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Trump Tells Aides to Prepare for Extended Blockade of Iran

(Wall Street Journal) President Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, U.S. officials said, targeting the regime’s coffers in a high-risk bid to compel a nuclear capitulation Tehran has long refused,” the Wall Street Journal reports. In recent meetings, including a Monday discussion in the Situation Room, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports. He assessed that his other options—resume bombing or walk away from the conflict—carried more risk than maintaining the blockade, officials said.

Dulcinea

Hegseth will be grilled by Congress for the first time since the Iran war began

(AP) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will face questioning from lawmakers Wednesday for the first time since the Trump administration launched the war against Iran, which Democrats have contested as a costly conflict of choice waged without congressional approval. The hearing before the House Armed Services Committee is being held to discuss the administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion.

applegrove

Trump's Defense Plan Draws Rare GOP Pushback

(Political Wire) Bloomberg: “Key congressional Republicans are poised to break with Donald Trump on his proposed 44% raise for the Pentagon, a rare act of defiance that signals the president’s weakening grip on Washington as the midterm elections near and he quickly approaches the back half of his second term.”

BumRushDaShow

Democrat on Trump's ballroom: 'My constituents can't afford f--ing groceries or utility bills'

(The Hill) Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on Tuesday railed against a push to fund President Trump’s White House ballroom, citing affordability concerns in her state and nationwide. “My constituents can’t afford f—ing groceries or utility bills, and he now wants to spend taxpayer money on a ballroom?” McBride told MeidasTouch in an interview. “They shouldn’t use a potential tragedy to try to secure funding from taxpayers for the president to have Great Gatsby parties in the White House,” she added, referring to the Saturday shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

demmiblue

Republicans eye capital gains tax cut to ease voters' anxieties

(Bloomberg) Republican lawmakers are looking at ways to lower taxes on capital gains as the party searches for new ways to woo voters worried about the cost of living heading into November’s midterm elections. A proposal to index capital gains for inflation could be in play for a tax-and-spending package later this year, though the likelihood of a bill coming together before the midterms remains a long shot.

applegrove

Americans Feel Worse Off Than at Any Point in 25 Years

(Political Wire) The share of Americans who say their financial situation is getting worse is higher now than at any point in the past 25 years, per a new Gallup poll. This is the fifth consecutive year that more Americans say their finances are worsening rather than improving.

AZProgressive

They voted for MAGA. Now they want out.

(Salon) Rich Logis, founder and CEO of Leaving MAGA, is a former MAGA podcaster and fundraiser, and the author of “One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA.” In a speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, he reflected on his experience with MAGA and why he finally left. Now he is going a step further.

AZProgressive

Australia moves to tax Meta, Google and TikTok to fund newsrooms

(AP) Australia has proposed taxing digital giants Meta, Google and TikTok a proportion of their revenue to pay for news reporters. The government released draft legislation Tuesday it intends to introduce to Parliament by July 2 that would create a financial incentive for the social media companies to strike deals with news organizations to pay for journalism.

mahatmakanejeeves

Federal job applicants can't skip 'loyalty question' that OPM says is optional, court filings claim

(Federal News Network) New essay questions on many federal job applications, asking candidates how they would advance the Trump administration’s policies, are optional, according to the Office of Personnel Management. But new documents submitted in a lawsuit seeking the removal of these essays show that job candidates, in some cases, can’t submit their online job applications if they leave the fields for essay responses blank.

BumRushDaShow

Dan Bongino Says He Started 'Messing With People' In The FBI To Catch 'Snakes'

(Huff Post) Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino admitted on Tuesday to making up false information about his day to weed out the “snakes” at the bureau. “It happened a couple times where they’d say, ‘Oh, you can trust John Smith.’ And you trust John Smith, and then a week later you see a leak in the media and you’d be like, ‘I’m pretty sure that came from John Smith.’ So, I would start, like, messing with people,” he told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on his podcast.

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