Good afternoon, everyone. As promised, here is a mid-day news update following Trump’s Cabinet meeting, where he declared that he does not care about the midterm elections and appeared to threaten Oman while discussing control of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, CBS is once again facing backlash over the treatment of respected journalists, and Pam Bondi revealed she is undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer.
I’ll have another update this evening, but I also wanted to make sure you had access to the first episode of Raging Perspectives with Jessica Tarlov and me. We’ll be doing this every week, and at a time when legacy media continues cracking down on strong independent journalism, I’m proud that we’re continuing to expand what we offer here.
Here’s the news:
During his cabinet meeting today, Trump proclaimed that Trump he did not “care about the midterms.”
Trump rejected the idea of Iran or Oman controlling the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that “nobody is going to control it” because it is an international waterway that must remain open to global shipping and threatened to blow up Oman if it did not behave. His comments suggest the U.S. is resisting any agreement that would give Iran greater authority over one of the world’s most strategically important oil transit routes, even as negotiations with Tehran continue. Trump also indicated that the U.S. would continue monitoring the strait as part of broader regional security arrangements tied to the ongoing talks.
Trump said he thinks Middle East countries “owe it to us” to join the Abraham Accords, and adds, “I’m not sure we should make the deal if they don’t sign.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin defended conditions at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark after detainees launched a hunger strike and protests erupted outside the facility. Mullin dismissed complaints about food quality, claiming only a small number of detainees were refusing meals because they wanted “their ethnic right food,” adding, “This isn’t a Holiday Inn.” Attorneys representing detainees have alleged that some migrants were served expired food and meals containing worms, while protesters and Democratic officials, including New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, have criticized conditions at the center. During the same Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that protesters outside the facility were “fake” and being paid.
Trump appeared to mistakenly reference Venezuela while discussing Iran during a Cabinet meeting, saying that “despite the conflict with Venezuela” the country “no longer has a navy” or air force and that its leadership was gone.
Trump accused Iran of trying to delay a peace agreement until after the U.S. midterm elections in hopes of securing better terms, claiming Tehran believes it can “out-wait” him politically. During a Cabinet meeting, Trump insisted Iran’s economy is collapsing and warned that if negotiations fail, the U.S. may “finish the job,” while also rejecting any arrangement that would allow Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks that drew immediate attention, Trump said Oman would “behave just like everybody else, or we will have to blow them up,” after discussing control of the strategically vital waterway.
Former Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed she is recovering from thyroid cancer treatment after undergoing surgery several weeks ago, saying she is still receiving treatment but is “doing well.” Bondi left the Justice Department in April after facing criticism from President Donald Trump and bipartisan scrutiny over her handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents. Despite her departure, she is set to testify before Congress this week regarding the Epstein investigation and will also join the administration’s Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Vice President JD Vance praised Bondi and said she would continue playing an important role in the administration.
CBS News reportedly declined to renew the contract of longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi after controversy surrounding a delayed segment about Venezuelan deportees allegedly abused in an El Salvador prison. Alfonsi said the decision sends “a chilling message” to journalists and suggested she was being punished for refusing to soften accurate reporting. The dispute emerged after CBS leadership postponed the segment late last year, with critics inside the newsroom arguing the delay was politically motivated rather than editorial. The situation has intensified concerns about editorial independence at CBS following leadership changes under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and the recent departure of other prominent journalists from “60 Minutes.”
Former DOGE chief and Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was mocked after an awkward night at an NBA playoff game where his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers were blown out by the New York Knicks. According to reports, Ramaswamy tried to enter restricted postgame areas to greet Knicks players and staff but was stopped multiple times by security, leaving him visibly embarrassed. The article also claims he unsuccessfully attempted to park near team ownership and mingle with Knicks owner James Dolan after the game. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani later joked about the incident after reposting one of Ramaswamy’s pregame messages celebrating the Cavaliers.
The Trump administration is planning to send Americans exposed to Ebola to a new quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya instead of transporting them back to the United States. Officials say the goal is to provide faster care closer to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo while preventing Ebola cases from entering the U.S., with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the administration “cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.” The move comes as Congo’s outbreak worsens, with nearly 1,000 suspected cases and more than 200 suspected deaths reported amid conflict and weak infrastructure in the region. The policy also mirrors comments President Donald Trump made during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when he argued infected Americans should be treated overseas rather than brought home.
New York and New Jersey have launched an investigation into FIFA’s ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup, focusing on complaints about soaring prices, dynamic pricing, and fans allegedly receiving worse seats than they paid for. Attorneys General Letitia James and Jennifer Davenport say FIFA may have misled consumers, especially for matches scheduled at MetLife Stadium, which will host the final and other major games. Officials are examining whether FIFA created confusion through late changes to seating categories and premium ticket options while fans faced what critics described as “fake scarcity” and inflated prices. FIFA has defended the pricing structure by citing extraordinary global demand and limited ticket availability.
The Trump administration has refunded more than $20 billion in tariffs after the Supreme Court ruled that many of Trump’s country-specific tariffs exceeded presidential authority under emergency powers law. Hundreds of major companies, including Walmart, Costco, Ford, and Target, have applied for refunds, with total claims now reaching roughly $85 billion. Even after the ruling, importers are still paying a separate 10% blanket tariff imposed under a different trade law, and administration officials are signaling they may try to extend those tariffs without new congressional approval. The situation has intensified the ongoing legal and political battle over how much authority a president has to impose tariffs without Congress.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara resigned after an investigation found he interfered with a probe into allegations about his conduct, including allegedly deleting evidence from his city-issued phone and discussing the investigation despite being told not to. The original allegations involving alleged relationships with city employees were found to be unsubstantiated, but Mayor Jacob Frey said O’Hara’s actions during the investigation represented a serious breach of trust. O’Hara had led the department since the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and had overseen major police reform efforts during a turbulent period for the city. Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell will now serve as acting police chief while multiple additional complaints against O’Hara remain under review.
A federal judge declined to jail 16-year-old Timothy Hudson, who is accused of sexually assaulting and killing his stepsister, Anna Kepner, aboard a Carnival cruise ship in 2025, allowing him to remain under house supervision with relatives while awaiting trial. Prosecutors argued Hudson poses a danger to the community after being indicted as an adult, while his defense said he has complied with release conditions for months without incident. Kepner’s body was found hidden under a bed on the ship, and investigators ruled her death a homicide caused by mechanical asphyxiation. The case has drawn national attention because of the brutal allegations, Hudson’s age, and the decision to keep him out of jail pending trial.
Canada announced plans to purchase a fleet of advanced GlobalEye surveillance aircraft from Swedish defense company Saab instead of U.S.-made Boeing planes, marking a significant shift away from reliance on American military suppliers. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the aircraft will strengthen Canada’s ability to monitor and defend its Arctic territory as tensions and competition in the region grow. The move is part of a broader Canadian effort to deepen defense ties with Nordic allies and reduce dependence on the United States following trade disputes and concerns about Washington’s reliability as a partner. Canada is also reconsidering parts of its existing purchase agreement for U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets.
Hope is fading for nine workers still missing after a massive chemical tank implosion at a paper mill in Longview, Washington, killed one person and injured several others. Rescue crews say the damaged tank remains dangerously unstable and still contains tens of thousands of gallons of “white liquor,” a caustic industrial chemical used in paper production, forcing recovery operations to pause overnight for safety reasons. The explosion follows another major chemical emergency in California days earlier, intensifying concerns about industrial safety on the West Coast. Investigators are now examining the cause of the implosion as families gather for vigils and await answers about the missing workers.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
