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US scales up screwworm response

Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story US scales up screwworm response Federal authorities on Thursday launched a series of actions responding to the first New World screwworm cases detected in the U.S. in a decade. © AP

Trump says Iranian supreme leader approved deal

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story Trump says Iranian Supreme Leader approved deal President Trump said on Thursday that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has approved the text

Senate defense policy bill excludes IVF provision

The Senate Armed Services Committee rejected a provision in the annual defense policy bill that would have expanded coverage of fertility services for military members and their families, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). “All

Trump teases deal with Iran

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Trump says U.S. and Iran are close to a deal President Trump said Thursday that he canceled the forthcoming strikes and bombings against Iran, citing progress in discussions with Tehran’s leadership. © Tom

Trump rips McConnell, Murkowski from Oval Office

President Trump offered stark criticism of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday, calling him an “angry man” and launching into his grievances with the former Senate Republican Leader from the Oval Office. Asked whether there would be enough support from Republicans in

Greene: Trump team 'making him look like a fool'

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Wednesday that President Trump’s team is making him “look like a fool” for not keeping campaign promises to withdraw from foreign wars and conflict. Greene said the president’s most recent interview with NBC, where he denies

China likely behind anti-data center campaign in US: OpenAI

OpenAI revealed Wednesday that influence operators, likely based in China, used ChatGPT accounts to push certain narratives about American artificial intelligence and technology policy debates. In a report, published Wednesday, the AI firm said it discovered two clusters of

DOJ Agency Has No Record of Trump’s Shady IRS Settlement

The division of the Department of Justice that was supposed to have handled President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS—and the subsequent settlement that created a slush fund for his allies—claims to have no communication records related to it. Citizens for Ethics and

Abbott seeks new limits on Texas data centers

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is taking steps to implement new restrictions on data centers in the state, including proposals to set water-efficient technology requirements and repeal tax incentives. The Republican governor directed the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) and

US sanctions Cuba's state-owned oil, gas company

The State Department on Thursday announced that it will sanction Cuba's state-owned oil and gas company Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET) amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and the island country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the latest sanctions are pursuant of

Senate panel moves forward 'Department of War' name change

Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee this week pushed forward the Trump administration’s desired “Department of War” name change in passing their version of the annual defense policy bill. In closed-door deliberations over its fiscal 2027 National Defense

CDC activates emergency response to screwworm infestations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated a formal emergency response to the New World screwworm on Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed, after the parasitic fly was found in cattle for the first time in decades. The Department

No One Has Any Idea What New Iran Deal Trump Is Talking About

President Trump’s announcement that a deal has been reached with Iran and approved by “all parties involved” is confusing everyone. The Israeli government is not aware that a finalized deal has been reached, an official told the country’s Channel 12, and it’s unclear where the

Vance to visit 'The View' as he promotes book

Vice President Vance will appear on ABC’s “The View” on Tuesday to promote his forthcoming book on his faith journey. ABC announced the appearance in a release, adding that the vice president will join all six co-hosts on the program: Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin,

Trump snaps back to dealmaker after tempting all-out war

President Trump on Thursday whipsawed between threatening new, major attacks against Iran and touting significant progress in negotiations to end the war, the latest frantic episode in the conflict that's gone on for more than 100 days. Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran “very

Who is Jay Clayton, new Trump DNI pick?

President Trump on Thursday selected U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) following weeks of tumult after the president appointed Bill Pulte as the acting director. "Few people

Trump Caves on Intel Chief—but His New Pick Is Just as Bad

The Trump administration’s Epstein investigator is getting his shot at running U.S. national intelligence. The president’s nominating process to replace Tulsi Gabbard took a sudden right turn Thursday when he named Jay Clayton , the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of

Vance chief of staff Jacob Reses to depart role

Jacob Reses, Vice President Vance’s chief of staff who has been with him since his Senate campaign, will be leaving the role at the end of the summer. Reses has served in the role since Vance took office with President Trump in January 2025. “Jacob’s been by my side for my

Trump cancels strikes on Iran; claims deal almost done

President Trump said Thursday that he canceled the forthcoming strikes and bombings against Iran, citing progress in discussions with Tehran’s leadership. “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian

Trump Gives Us All Whiplash With Latest Iran Announcement

Donald Trump has canceled an attack against Iran that was scheduled to take place Thursday evening. The president in a post on Truth Social suggested that the two countries had come to an agreement. “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail,

Trump Exaggerates Previous Spending on Reflecting Pool

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool began filling with water on June 4 following maintenance work that President Donald Trump called a "big project." Trump claimed that "the Biden administration and the Obama administration spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to get

Trump Team Secretly Still Plotting Slush Fund Payouts

Trump officials are secretly telling Trump’s supporters that his $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund is still on, even as they publicly say that it’s dead. The Atlantic reports that staffers in the Justice Department and White House are still telling Trump allies that they

House Democrat: Vance part of White House Epstein 'cover up'

On Thursday, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Democrats' ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, pledged to investigate Vice President Vance’s role in the Trump administration’s “cover-up” of actions tied to now-deceased convicted sex offender

House leaves town with FISA set to expire

🍔 Plus: World Cup tourists marvel in experiencing US food, culture {beacon} Happy Thursday! I cannot get enough of the social media posts of tourists coming to the U.S. for the World Cup and experiencing American culture. Like: trying Ranch dressing for the first time, seeing

Graham: Taking Kharg Island would be 'ultimate game changer'

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) expressed his support for President Trump’s threat on Thursday to seize Iran’s Kharg Island. “President Trump’s announcement today that it may be time to take Kharg Island is welcome news and would be the ultimate game changer,” he wrote in a social