Morning Announcements

Episodi

• Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 - McConnell’s Secret Heart Attack, DSA Beats Dems in CO, Trump's Qatari Plane Takes Flight 02.07.2026 7min

  Today's Headlines: Mitch McConnell has apparently been on death's door for three weeks and nobody thought to mention it — Punchbowl News reported yesterday that he was found unconscious after likely suffering a heart attack, with EMS dispatch audio referencing CPR in progress for a cardiac arrest, while his office has been telling us he's "working closely with staff," which is one way to describe being in a hospital after cardiac arrest. Harvey Weinstein is also in Bellevue Hospital with heart failure as a complication of pneumonia after being rushed from Rikers, awaiting his September sentencing for sexual assault. America's 250th birthday celebration is upon us, with Trump promising the world's longest fireworks show starting at 10:30pm, plus a speech he's calling a rally that he promised to deliver even if it's 107 degrees, so happy birthday to us. Trump also took his Qatari hand-me-down plane on its inaugural flight to North Dakota for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening, where he compared himself to Teddy Roosevelt without quoting him once, interacted with an AI version of Roosevelt, floated giving himself the Medal of Honor for "taking on Russia Russia Russia," and bragged about winning the Iran war. Meanwhile, Former CIA Director John Brennan is suing the DOJ to prevent them from destroying evidence related to Trump's revenge investigations into him, which is the correct move and the only language Trump can read. Democratic panic is setting in after DSA candidate Melat Kiros, 29, beat 29-year incumbent Diana DeGette in Colorado's congressional primary — with Colorado's attorney general Phil Weiser also beating establishment favorite Michael Bennet in the governor's primary. And the Trump administration lifted its restrictions on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos, which it banned weeks ago for cybersecurity concerns, while simultaneously asking OpenAI to restrict its new GPT-5.6 Sol model for national security vetting, because the administration's relationship with AI safety is whatever is most convenient at any given moment. Resources/Articles mentioned:  NY Post: Mitch McConnell was found 'unconscious' in DC home last month, may have suffered heart attack TMZ: Harvey Weinstein Suffers Heart Failure at Rikers Island, Sources Say WaPo: Trump’s July 4 fireworks to start much later and last much longer AP News: Retrofitted Qatari jet takes flight as Air Force One for Trump's trip to North Dakota NYT: Ex-C.I.A. Chief Asks for Order Forcing Trump Administration to Preserve Records NBC News: Colorado Senate Primary Election 2026 Live Results: Hickenlooper, Gonzales and More CNBC: Anthropic says Trump admin has lifted export controls on Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 - SCOTUS Saves Birthright Citizenship, Trump’s Crypto Grift Pays Off, Pardons For $2M, Where’s Mitch? 01.07.2026 9min

  Today's Headlines: The Supreme Court ended its term with three rulings: birthright citizenship was technically upheld 6-3, but the fine print is alarming — the actual split on birthright citizenship itself was 5-4, Kavanaugh wrote a wink-wink concurrence suggesting Congress could legislate it away, and Thomas wrote a 91-page dissent about an explicit constitutional sentence, so Trump immediately announced he wants Congress to start ending it today. The Court also ruled 6-3 to uphold state bans on transgender female athletes in women's sports, setting precedent for 25 other states, and lifted federal limits on coordinated party spending in elections, which is a major practical win for Republicans who spend more through super PACs. Meanwhile, NPR briefly reported that Samuel Alito was retiring, retracted it ten minutes later, and veteran Supreme Court reporter Nina Totenberg — who has covered the court for four decades — had to personally apologize to Alito, which is an institutional mistake of historic proportions. On the corruption beat, Trump reportedly made at least $1.4 billion in 2025 from crypto and memecoins alone — $600 million from World Liberty Financial, $600 million from memecoins — bringing his Bloomberg net worth to $7.6 billion, which is a remarkable glow-up for someone who needed help posting bond for a court verdict last year. The New York Times reported that the Trump administration convinced Kazakhstan to give a US mining company — in which Trump's sons and Howard Lutnick's sons have stakes — access to tungsten reserves, then gave that company $1.6 billion in federal funding to mine it, and that Trump and Lutnick family businesses have financial ties to at least 14 companies receiving or under consideration for nearly $9 billion in federal minerals funding. The Atlantic reported that Trump's 250 pardons are actively in motion, with a former official describing the volume of requests as "batshit crazy," $2 million apparently being the going rate, and foreign nationals from India, Greece, Turkey, and France reportedly told their cases are under consideration. Congress left for July 4th recess early after the SAVE Act failed again, won't be back until July 13th, and Mitch McConnell has now been missing for nearly 20 days — with the suspicion that his office is running out the clock to August 4th, when Kentucky's Democratic governor can no longer appoint his replacement if something were to happen. Resources/Articles mentioned:  NYT: Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Efforts to End Birthright Citizenship: Live Updates NYT: Supreme Court Allows States to Bar Transgender Athletes From Girls’ Sports NYT: Supreme Court Lifts Spending Limits on Political Parties and Candidates CNN: ‘I am so, so sorry’: NPR reporter explains SCOTUS retirement error The Atlantic: The White House Considers Granting 250 Pardons for the Nation’s Birthday Bloomberg: Trump Reports at Least $1.4 Billion in 2025 Crypto Earnings NYT: Trump Cut a Billion-Dollar Mining Deal. His Sons Stand to Profit.  WaPo: GOP rebellion over Trump’s elections overhaul leads House to recess for July Fourth early WaPo: Congressman says depression diagnosis caused months-long absence Yahoo: Few details known on Mitch McConnell’s health 2 weeks after hospitalization Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 - Clarence Thomas' Secret Capitol Visit, SCOTUS Expands Presidential Power, Polymarket Fakes Wins 30.06.2026 7min

  Today's Headlines: Clarence Thomas showed up to Congress yesterday and was all sus about why, though Politico reported Republicans say he was there for the special members-only doctor's office. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that mail ballots postmarked by election day can be counted even if they arrive up to five days later — not what Trump wanted, who went off on the justices despite his own voters benefiting equally — and separately declined to hear his appeal of the E. Jean Carroll verdict, meaning he has to pay her $5 million. The Court also overturned the 91-year-old Humphrey's Executor precedent, allowing Trump to fire FTC commissioners without cause and setting a standard that applies to basically every federal regulator except the Federal Reserve Board, meaning he still can't fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook like he wanted. More major rulings are expected this week on transgender athletes in sports, campaign finance, and birthright citizenship, which the administration is determined to end. In other news, Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia, now running Trump's "National Design Studio" alongside DOGE veterans, has reportedly been quietly rebuilding government websites — including passport applications, TrumpRX, and a White House-controlled mirror of vote.gov — with tracking code that records and replays every click, scroll, and keystroke and sends the data somewhere off the public internet, so that's normal. Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal investigation found that over 1,000 viral Polymarket betting videos showing people winning big were entirely staged — Polymarket paid influencers to post fake wins using a password-protected dupe website that mimicked real trades, then paid clippers to spread the videos, racking up 140 million views of completely fabricated winnings. And finally, Comcast announced it's spinning off NBCUniversal — including Bravo, SNL, Law & Order, the theme parks, and Peacock — to focus on broadband, and investors loved it, sending shares up over 4% after a rough year. Resources/Articles mentioned:  The Daily Beast: Clarence Thomas, 78, Busted on Mystery Medical Visit SCOTUS Blog: Justices uphold state law allowing for late-arriving mail-in ballots The Hill: Supreme Court won’t hear Trump’s bid to overturn Carroll sexual abuse verdict  SCOTUS Blog: Supreme Court allows Trump to fire FTC commissioner and overturns major restraint on presidential power | SCOTUSblog SCRIPPS News: Eight cases await Supreme Court ruling as major opinion day arrives Monday The Guardian: ‘It’s dangerous and it’s going to erode trust’: redesign of US government websites stokes surveillance fears | Trump administration WSJ: They Looked Like They Were Getting Rich on Polymarket—but None of It Was Real WSJ: Comcast Plans Company Split as Competition Escalates Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Monday, June 29th, 2026 - The America 250 Fair Flopped, Iran War Back On, Americans in Blue Districts Live Longer, Potential Putin Coup Brewing 29.06.2026 9min

  Today's Headlines: Trump's America 250 Great American State Fair opened on the National Mall in the rain, the power went out, the ferris wheel didn't work, there was no fair food, at least 10 states declined to send delegations, and Trump called it "packed to the brim" — the North Carolina booth displayed a Confederate flag overlay on a video loop before sponsors pulled out, which is on brand for an event whose main attractions were a Turning Point USA booth and a broken ferris wheel. Trump also unveiled a limited edition passport featuring his own face with the words "welcome, but be good!," announced plans to renovate a DC golf course starting September 1st, and personally inspected Lafayette Park to ensure it will have exactly 47 maple trees because he's the 47th president. The administration also announced the "Patriot Games" — aka the Hunger Games — a high school athletic competition on the National Mall in August where kids from each state compete for a $250,000 scholarship they split two ways, streaming on ESPN. The Iran war is back on: Trump announced strikes on Iranian targets after an attack on a commercial tanker, threatened to "militarily complete the job," Iran responded by asserting full control of the Strait, threatening to halt negotiations, and launching drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait — while Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement requiring Israel to withdraw if Lebanon verifies Hezbollah has been fully dismantled, with the US committing $100 million in humanitarian aid. On the Russia beat, coup rumors against Putin got louder this weekend as Russia continues losing in Ukraine, Putin has dramatically increased his personal security, and former Russian defense minister Sergei Ivanov — once seen as Putin's potential successor — died at 73, with his death announced first by a basketball organization he was honorary president of, which is suspicious to say the least. In other news, a new CNN analysis found that Americans in Democratic congressional districts live longer, with nearly 70% of House Democrats representing districts where life expectancy exceeds the national average versus over 70% of Republicans representing districts where it falls below, alongside higher rates of diabetes, obesity, and uninsured residents in Republican districts. Mississippi passed a law creating a registry of undocumented immigrants to share with ICE, covering fewer than 30,000 people out of nearly 3 million state residents. And finally, a dangerous heat dome is forecast for the central and eastern US just in time for July 4th celebrations, so happy 250th America. Resources/Articles mentioned:  Newsweek: Map Shows States Skipping America 250 Fair News Observer: Confederate flag fuels fresh controversy over NC at national ‘State Fair’ WaPo: Organizers remove Confederate flag image from N.C. booth at fair on the Mall Forbes: Trump’s Patriot Games: What We Know About Nationally Televised Event NYT: White House Releases Images of the Trump ‘Patriot Passport’ WaPo: Work on East Potomac Golf Links overhaul will begin Sept. 1, Trump says DW: How real is a coup threat against Russia's president? MSN: Putin faces internal strains as ally Ivanov dies at 73 Axios: U.S. launches fresh Iran strikes as Trump threatens to "complete the job" WaPo: Iran insists it has sole control of Hormuz, ignoring Trump’s threats AP News: Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes and threatens to halt talks MS Now: Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement after marathon talks AP News: A new law could create a list of immigrants illegally living in Mississippi. Advocates are alarmed CNN: Americans now live longer in Democratic-held House districts. Here’s why NYT: A ‘Heat Dome’ Could Bring Triple- Digit Temperatures to the Midwest and Eastern U.S.  Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Friday, June 26th, 2026 - Meta Tried to Silence Careless People, SCOTUS Ends TPS for Haitian and Syrian Refugees, Epstein Files Updates 26.06.2026 9min

  Today's Headlines: Meta tried to silence former employee Sarah Wynn-Williams from promoting her tell-all Careless People for over a year through an arbitration agreement, she's now suing in federal court, and the book sold 130,000 copies anyway. On the Epstein files, Leon Black is testifying to Congress today about his $170 million payment to Epstein and his alleged use of Epstein as a hush money middleman, with "please call Leon Black" appearing over 300 times in the Epstein files, and a federal judge separately ruled the DOJ must unredact specific Epstein file pages by July 2nd — including FBI interviews with a woman who claimed Trump sexually assaulted her as a minor — or make a case in court for why they can't. On the war beat,  Bill Cassidy reversed his war powers vote essentially the day after his screaming match with Trump, Iran attacked another ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the chief negotiator announced that "management of the Strait will never return to the way it was before," and the White House formally requested $87 billion more from Congress for the war, because the previous billions went so well. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court dropped three 6-3 rulings that struck down Hawaii's gun law banning firearms in public spaces, ended TPS for Syrian and Haitian refugees who have been here over a decade and made it illegal for consumers to sue manufacturers over undisclosed product hazards, which is bad news for the MAHA crowd. A lower court judge blocked Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting and creating citizenship voter lists, calling it an attempt to "intimidate local election officials" that falls outside presidential authority. And finally, New York City's Rent Guidelines Board voted to freeze rent on approximately one million rent-stabilized apartments starting October 1st, which is Zohran Mamdani's second big win this week after sweeping the primaries, and landlords are already preparing to sue about it. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: Meta Tried to Silence Her. Now She’s Suing NBC News: Lawmakers expected to press billionaire Leon Black about Epstein ties The Hill: Judge orders DOJ to produce, unredact sought after Epstein files ABC News: In reversal, Senate votes to block war powers resolution, delivering Trump a win Axios: Federal judge blocks Trump's mail-in voting order The Hill: 5 takeaways from Supreme Court's big rulings on immigration, guns CNN: Supreme Court gives Trump major wins on two immigration cases Axios: Supreme Court blocks lawsuits over chemical risks WSJ: New York City Board Approves Mamdani’s Rent Freeze Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Thursday, June 25th, 2026 - Mamdani Picks Sweep NY Primaries, Trump Holds Housing Bill Hostage, Hegseth’s Military Purge 25.06.2026 10min

  Today's Headlines: In a rare occurrence, we’re starting with good news. The FDA approved a new drug called Trodelvy that reduces aggressive triple-negative breast cancer progression by 40% compared to chemo — affecting 48,000 Americans a year — science is awesome. Zohran Mamdani swept Tuesday's New York primaries, no he wasn’t on the ballot but all three of his DSA-endorsed challengers defeated incumbent Democrats including Dan Goldman and Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair Adriano Espaillat, triggering a full Democratic Party freakout — Letitia James called out Mamdani on CNN, former DNC chair Jaime Harrison posted a barely-veiled "if you hate the party don't use its resources" thread, and Mamdani responded with a Jalen Brunson clip from the Knicks parade. In Trump shenanigans, Donald admitted at a Pennsylvania rally that he personally called the US attorney in California to "take a look" at the governor's primary results, claiming Steve Hilton started winning about an hour after the call, which is either a confession of election interference or the most casual admission of abuse of power we've heard yet. He then refused to sign the bipartisan housing bill his own White House negotiated unless Republicans first pass the SAVE Act to overhaul voting laws before the midterms, got into a screaming match with Bill Cassidy at a Senate lunch over the Iran war vote. As expected, Speaker Mike Johnson immediately announced he'd push the SAVE Act through budget reconciliation to appease him — which is not what budget reconciliation is for, but here we are. In other news, Pete Hegseth forced out highly respected four-star General Christopher Donohue, who headed the Army in Europe and Africa, with more "personnel changes" expected next week as Hegseth continues his speed run of replacing competent military commanders with pliant ones. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the Oval Office, kissed Trump's ring, and had to sit there while Trump ranted for the fourth consecutive day about someone cutting the reflecting pool with a box cutter. And finally, Bending Spoons — the Italian tech company that owns Vimeo, WeTransfer, AOL, and Eventbrite — is planning a $19 billion US IPO. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: New Drugs Are Replacing Chemo for Aggressive Breast Cancer NYT: Cait Conley Wins Primary to Face Mike Lawler in N.Y. Swing District NBC News: Trump endorses a second candidate in the South Carolina governor’s race Axios: Socialist "earthquake" in NY leaves Democrats reeling: "Huge defeat" Politico: Trump says he asked US attorney for California election probe: ‘Do me a favor’ AP News: Live updates: Trump speaks at National Mall rally for America 250 CNN: What’s in the ‘SAVE America Act’ and why is it so important to Donald Trump? MS Now: Inside Trump's closed-door clash with Senate Republicans The Hill: Speaker Johnson says he will push SAVE America Act through reconciliation 3.0 The Hill: Trump lays out new details on Reflecting Pool ‘vandals’ WSJ: Hegseth Cuts Army Commander’s Storied Career Short as Part of Broader Shake-Up Reuters: Vimeo owner Bending Spoons seeks $1.62 billion US IPO, sources say Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 - Tulsi Gabbard Was Run by a Cult, Senate Passes War Powers Resolution, SpaceX Stock Is Already Tanking 24.06.2026 9min

  Today's Headlines: Anti-ICE protesters in Texas were sentenced to between 50 and 100 years in prison after a judge stacked consecutive sentences for each count — normally they'd run concurrently — in what was explicitly viewed as a test case for how courts will handle dissent against the Trump administration, and separately the DOJ indicted 15 Minnesota protesters for "violently opposing federal law enforcement" by trying to block ICE arrests, so the message is clear. The Washington Post dropped a blockbuster investigation revealing that Tulsi Gabbard's political career was effectively run by her cult leader guru Chris Butler, who emailed her directives from a special address telling her what policies to support, how to behave on television, and writing her tweets down to the word and exact time to post. Ukraine, meanwhile, is winning the intelligence war against Russia using an underground network of "vidmas" — female honey pots drawn from Ukrainian folklore — to locate Russian troops for drone strikes, and separately knocked out power to half of Russian-occupied Crimea.  On the Iran war beat, the Senate passed a war powers resolution to prevent further military action in Iran on its tenth attempt — ten! — with four Republicans joining Democrats, Fetterman voting for the war, and Mitch McConnell still missing. In a rare bipartisan effort, Congress also passed a housing bill banning private equity from buying more than 350 homes at once and relaxing local building regulations, which won't fix the housing crisis immediately but is technically something. In other news,  Foreign hackers from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are infiltrating American homes through smart devices and cheap consumer gadgets like digital photo frames to steal data. Also, the Trump administration installed AI surveillance towers around the reflecting pool in the rain — which refilled the pool they had just drained — and put up chain link fences around the national monument, classy. Finally, SpaceX's stock is already down 45% from its all-time high less than two weeks after its IPO, and the company has already issued $25 billion in bonds despite just raising $75 billion, which is not a great sign. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Texas anti-ICE protesters convicted of terrorism charges sentenced to at least 50 years in prison PBS News: Federal prosecutors charge 15 people with conspiracy to impede agents during Minnesota immigration crackdown The Atlantic: The Warrior-Witches of Ukraine’s Resistance  Kyiv Post: Half of Crimea Left Without Power After Overnight Explosions WaPo: Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that shaped her political career AP News: Senate for first time approves a war powers resolution in a rebuke to Trump over Iran conflict Axios: Congress passes big housing bill with bipartisan support WSJ: How Hackers Found a Back Door Into the American Living Room Yahoo: Trump Launches AI Surveillance of Reflecting Pool as Disaster Grows Yahoo Finance: SpaceX stock tumbles 16.4%, shaving off most IPO gains since debut Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026 - Is Mitch McConnell Still Alive? Trump's Election Law Ultimatum, Keir Starmer Resigns, Tucker Dumps The GOP 23.06.2026 10min

  Today's Headlines: Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for over a week with his office offering nothing beyond "he's still working closely with staff." Meanwhile, JD Vance called the Iran talks a "classic Trump deal" while the administration temporarily lifted oil sanctions letting Iran sell oil in US dollars for the first time since 2018 — when Trump blew up the original deal — with Iran saying they made "no new commitments," the Strait of Hormuz status depends entirely on who you ask, and Vance gets visibly snubbed by Iran's foreign minister during a photo op. Trump responded to New York Times war coverage by threatening to add their reporting to his $15 billion defamation lawsuit and calling them treasonous, which is bold from someone whose last Times lawsuit was thrown out within days. The administration is threatening to withhold a billion dollars in homeland security funding from states unless they overhaul their election laws — paper ballots, federal audits, administration-preferred voter databases, all at state expense — which is unconstitutional and headed straight for court, while a George W. Bush-appointed judge blocked DOJ subpoenas targeting Tim Walz and other Minnesota officials, finding "overwhelming" evidence they were issued purely to harass political opponents. Jeanine Pirro is threatening to prosecute anyone caught "vandalizing" the reflecting pool, at least five people have been federally cited for being near it, and Trump claimed someone made a 350-foot gash in a pool he simultaneously described as uncuttable. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned — the country's seventh prime minister in ten years, right on Brexit's tenth anniversary — with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as frontrunner to replace him, while researchers found Elon Musk played an "instrumental" role in inciting Belfast's anti-immigrant riots by generating over half of 115 million views driving the unrest, prompting England and Wales's attorney general to ban his office from using X. Finally, Tucker Carlson announced he's done with the Republican Party and won't support them in the midterms.  Resources/Articles mentioned: WAVE: Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell in the hospital, ‘still working closely with staff," says office WSJ: U.S. Allows Iran to Sell Oil in Dollars for First Time in Decades NYT: U.S. Eases Sanctions on Iranian Oil, but Progress on Nuclear Issues Is Muddy  The Daily Beast: Grimacing Vance Snubbed by Diplomats at Iran Peace Summit Yahoo News: Trump calls New York Times story "treasonous," vows to add to lawsuit CNN: Exclusive: Trump administration plans to use homeland security funds to pressure states into election changes Axios: Judge blocks Trump subpoenas targeting Walz, other Minnesota Democrats Yahoo: Jeanine Pirro vows to prosecute anyone ‘vandalizing’ Reflecting Pool BBC: Andy Burnham sworn in as MP after Keir Starmer announces resignation PBS News: How UK's Keir Starmer went from election landslide to downfall  NYT: In the U.K., a Violent Cycle: Hateful Attacks, Right-Wing Agitation and Riots LeMonde: Elon Musk's role was 'instrumental' in the Belfast riots, researchers say The Guardian: Attorney general tells department to stop using X amid UK disinformation concerns Axios: "I'm out": Tucker Carlson says he's done with the GOP Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Monday, June 22nd, 2026 - Trump Blew Up Iran Talks, Got Dumped by Meloni & Arrested an Olympian, DOJ Won't Kill the Traitor Fund in Writing 22.06.2026 8min

  Today's Headlines: Oh boy, what a weekend! Trump deployed the National Guard to the reflecting pool, where they arrested a 67-year-old former Olympic cyclist who stopped during a bike ride and touched the water to feel the liner — charging him with destruction of government property. Trump posted that "multiple individuals" were arrested for vandalism and threatened "years in jail." The algae situation is now worse than ever, and we now know that the no-bid contract was awarded to a company owned by a Trump donor and Mar-a-Lago member named John Cafaro whose firm Greenwater Services was clearly not equipped for the job. Trump also got into a feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after claiming she "begged" him for a photo at the G7, which Italy responded to by canceling a planned state visit and Meloni posting a video saying "Italy and I do not beg," and Trump doubled down anyway. He also posted a photo of a random woman captioned "great daughter, my honor!!" who turned out to be a Clinton-era businesswoman whose actual daughter is the chairwoman of the Manhattan Republican Party. On the war beat, less than a day after signing the memorandum of understanding, US intelligence warned Trump that Netanyahu would likely undermine the deal — which he immediately did by continuing strikes in Lebanon, prompting Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz again. JD Vance made it to Switzerland for negotiations on Sunday with Tweedles Dee & Dum (Kushner & Witkoff), and Trump promptly torpedoed the meeting by posting threats of "harder strikes" against Iran while it was actively happening, causing Iran to walk out and demand an apology. As of Sunday night talks were back on, and Trump announced that if everything falls apart he's blaming JD Vance. The Pentagon also told Congress it needs $80 billion to cover the cost of the Iran war and replenish depleted ammunition supplies, Republicans need 60 Senate votes to pass it, and it's not looking great. Meanwhile, the Qatar-gifted $400 million plane has completed modifications and is ready to join Trump's Air Force One rotation, and the DOJ refused in a court filing to put in writing that they won't create the Traitor Fund, calling a written promise "unnecessary" because they already said so verbally, which is exactly what someone planning to do it anyway would say. Resources/Articles mentioned: Newsweek: Cyclist Arrested at Reflecting Pool Speaks Out as National Guard Deployed NYT: Firm Tied to Trump Donor Got No-Bid Contract to Clean Reflecting Pool NPR: Trump claims vandals damaged D.C. Reflecting Pool, and says it will be drained again  AP News: Trump deepens the dustup with Italy's Meloni, who says his 'unprovoked attacks are senseless' Newsweek: Trump Late-Night Post Sparks Scramble to ID Mystery Woman in Photo WaPo: White House says goodbye to an Air Force One as it prepares for Qatar jet The Independent: Trump’s DOJ refuses to supply signed statements saying ‘slush fund’ is really dead WaPo: U.S. intelligence warns Israel is likely to undermine Iran peace deal, officials say The Guardian: Iran says it is closing strait of Hormuz over Israeli strikes in Lebanon  AP News: US-Iran negotiations expected through the night after Trump shakes talks with threats WSJ: Pentagon Tells Lawmakers It Needs $80 Billion for Iran War and Other Bills Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Friday, June 19th, 2026 - Obama Center Opens, ICE Deaths Double Under Trump, Reflecting Pool Paint Is Already Peeling 19.06.2026 8min

  Today's Headlines: The Obama Presidential Center officially opened on the South Side of Chicago yesterday — a 19-acre campus with a museum, library, gardens, and a sledding hill — on Juneteenth, the same day Trump signed a worse version of Obama's Iran deal at Versailles, which is the kind of historic irony that writes itself. The Knicks held their ticker tape parade in downtown Manhattan to celebrate their first NBA championship in 53 years, Zohran Mamdani gave them the keys to the city, and Knicks owner James Dolan used his remarks to shade the mayor without naming him. JD Vance spent yesterday claiming Trump would rank at the top of an IQ test against all 45 previous presidents and telling Israel to "wake up and smell the reality" that Trump is their only ally left in the world, which is both a threat and an accurate description of what Trump's Iran deal accomplished. Ukraine hit a major Moscow oil refinery for the second time this week in one of its largest drone attacks of the war, with Zelensky saying the goal is to bring Putin back to the negotiating table and announcing G7 leaders — including the US — reached "unprecedented agreement" on additional air defense support for Ukraine. On the immigration beat, a Reuters analysis found that the death rate in ICE detention centers has more than doubled under Trump, from one death per 3,848 detainees historically to one per 1,630 since January, with 50 people dying from suicides, cardiovascular events, and untreated chronic conditions. The Trump administration quietly redirected $350 million from Secret Service training and recruitment funds to the White House ballroom-bunker, bringing its total projected cost to $600 million with taxpayers footing more than half — despite Trump's promise that he and donors would cover it entirely. And the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, less than a week after its $14 million renovation, now has the worst algae levels in five years, and the hydrogen peroxide treatment meant to fix it caused the new paint to start peeling off in sheets. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Barack Obama Presidential Center Opens in Chicago The Hollywood Reporter: Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet and All the Stars Spotted at the New York Knicks Ticker-Tape Parade NY Post: Knicks owner Dolan throws shade on Mamdani after mayor’s longwinded speech: ‘I don’t need your vote’  Axios: Vance warns Israel: Don't fight "only ally" Trump on Iran deal AP News: Ukrainian drones set a Moscow refinery ablaze in a major attack on the Russian capital Reuters: Death rate in ICE immigrant detention centers more than doubles under Trump, Reuters analysis finds  WaPo: Millions in Secret Service funds redirected amid ballroom construction WaPo: Reflecting Pool algae bloom is one of biggest recorded in years after $14M renovation Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Thursday, June 18th, 2026 - Iran MoU Signed, GA Primaries, Education Department Gutted, Bradley Cooper Might Play A J6 Cop 18.06.2026 8min

  Today's Headlines: Trump signed the Iran peace deal remotely in a hastily arranged gaggle — not the formal Swiss ceremony originally planned — after the two-page memorandum was leaked ahead of signing, forcing him to spend his G7 time defending a deal he'd spent two days trying to keep secret. The terms are as follows:  immediate ceasefire on all fronts including Lebanon, the US ends its naval blockade and Iran opens the Strait within 30 days, the US and allies finance at least $300 billion in Iranian reconstruction, sanctions end, and Iran pinky promises no nuclear weapons with the rest of the nuclear questions to be negotiated later. Trump's own base and Netanyahu both hated it, largely because it's worse than the JCPOA Obama negotiated — which Trump spent years calling the worst deal in history. Israel continued launching strikes on Lebanon right up until the deal was signed, because of course it did. On the election beat, Trump's Senate picks won in Georgia, Oklahoma, and Alabama, but his Georgia governor pick lost to a healthcare executive who spent $200 million of his own money, and an election denier lost the Georgia secretary of state race, which is the best news of the week. Georgia Republicans also quietly admitted they don't have enough time to redistrict before the midterms, so that particular voter suppression project is on hold until at least 2028. The Trump administration announced it's dismantling the Department of Education by moving special education oversight to HHS and civil rights enforcement to the DOJ, because nothing says "we care about disabled kids" like putting their education under the same department currently being run by a guy who thinks vaccines cause autism. And finally, Sean Penn wrote and is directing a January 6th movie with Bradley Cooper reportedly in talks to play a cop caught up in the insurrection, interesting. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: Apple to Raise Prices Due to Memory Chip Crunch, Tim Cook Says X:  Antifa_Ultras  WaPo: After draping White House in gold, Trump heads to ‘the real deal’: Versailles NYT: Vance Is Pressed on Epstein, Race and His Boss on ‘The View’ The Independent: Trump’s 14 point Iran deal leaked as president threatens to drop bombs again if Tehran doesn’t ‘behave’ NBC News: Israel cut out of Iran deal as Trump keeps deriding Netanyahu in public NBC News: Georgia Republicans backtrack on redistricting plans NYT: Takeaways From the Runoff and Primary Elections in Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma WaPo: Education Dept. plans to move special ed and civil rights out of the agency Sean Penn To Direct Timely Movie Next, Re-Teaming With Warner Bros On Story Of January 6th Cop With Bradley Cooper In Talks To Star Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Wednesday, June 17th, 2026 - Kash's FBI Slush Fund, Trump's Crypto Bank, Study Shows Tariffs Failed, Reflecting Pool Is Green 17.06.2026 9min

  Today's Headlines: Kash Patel allegedly authorized a taxpayer-funded slush fund to pay loyal FBI agents roughly $40,000 each — over a million dollars total — which Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin described as either corrupt cash payments to friends or hush money for agents who witnessed his drinking, and separately, Patel blew the cover of a sealed ongoing investigation by tweeting that the FBI foiled a plot to attack the UFC fight before anyone was supposed to know about it, which the Secret Service was furious about. The plot itself involved five American citizens arrested across four states who planned a drone and gun attack on the White House cage match, motivated by hatred of "capitalist elites" and AIPAC donors. On the corruption beat, Trump's family crypto firm World Liberty Financial is reportedly about to receive a federal banking charter, creating a perfectly smooth legal route for anyone who wants to pay the president directly. Meanwhile, a study from Mike Pence's own think tank found that Trump's tariffs eliminated a million jobs and that 90% of the $265 billion in tariff revenue was paid by American importers rather than foreign countries, which is exactly what economists said would happen. At the G7 in France, Trump still won't reveal the actual terms of the Iran agreement, announced the US would pull some troops out of Europe after European leaders condemned the Iran war, and displayed some concerning physical symptoms that everyone was too polite to mention. A Russian warship fired five warning shots at a British yacht carrying two retirees in the English Channel, which Russia called an "isolated incident" and blamed on the yacht dangerously approaching a warship — a yacht. Secret White House memos revealed by the Haberman/Swan book show the administration seriously debated suspending habeas corpus and invoking the Insurrection Act, with Stephen Miller pushing hard for both until a staff secretary talked him down, which means we came closer to martial law than anyone announced. And the newly renovated $14 million reflecting pool, already covered in algae, is now being treated with hydrogen peroxide poured in gallon by gallon.  Resources/Articles mentioned: MS Now: Kash Patel may have a 'personal slush fund' of taxpayer dollars to pay loyalist agents, says Raskin The Independent: Secret Service enraged at FBI Director Kash Patel after premature announcement about UFC event terror plot: report NBC News: FBI arrests 5 in alleged plot to attack White House UFC event with explosives-laden drones and guns NOTUS: Trump’s Family Crypto Firm Is Expected to Get Federal Banking Privileges Fox News: Trump bet tariffs would bring back American factory jobs. New report says it didn't work NYT: Frustrated by Courts, Trump Weighed Suspending a Constitutional Right NYT: After a Bitter Split, European Leaders Play Nice With Trump BBC: Russian warship fires warning shots near UK-registered yacht in Channel The Hill: Workers dump hydrogen peroxide into reflecting pool to fight algae Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 - Iran Peace Deal Details, Newsom DOJ Probe, UK Social Media Ban, Anthropic Shuts Down Its New AI Models 16.06.2026 8min

  Today's Headlines: Trump attended the G7 in France while touting his Iran deal as a global security breakthrough, despite refusing to release the actual terms — which Iranian state media helpfully shared anyway: Iran gets $24 billion in unfrozen funds plus a $300 billion reconstruction fund, the Strait reopens in 30 days under Iranian arrangements, and the US commits to full withdrawal and non-interference, which Netanyahu is reportedly furious about across every dimension. The deal is technically a nonbinding "memorandum of understanding," not an actual agreement, and the real terms won't be released until it's signed in Switzerland on Friday, so we're essentially taking Iran's word for it. Markets didn't care — stocks shot up and oil fell — which is the most functional thing to happen all week. The Kennedy Center, now controlled by Trump's handpicked loyalists, announced a new endowment in Trump's name to honor his "significant contributions," which is one way to get around a court order removing it from the facade. In revenge lawsuits news, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the DOJ is investigating him, his wife, family, and former staff, calling it political retaliation for considering a 2028 presidential run — and separately, DOJ antitrust lawyers who spent months scrutinizing Paramount's Warner Brothers acquisition and were leaning toward challenging it were blindsided when senior DOJ leadership suddenly closed the investigation and approved the merger on Friday. Anthropic disabled its new Mythos and Claude Fable 5 models less than a week after release, following a Trump administration order citing national security concerns and a claimed jailbreak vulnerability — this comes after the Defense Department designated Anthropic a supply chain risk after the company refused to let the government use its AI for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. The UK banned children under 16 from all social media platforms effective spring 2027, though Australia enacted a similar ban seven months ago and found 70% of kids under 16 just used VPNs to get around it, so. Finally, Mitch McConnell was hospitalized again on Sunday, is apparently doing better, and remains the only missing congressman anyone notices. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Hill: Kennedy Center establishing new endowment in Trump’s name AP News: Trump heads to G7 summit with wind at his back after announcing agreement aimed at ending Iran war NBC: Trump and Iran reach tentative deal to end war, reopen Hormuz WSJ: Israel Is Alarmed by Trump’s Deal With Iran AP News: Stocks leap worldwide, and oil prices drop after the US and Iran reach a tentative deal on their war Axios: California Gov. Newsom says he's under investigation by the Justice Department WSJ: Justice Department Decision to Allow Paramount Deal Surprised Staff Investigators WIRED: Anthropic Says It’s Taking Claude Fable 5 Offline to Comply With US Government Order WIRED: The UK Places a Sweeping Ban on Social Media for Kids Under 16 WDRB: Sen. Rand Paul says Mitch McConnell is ‘doing better’ in the hospital Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Monday, June 15th, 2026 - Trump's Birthday UFC Fight,Reflecting Pool Is Already a Mess, Iran Peace Deal, DOJ Approves Paramount-WB Merger 15.06.2026 10min

  Today's Headlines: Trump's 80th birthday UFC fight at the White House went ahead as planned, sponsored by Meta, Polymarket, Bud Light, and Monster Energy, with fighters' bonuses paid in Trump crypto instead of actual dollars, weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial, and a crowd of million-dollar VIP ticket holders plus military members pre-screened for waist-to-height ratio — just as the Founders intended. The $14 million reflecting pool renovation, completed mere days ago, is already growing green algae because the color choice is algae growth friendly, which is a perfect metaphor. The Kennedy Center name removal deadline came and went with maximum drama — the Trump administration filed last-minute court motions to stop it, millions watched a live stream of construction workers put up a giant tarp, though the tarp remains up for unclear reasons. On the war beat, The US and Iran reportedly agreed on a peace deal, with a formal signing scheduled for Friday in Switzerland — terms not fully disclosed because the administration was busy with the birthday cage match — but the Navy blockade will end and the Strait of Hormuz will open toll-free when signed, kicking off 60 days of nuclear negotiations. The deal was briefly delayed by Israel launching strikes on Beirut, prompting Trump to tell Axios "Why did Bibi have to do a f---ing attack? I was so pissed off. He has no f---ing judgement" — which is a remarkable thing to say about your closest ally on your birthday. On the erosion of free press, the DOJ approved Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery, with Bari Weiss reportedly set to oversee CNN as well as CBS News after the deal closes, because apparently the documented viewership collapse at CBS wasn't enough of a red flag. And finally, Argentina's Javier Milei submitted legislation to create a legal category for "non-human corporations" — essentially corporate personhood for AI systems — as part of his plan to make Argentina the Silicon Valley of unregulated AI, which Peter Thiel is presumably thrilled about. Resources/Articles mentioned:  NBC News: No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event The Guardian: UFC to pay White House fighters in crypto issued by Trump company TikTok: MAYBE WE’LL NEVER EVER TAKE IT DOWN | eiffel tower Yahoo: A tarp now covers where Trump's name used to hang at the Kennedy Center The Independent: Algae in the Reflecting Pool started growing just days after Trump’s $14M renovation: report Axios: Scoop: Trump aides fear Haberman and Swan obtained Situation Room tapes for "Regime Change" USA Today: CBS won't air UFC White House event, viewers will need Paramount+ to watch The Guardian: Gee, whiz: elephant relieves itself on floor of Texas Republican convention  WSJ: U.S. and Iran Say They Have Reached a Deal to Stop Fighting NY Post: CBS News boss Bari Weiss poised to oversee CNN editorial operations: report Axios: Scoop: Paramount seeks business counterpart for Bari Weiss at CBS News Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Friday, June 12th, 2026 - SpaceX IPO Makes Elon a Trillionaire, Trump Cancels Iran Strikes Over a Draft Deal, USPS Is Coming for Mail-In Ballots 12.06.2026 11min

  Today's Headlines: SpaceX went public today raising $75 billion at a $1.77 trillion valuation, making Elon Musk humanity's first trillionaire. Moving on, Trump spent Thursday morning threatening to seize Iran's main oil hub Kharg Island, then hours later cancelled strikes because Iran "approved a draft agreement" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of nuclear negotiations — except Iran's own state media reported no agreement had been approved and that "the Americans kept changing their positions," though the stock market had its best day in two months anyway because the concept of a deal is apparently enough for Wall Street. In voter suppression news, the USPS quietly changed its rules to require states to hand over voter lists for anyone requesting mail-in ballots, with 23 states suing to stop it and the first judge already declining to block it, because of course they did. Trump dropped Bill Pulte as acting DNI after even Republicans said no, replacing him with Jay Clayton — Manhattan US Attorney, former SEC chair, and someone with no intelligence experience but a strong track record of loyalty to Trump. The DOJ is subpoenaing JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo to investigate alleged "debanking" of conservatives, with the primary evidence being that Trump lost his bank accounts after January 6th, and a DOJ staffer working on Traitor Fund legislation quietly asked to recuse himself because he was planning to file a claim from the same fund he's helping write. In Trump shenanigans news, his birthday UFC cage fight is set up on the White House lawn — with rain in the forecast — and workers will operate 20 hours a day year-round to build his gold arch in DC by the end of his term. And finally, Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man who posed as a police officer and murdered the Democratic speaker of Minnesota's state house, her husband, and their dog, pleaded guilty and received two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: SpaceX Officially Raises $75 Billion in Record-Breaking IPO Axios: Why Kharg Island is central to Trump's escalating Iran threats Axios:Trump cancels Iran strikes as mediators claim deal close AP News: US stocks jump, and oil prices ease on hopes for a deal to get crude flowing globally again CNN: Postal Service won’t deliver mail ballots for states that don’t hand over voter lists, under plan for Trump directive  Axios: Trump picks Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence Lever News: The Epstein Prosecutor With A Portfolio Problem WSJ: Jeanine Pirro’s Prosecutors Probe Big Banks for Alleged ‘Debanking’ Politico: Top DOJ official planned to make a claim with Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ AP News: Man pleads guilty to killing a top Minnesota Democrat and her husband while posing as an officer AP News: Lights! Camera! Cage match! The White House lawn's Octagon is ready for Trump's 80th birthday bash AP News: Administration plans intensive, year-round construction schedule for Trump's triumphal arch Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Thursday, June 11th, 2026 - Iran Shuts the Strait of Hormuz, Trump Says He Loves Inflation, White House Epstein Freakout Revealed 11.06.2026 11min

  Today's Headlines: Bill Gates testified before the House Oversight Committee that Epstein tried to blackmail him after he tried to distance himself, saying he never went to the island or witnessed criminal conduct — the standard answer at this point — while a New York Times excerpt from an upcoming Haberman/Swan book revealed the White House Situation Room freakout over the Epstein files last July, with JD Vance emerging as a conspiracy theorist who wanted full file release and suggested Tucker Carlson interview Ghislaine Maxwell to clear Trump, while the administration quietly panicked over a specific sex allegation about Trump. On the war beat, the US launched strikes for the second consecutive night, Pete Hegseth announced they would "negotiate with bombs," Iran responded by attacking Bahrain and Kuwait and closing the Strait of Hormuz with a shoot-on-sight policy for any ship attempting to pass — the Dow fell nearly 1,000 points, the Nasdaq closed down 2%, inflation came in at 4.2% the worst in three years driven by energy prices, and Trump said "I love the inflation," which he said out loud. New reporting found at least 500 babies and toddlers in ICE custody during Trump's second term, averaging 25 per day and ten times higher than under Biden. The EU warned Albania that the Kushner Sazan Island resort could jeopardize their EU membership bid, as tens of thousands of Albanians enter their tenth day of protests. The White House launched an official "Media Offenders" page categorizing journalists under headers like "Left-Wing Lunacy" and "Malpractice." And finally, Nancy Mace abandoned her congressional seat to run for South Carolina governor, finished fifth in the primary, and announced she's "headed back to the private sector as the founders intended." Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Bill Gates Says Epstein Tried to Use His Extramarital Affairs Against Him NYT: Inside Trump’s White House, the Epstein Files Caused a Freako NYT: Live Updates: U.S. Strikes Iran Again After Trump Says Talks Are Taking Too Long Reuters: Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz after US attacks WSJ: Stock Market Today: Dow, Nasdaq Open Lower; Inflation Rises to 4.2% — Live Updates CNBC: CPI inflation report May 2026: Prices rose 4.2% annually MS Now: Jacob Soboroff: ICE detained over 500 babies and toddlers under Trump The Independent: Trump administration says Somali referee denied US entry over links to ‘terror organisation’ suspects Noise 11: Trump White House ‘Media Offenders' List Sparks New Press Freedom Debate In America Euronews: ‘Act without delay’: Brussels warns Albania over Trump-linked resort project The Hill: Mace ‘headed back to private sector’ after congressional term ends Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 - Iran Shoots Down US Apache, Anthropic Calls AI Pause, World Cup Immigration Chaos 10.06.2026 12min

  Today's Headlines: Iran shot down a US Army helicopter yesterday, the US responded with strikes on Iranian air defense systems, both crew members are stable, and stock futures dropped immediately — so the ceasefire is going great. Meanwhile, the World Cup starts tomorrow and the Trump administration is already making it a disaster: the best male referee in Africa was denied entry despite a valid visa, the Iraqi team's vice captain was detained for seven hours at O'Hare, the team photographer was turned away entirely, and Trump is preemptively blaming Europe for any Ebola outbreaks despite zero confirmed cases there. Meanwhile, the House voted to give ICE and Border Patrol $70 billion more for immigration enforcement — $38 billion to ICE, $26 billion to Border Patrol, and a breezy $5 billion for "unforeseen costs." Anthropic's cofounder published a blog post asking leading AI labs to consider pausing frontier AI development, comparing it to nuclear nonproliferation — the response was a collective "no," with some calling it self-serving given everyone's upcoming IPOs — and this comes as Anthropic is reportedly preparing to release Claude Fable 5, a model it deemed too dangerous for public release just six months ago. Epstein assistant Lesley Groff testified before the House Oversight Committee claiming she "never saw anything improper" after two decades of keeping Epstein's entire schedule, which the committee found highly inconsistent. Tom Steyer conceded the California governor's race, Trump kept pushing election fraud conspiracies about California to the point that a congressman reported a friend canceling their voter registration over Spencer Pratt, and Ken Paxton's own former impeachment attorney endorsed Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race, saying Paxton is too focused on appeasing Trump to be a good senator. And finally, NASA announced the Artemis III crew of four astronauts who will orbit Earth practicing lunar lander docking in preparation for a 2028 moon landing — assuming Blue Origin delivers its lander on time, which is uncertain after one of its rockets exploded during a test. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: US and Iran launch airstrikes after Trump blamed Tehran for downing Army helicopter CNBC: Stock futures slip after U.S. launches ‘self-defense strikes’ against Iran: Live updates NYT: U.S. Denies Entry to World Cup Referee From Somalia NYT: Iraq World Cup star Aymen Hussein questioned for ‘seven hours’ by U.S. immigration officials Axios: Scoop: Trump admin pre-blames Europe for any World Cup Ebola AP News: House passes $70B bill to fund immigration enforcement for 3 years, sending to Trump MS Now: Longtime Epstein assistant denies knowledge of his crimes to House Oversight Committee Business Insider: What smart people are saying about Anthropic suggesting a global AI pause WSJ: Anthropic Releases Fable 5, a ‘Mythos-Class’ AI Model With Guardrails WaPo: Maine Senate primary election live results: Graham Platner runs X: X | Ro Kanna  AP News: Ken Paxton's attorney in his impeachment trial endorses James Talarico in US Senate race AP News: NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Tuesday, June 9th, 2026 - Trump Booed at NBA Finals, RFK Jr. Is Ignoring Ebola, the Pentagon Accidentally Deleted the Mormons 09.06.2026 11min

  Today's Headlines: Trump attended the Knicks game last night, shutting down a 10-block radius around Madison Square Garden to sit with owner James Dolan and the usual suspects of administration figures — all of whom got to watch their boss get booed louder than the Spurs during the National Anthem. Trump spent the next morning posting at 5am that Israel and Iran must stop "shooting", which neither country is taking seriously given that strikes continued yesterday despite him reportedly calling Netanyahu directly to ask him to stop — again. Meanwhile, Spencer Pratt officially lost the LA mayoral race to progressive Nithya Raman, who will face Karen Bass in November, and Trump responded by claiming without evidence that "two republicans are being cheated" in California, using the state's slow vote-counting as cover to pre-seed election fraud claims — a preview of his midterm strategy. In other news, five cases of flesh-eating New World screwworm have now been confirmed across Texas and New Mexico, with the USDA building a $750 million sterile fly factory in Texas to combat it, while RFK Jr. — according to multiple colleagues — has shown "little interest in managing the details of his department" and is instead hunting for evidence that vaccines are harmful, receiving almost no Ebola briefings, and leaving nearly half of NIH's 27 institutes without permanent directors. The Pentagon accidentally deleted Mormons from its approved religion list, added them back after Senator Mike Lee lost his mind, then failed to classify them as Christians — a three-step own goal that somehow happened in one week. And OpenAI filed its IPO paperwork with the SEC, becoming the third trillion-dollar AI company to go public after Anthropic and SpaceX, in what was described in an unsigned blog post as something they're announcing only because "we expect it to leak" — which is a strange way to announce a trillion-dollar IPO. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Trump visit locks down midtown Manhattan, scrambling Knicks game NYT: President Trump roundly booed by New York crowd at NBA Finals Game 3 at MSG WTOP: Epstein files reading room to open in DC Axios: Trump calls on Israel and Iran to "immediately stop shooting" as ceasefire frays NBC LA: Nithya Raman overtakes Spencer Pratt for 2nd place in LA mayoral race, results show NYT: Trump Previews Fall Strategy With Baseless Claims of California Vote Fraud AP News: A flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas as new screwworm cases are found NYT: RFK Jr. Appears Disengaged on Many Health Department Matters Beyond Vaccines WaPo: After Mormon lawmakers object, Pentagon revises Christian religious categories Wired: OpenAI Confidentially Files for IPO on the Heels of SpaceX and Anthropic Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Monday, June 8th, 2026 - Trump Walks Out, Iran Fires on Israel, DOGE's Death List, Trump's UFC White House Lawsuit 08.06.2026 11min

  Today's Headlines: Trump's Meet the Press interview derailed when Kristen Welker told him to his face that he lost in 2020, but not before he confirmed on the record that he wants January 6th defendants who assaulted police officers compensated, called them victims of "dirty cops," denied ever promising no new wars, and compared Iran favorably to Vietnam. Coincidentally, a Vietnam veteran filed a lawsuit over the UFC fight night at the White House, arguing it wasn't authorized by Congress and benefits Trump directly since he bought UFC parent company stock while promoting the event, with the Lincoln Memorial scheduled to host fighter weigh-ins, which is a sentence that exists. Trump will also be at the Knicks game inconveniencing everyone with TSA screening and canceled watch parties. On the war beat, Iran fired missiles at Israel for the first time since the April ceasefire, Israel bombed Beirut, oil spiked 3.6%, and Trump responded by calling Fox News to criticize Israel and telling Axios he was phoning Netanyahu because "each of them had their fun" — not the standard framework for analyzing a missile exchange. The May jobs report came in better than expected with 172,000 payrolls added, but markets dipped anyway, prompting Trump to post that "stocks should go up not down, that's the way it was for 200 years," which is not how markets work. And finally, a former Social Security Administration executive blew the whistle on a DOGE-backed plan to mark 2.7 million living people — citizens, permanent residents, teenagers, senior citizens — as dead in federal databases to make life impossible for immigrants and funnel them into Social Security offices where they could be arrested, which didn't go through, though last year officials did successfully file 6,000 people into the Death Master File, some of whom had to physically show up to prove they were alive. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Read the transcript: President Donald Trump interviewed by NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’ moderator Kristen Welker NYT: Trump Defends Compensation Fund and Iran War in ‘Meet the Press’ Interview NYT: Lawsuit Aims to Stop U.F.C. Fights at White House on Trump’s Birthday AP News: No bags, no watch parties at Madison Square Garden with Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals NYT: Live Updates: Iran Fires Missiles at Israel for First Time Since April Cease-Fire NYT: Israel Bombs Beirut Outskirts as Fighting With Hezbollah Escalates Axios: Trump tells Axios he will ask Netanyahu not to strike back at Iran Bloomberg: Oil Jumps As Israel retaliates Against Iran After Missile Attacks CNBC: Jobs report May 2026 Fortune: Trump stunned as stocks fall on great jobs report. Barclays explains why ‘we are entering the warning zone' WaPo: Whistleblower claims DOGE planned to mark 2.7 million people dead Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Friday, June 5th, 2026 - Traitor Fund Limbo Continues, Blanche To Be Nominated AG, Kennedy Center Free Of Trump Name, John Bolton Pleads Guilty 05.06.2026 7min

  Today's Headlines: The fate of the Traitor Fund remains unknown — Blanche said they're dropping it but won't put it in writing, Trump said he loves it but "ask the lawyers," Senate Democrats tried to force a vote to block it and Republicans voted against the block anyway, and January 6th defendants are already filing claims — while what is confirmed is that Trump is still getting permanent IRS audit immunity for himself and his family regardless. Meanwhile, Trump is officially nominating Todd Blanche — his personal criminal defense attorney — as permanent Attorney General, while Bill Pulte, the family friend with no intelligence experience named as acting DNI, is already being phased out with Trump hinting he'll be tasked with investigating whether past elections were rigged. In slightly more satisfying news, Trump's name is officially coming off the Kennedy Center less than a week after a judge ordered it — off the facade, out of email signatures, and off employee ID cards. In other news, John Bolton pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified national security documents after Iranian hackers breached his email, agreeing to pay over $2 million with up to 60 months in prison — less revenge prosecution, more bad judgment. And now that Congress is back to work, the House passed a measure cutting food aid for over 5 million pregnant women and children, great. In war updates, Israel and Lebanon announced a ceasefire that Hezbollah immediately rejected because it would ban their operatives from parts of their own country with no maps or implementation details. And finally, a flesh-eating New World screwworm — not seen in US livestock for 60 years — was found in a Texas calf, with quarantines now in place, which is bad timing for beef prices already at record highs. Resources/Articles mentioned:  NYT: Trump Administration Live Updates: Republicans Defeat First Attempt to Block President's $1.8 Billion Payout Fund  WaPo: House bill rolls back food aid for pregnant women, children Politico: Trump expected to nominate Todd Blanche to be attorney general AP News: Trump says Pulte won’t be his nominee for director of national intelligence WaPo: Kennedy Center orders staff to begin removing Trump’s name after ruling CNN: Exclusive: John Bolton reaches plea deal over mishandling of sensitive national security information BBC: Hezbollah rejects US-backed Israel-Lebanon ceasefire Axios:New World screwworm confirmed in Texas, stoking fresh cattle fears Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices