkable claim if true, and it directly contradicts statements from Iran's own atomic energy chief, who has said Iran won't accept limits on its nuclear program. Watch this one closely.
The June 3 primary results are in from six states, and a few races are now clear. In Los Angeles, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will advance to a November runoff — but her challenger won't be Trump-backed Spencer Pratt. NBC News projects progressive council member Nithya Raman is competing with Pratt for that second slot, with the race still very tight. In California's governor's race, Fox News host-turned-candidate Steve Hilton and former AG Xavier Becerra are heading to November.
The Supreme Court has repudiated a lower court decision in a ruling that reshapes congressional district maps across five states — Alabama, California, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia. It's the latest move by the court to directly influence how House seats are drawn, with real implications for control of Congress this November. The ripple effects on competitive districts could be significant.
Ukrainian drones hit an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and set it ablaze — while the city was actively hosting Russia's annual economic forum, the Kremlin's showcase event for projecting strength. President Zelenskyy confirmed the strike. The timing makes this one especially pointed: it's a direct message delivered during one of Putin's highest-profile domestic events of the year.