Morning Announcements

Today's Headlines: Today's episode is dedicated to Gloria Steinem, who passed away at 92 years old. In what can only be described as a fitting tribute, ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok all went down simultaneously shortly after, forcing people to use their actual brains for a few hours. On the Immigration beat, ICE is spending $5 million to build a national voter database on behalf of DHS, acquiring voter registration and history files from specific states. A 17-year ICE veteran whistleblower also came forward accusing the Trump administration of fast-tracking unqualified candidates as agents before background checks were complete, calling it an "unprecedented lowering of standards" and a national security risk. In a rare moment of accountability, Trump's own DOJ charged an ICE officer with lying about shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis — the same officer Texas's governor previously refused to extradite to face state charges. In Epstein files news, Leon Black skipped his congressional testimony on his Epstein ties and instead sued the House Oversight Committee to block his subpoena, arguing they can't force him to hand over NDAs signed with women Epstein trafficked to him, and the committee responded by threatening contempt charges. We’ll see if that actually happens though. Meanwhile, Nvidia announced a $13 billion acquisition of Hugging Face — the AI platform OpenAI's model previously hacked — betting on an open-source AI future similar to China's approach, which is either brilliant or deeply ironic. And finally, for the first time in recorded human history, people over 65 now outnumber children under 5 globally, per a new US Census report — a milestone driven by declining birth rates and longer life expectancy.  Resources/Articles mentioned: WIRED: ICE Plans to Pay $5 Million to Create National Voting Database NYT: ICE Skipped Basic Checks in Rush for Recruits, Whistle-Blower Says AP News: Live updates: ICE officer federally charged with lying about shooting of Venezuelan man, AP source says AP News: Billionaire Leon Black skips Epstein deposition and sues House panel over subpoenas Politico: House Oversight chair still wants attorney general to testify on handling of the Epstein files - Live Updates The Verge: ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude all went down at the same time Wired: Nvidia’s Hugging Face Acquisition Is a $12.9 Billion Bet on Open-Source AI Axios: Historic first: Older adults now outnumber the youngest children worldwide 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

Today's Headlines: Iran accused the US of a war crime after strikes hit a wedding killing four civilians, the US denied targeting civilians, Iran responded by launching missiles at US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain — so the ceasefire is going great. The USS Abraham Lincoln's 5,000-person crew finally docked in Thailand after nearly nine months at sea, were told by the military not to speak to journalists about the conditions they endured, and local authorities in Pattaya preemptively cracked down on prostitution ahead of their arrival. And to absolutely no one’s surprise, Apple caved to Trump and changed Lake Ontario to Lake America on Apple Maps following his personal request, which is a remarkable display of corporate spine from a company worth $3 trillion. It’s been a while but on the Epstein beat, Congressman Thomas Massie proposed the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, reading the names of 14 Epstein associates he believes need to be investigated — notably not mentioning the one person referenced in the files more than anyone else. In tech, GoPro is pivoting to AI, defense, and national security after merging with an optical company, its stock shot up 40%, and Dyson announced a $499 AI toothbrush with a built-in camera that can livestream your brushing to an app, which no one asked for. Google avoided being broken up despite being found guilty of antitrust violations, getting instead a vague requirement to make unspecified changes to its ad business. Meanwhile, a new study from San Diego State found that fewer women are creating TV shows for streamers than a decade ago, female directors of broadcast programs have declined, and the majority of speaking roles for women skew toward their 20s and 30s while men's roles don't drop off until their 50s. And finally, Milo Yiannopoulos told Piers Morgan that being detained and deported by ICE was humiliating and frightening, and that if he'd known this was possible he would never have supported Trump. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Iran fires on its Gulf neighbors, retaliating for US strikes after a wedding was hit The Guardian: USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew of 5,000 arrive at notorious Thai resort after 270 days at sea | US military The Independent: Thailand issues prostitution warning as USS Abraham Lincoln docks in tourist town after 200 days at sea Axios: Apple joins Google in renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America" PBS News: WATCH: Massie names 14 Epstein associates to 'shame' DOJ CNBC: GoPro joins AI bonanza with pivot into data centers as shares skyrocket 40% The Rundown: Dyson puts AI in a $499 toothbrush Yahoo: Google won't be forced to break up its ads business The Hollywood Reporter: Fewer Women Are Creating TV Shows Now Than They Were Nearly a Decade Ago, Study Finds Mediate: Milo Yiannopoulos Tells Piers Morgan He's 'Very Ashamed' of Supporting Trump Following ICE Arrest 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

Today's Headlines: The US launched strikes in the Strait of Hormuz for the second day in a row without saying what they were targeting, two more oil tankers got attacked, and JD Vance's Yale buddy Dan Driscoll quit as Army Secretary after Hegseth got paranoid about their friendship and blocked Driscoll's plans to modernize the Army for drone warfare — so the guy who wanted to prepare for the future of war got pushed out by the guy who built himself a salon at the Pentagon. On the financial beat, Global bond markets are selling off, US interest rates just hit a 20-year high, and what that means for you personally is that your credit card, mortgage, and car loan just got more expensive — thanks in part to the Iran war, oil prices, and everyone powerful being addicted to borrowing money. In other disturbing news, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Trump can keep building his ballroom-bunker, with Roberts writing in his dissent that it's probably illegal but the lawsuit didn't have standing. A USPS whistleblower came forward saying the Post Office defied court orders while building Trump's mail ballot system, the voter list portal states need to use doesn't exist yet, and tens of thousands of ballots could get rejected as a result — Democrats responded with a strongly worded letter to the Post Office, yep, the Post Office. In things we can no longer safely ingest news, Horizon Organic chocolate milk was recalled across Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods for early spoilage, which is annoying but at least it's not glass. And finally, Republicans invented a "midterm convention" in Dallas where a photo with Trump costs $88,000 and a photo with JD Vance costs $35,000.  Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Why Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned NYT: Bond Sell-Off Threatens to Squeeze Borrowers Around the World WSJ: Trump Says Communities That Oppose Data Centers Risk Becoming ‘Backwards and Poor’ Axios: Supreme Court allows Trump's ballroom construction to proceed Axios: USPS whistleblower warns new ballot system could fail USA Today: Nearly 54K cases of chocolate milk recalled. See affected products WSJ: An $88,600 Photo With Trump: GOP Hopes to Raise Millions During Convention 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

Today's Headlines: And we’re back to actual warring again. The US and Iran are shooting at each other again for the first time in a month — US strikes on Iranian rocket launchers, Iran hitting US bases in Jordan and the UAE — and when reporters asked Trump if he'd rule out nukes, he said yes and no in the same breath and called it a stupid question, which is on brand. Trump also personally called Apple to ask them to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America on Maps, and is apparently "confident" it'll happen soon, Apple however did not comment on the matter. In other disturbing news, the Pentagon has been secretly hiring conservative veteran influencers in civilian roles to defend Hegseth online and go after his critics, funded possibly by taxpayers — turns out those are the replacements for the press outlets Hegseth kicked out of the Pentagon — and ICE is dropping $2 million on robot dogs with 360-degree cameras and extendable arms, to go with the electric shock gloves, because why not. On the food and environment beat, a carcinogenic forever chemical just got approved for crops including apples, oranges, corn, and almonds, three groups immediately sued, 10,000 cases of tofu are being recalled from 29 states for possible ink contamination, and the Trump administration wants to hand over part of Yosemite National Park to a private equity firm that wants to build upscale cabins and commercial buildings — in exchange for equivalent land elsewhere, make it make sense. Meanwhile, protesters showed up at Peter Thiel's Argentina mansion, George Santos got Kalshi's first ever lifetime ban for betting on his own State of the Union attendance and responded by threatening them on Twitter, and John Galliano quietly dropped out of his 2027 Met Gala retrospective, which was probably the right call. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Trump threatens further action as US and Iran exchange fire in new flare-up | US-Israel war on Iran AP News: Trump has asked Apple to change Lake Ontario name to 'Lake America' on its maps, interior chief says Today: Tofu Recalled in 29 States for Contamination Yahoo: The Center for Food Safety: Trump Administration Sued for Approving 'Forever Chemical' Pesticide Trifludimoxazin NYT: Trump Administration Looks to Give a Swath of Yosemite Park to Developer WaPo: Pentagon secretly installs military influencers in civilian roles NBC News: ICE plans to buy robot ‘dogs’ for some immigration enforcement operations France 24: Argentines march on Peter Thiel's mansion WSJ: Ex-Congressman George Santos Receives Kalshi’s First-Ever Lifetime Ban NYT: John Galliano Withdraws From Met Museum Show After Backlash 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

Today's Headlines: This weekend was a mixed bag of news so let’s start with good news. Olivia Rodrigo raised $10 million at her Daisy Chain Fields festival for women's charities including Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights, then Melinda French Gates walked onstage and doubled it to $20 million. MapQuest made a surprise comeback to number two in the App Store as a result of Google Maps changing Lake Ontario to Lake America in compliance with US government sources. And back to regularly scheduled craziness, Trump threatened to report Kristen Welker to the FCC for covering his declining approval ratings, because that's how the First Amendment works. Trump is also skipping the 9/11 memorial because he wanted to give a speech and no one has given a speech there since 2012, making him the only living president not attending, and historic Japanese cherry trees gifted in 1912 were quietly bulldozed before official approval to make room for a DC golf course expansion. Sony and Warner Music sued Anthropic Friday night for what they called "one of the largest and most blatant ongoing thefts of intellectual property in history," alleging Claude was trained on tens of thousands of copyrighted musical compositions — legal experts say this is a landmark AI copyright case. A federal judge ruled that AI-generated child sexual abuse material is legal to possess privately as long as it doesn't depict a real person, and the FBI quietly dropped its hiring ban on people who have engaged in theft, prostitution, and animal cruelty because Kash Patel drove out enough qualified agents that standards had to go somewhere. IV saline bags were recalled for fiberglass contamination across 14 states, mangoes at select Walmarts were recalled for salmonella, and over 800 people were killed in catastrophic Nepal-Tibet floods with 90 Americans among the 2,500 still missing — the US sent $500,000 in aid, which is what a mid-size fundraiser raises in a weekend. And finally, Milo Yiannopoulos was deported back to the UK for an expired visa, which is the only functional thing ICE has done all year. Resources/Articles mentioned: Rolling Stone: Melinda French Gates Doubles Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields Donation to $20 Million Axios: Google Maps switches to "Lake America" as Canada compares change to SNL skit The Hill: Trump promises NBC’s Welker will be reported to FCC ‘for rebuke or punishment’ NYT: Trump Plans to Mark 9/11 at the Pentagon, Not Ground Zero NBC News: Pete Hegseth is talking about a possible run for president in 2028, sources say People: Dozens of Trees Quietly Toppled in D.C. Without Court Approval Ahead of Trump’s New Golf Course Makeover: Report Forbes: Medical Saline Recalled Over Potential Fiberglass Contamination FDA: Panorama Produce Recalls Mangoes Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination BBC: Nepal floods latest: Officials 'intensifying' efforts to free hundreds believed trapped in hydropower tunnels Business Standard: US pledges $500,000 aid, WHO extends support to Nepal amid flash floods | World News Axios: Sony, Warner sue Anthropic, alleging "blatant theft" of intellectual property WaPo: Federal judge warns law is being left behind by AI child sex abuse images Axios: Sony, Warner sue Anthropic, alleging "blatant theft" of intellectual property WaPo: Federal judge warns law is being left behind by AI child sex abuse images CBS News: At the FBI, a history of hiring prostitutes or stealing from employer may no longer be a barrier to being hired The Guardian: Far-right media provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos deported by ICE from US to UK | US immigration  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

Today's Headlines: Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — yes, really — musing that maybe he'll rename the Atlantic and Pacific next, while Canadian PM Mark Carney responded that "Ontario" is a 400-year-old Wendat word meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big," which is a more dignified response than the moment deserved. Back to actual issues, Iran has been running an AI-powered disinformation operation on Instagram and Facebook, posing as average Americans to spread political misinformation about immigration and the Israel-Palestine war, with Meta taking down 35 accounts — which is a lot of effort from a country we're supposedly defeating militarily. The military situation is genuinely alarming across every front: a sailor who jumped off the USS Abraham Lincoln in what his wife describes as a suicide attempt — after his paternity leave requests were repeatedly denied while his wife gave birth — is now facing disciplinary action for "malingering" and AWOL charges for being medically evacuated. Pete Hegseth fired the Army's top general days after the general was advised to drop an investigation into how Kid Rock got a military helicopter fly by so he could wave at it on social media. Oh but there’s more, Jennifer Hegseth, Pete's wife and former Fox News producer, has been attending classified intelligence meetings with foreign officials with no confirmed security clearance — she was in the Houthi PC small group chat. Five service members told MSNBC they're being asked to violate international law by targeting civilian infrastructure, and applications to leave as conscientious objectors have surged since the Iran war started. The US is also "beyond critically low" on Patriot missile interceptors in Europe — because of the Iran war — right as the CIA director had to fly to Moscow in person to tell Russia not to attack NATO. A Navy engineer's rape lawsuit against the ship captain who allegedly entered her room with a master access key was dismissed by a judge who said it should be treated as a workplace compensation claim. To add to the overall craziness, ICE arrested 49,000 people in July alone, with less than 4% having any prior violent conviction. And finally, Fauci's prosecution is apparently going nowhere, which is the best news of the day. Resources/Articles mentioned: MS Now: Canada’s prime minister gives Trump a history lesson after U.S. renames Lake Ontario Axios: Exclusive: Meta disrupts Iran-linked AI operation targeting politicians, journalists MS Now: Navy sailor who jumped off USS Lincoln faces disciplinary charges NYT: ‘It’s Bonkers’: Jennifer Hegseth’s Hands-On Role in Her Husband’s Pentagon IB Times: Judge Dismisses Navy Engineer's Rape Lawsuit, Says Alleged Assault by Captain Was Work Injury  MS Now: Retired Army general on fired general reportedly told to drop Kid Rock probe: ‘Very disturbing’ WaPo: Before Hegseth fired him, top general was advised to drop Kid Rock probe Ap News: Exclusive: US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are 'beyond critical' due to Iran war, officials say  NYT: ICE Arrests Soar as People With No Criminal Record Are Increasingly Targeted WSJ: Republican Efforts to Prosecute Fauci for Contempt Are Hitting a Wall 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

Today's Headlines: We’re almost to the weekend and we’re starting off with tech and medical science. Meta settled its youth addiction trial for $17 billion paid over ten years across 47 states — with new safety requirements for minors including time limits, night mode, and hidden like counts. Of course the company's stock went up after the settlement, which tells you everything about who won. Bill Gates published a 5,784-word AI warning blog post saying there is "no plan" for the transition to the AI era, too late the hero, Bill. In medical news, the FDA approved a new pancreatic cancer drug that nearly doubles survival time compared to chemo alone — genuinely significant given that disease kills 7 out of 8 patients within five years — though at $40,000 a month, accessibility will be an issue. On the food safety beat, an emergency recall was issued for nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentinian beef sold in Florida and Texas, as Trump simultaneously told Glenn Beck he wants to reduce regulations on beef processing plants. During that same Glenn Beck call, Trump attempted to mourn Dolly Parton and ended up mostly saying she liked him, sure. Meanwhile, The CIA director's Moscow visit turned out to involve Russian intelligence officials rather than Putin directly, with the stated purpose being to warn Russia not to attack NATO — while Iran and Russia simultaneously announced a $25 billion nuclear energy deal and a Putin-Pezeshkian summit next week, so it’s going great. In bizarre election news, a federal prisoner currently serving time in New York until 2036 somehow got enough votes in Alaska's primary to run for the House in November, listing a South Dakota address and his mother's New York phone number on his filing paperwork, because Alaska's elections are genuinely something else. And finally, a massive mudslide on the Nepal-Tibet border has killed over 150 people with hundreds more missing including 47 American tourists, rescue helicopters unable to land, and climate change-driven permafrost thaw making the damage significantly worse. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNBC: Meta settles social media addiction case with California, other states for $16.7 billion WSJ: Three Takeaways From Bill Gates’s 5,784-Word Warning on AI: ‘There Is No Plan’ Axios: Scoop: Senate Republican investigates Flock cameras  WSJ: FDA Approves Drug for Pancreatic Cancer in Milestone for Treatment of Deadly Disease Wide Open Country: Emergency Recall Declared for Beef Imported by Trump Administration US News: Trump Says He Will Look at Beef Processing Regulations, as Farmers Fight Tariff Plan France 24: Kremlin says CIA chief met Russian counterparts, not Putin, in Moscow AP News: A federal prisoner with no clear ties to Alaska advances in primary for the state's US House seat NBC News: Hundreds missing after flood hits Nepal-Tibet border, 157 bodies recovered 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

Today's Headlines: Dolly Parton, the legendary country singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, has died at 80. Beyond music, she leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of generosity and her work supporting medical research. Shifting gears, the CIA director made an attempted secret trip to Moscow with the plane sitting on the ground for eight hours and no explanation of who Ratcliffe met with or why, with possibilities ranging from hostage negotiations to addressing Russia's recent NATO provocations. Pivoting to the trade war, Canada announced 50% retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion in American goods effective September 8th, matching Trump's tariffs dollar for dollar on dairy, seafood, steel, appliances, and toilet paper, while Trump responded by threatening to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America on a gold-lettered map posted to Truth Social. That’ll show them. And since we’re on the subject of renaming, the DOJ argued in court that the Kennedy Center will collapse into a "decrepit structure" without Trump's name on the facade. On the Iran war beat, Tulsi Gabbard reportedly warned Trump before he started the Iran war in February that Iran would immediately close the Strait of Hormuz, that killing the Supreme Leader would produce a more hardline regime pursuing nuclear weapons, and that Iran would strike US bases across the region — all of which happened. On “the decline,” the Agriculture Secretary couldn't say where the 300,000 metric tons of mystery ground beef is coming from, saying conversations are "still going on," which is not reassuring. Two unvaccinated people in Lancaster, Pennsylvania died of measles — the first US measles deaths this year — amid a local outbreak of nearly 400 cases, a third of them children, as case numbers continue to break records for the most since measles was eliminated in 2000. Gary, Indiana is entering its second week without power for thousands of residents with no restoration in sight, and Darline Graham won her South Carolina Senate runoff, spending nearly a million Trump-backed dollars to inherit her brother's seat and run against Dr. Annie Andrews in November. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: C.I.A. Director Makes Secret Visit to Moscow The White House: President Trump Is Finally Ending Canada’s Free Ride AP News: Canada strikes back at US with retaliatory tariffs as trade war escalates Axios: Kennedy Center's survival depends on Trump, DOJ says in new filing WSJ: The Warnings That Came Before a War Now Reaching the Six-Month Mark The New Republic: Trump Team Refuses to Explain Imported Beef Origin as Backlash Grows NYT: Two Unvaccinated People Died From Measles in Pennsylvania, Officials Say CNN: Powerful storms knocked out power in northwest Indiana 2 weeks ago. This majority Black city has suffered the most NBC News: Elections live updates: Darline Graham beats Ralph Norman in South Carolina GOP Senate primary runoff 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

Today's Headlines: The Wall Street Journal revealed that Trump personally called a senior DOJ official to settle the antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation — days before trial, after Live Nation's CEO met with Trump at the White House to "discuss Kennedy Center bookings". Live Nation reportedly promised $10 billion in US investment in exchange for a favorable settlement so generous that most states refused to join it and kept suing, ultimately winning a jury verdict in April finding Live Nation illegally monopolizing the concert ticketing market. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to let Trump's mail-in voting restrictions move forward — not on whether they're constitutional, but on whether states had legal standing to sue — meaning DHS is now distributing citizenship lists to states and the Postal Service will only send ballots to pre-approved voters, with each state left to decide whether to comply before the Court rules on the actual merits, which is a convenient timeline heading into November. The Court also let Trump's ballroom-bunker construction continue while they decide whether it can continue. Yes, you read that right. On the immigration beat, the Trump administration is planning the largest mass visa revocation in US history, targeting up to 200,000 B1 and B2 visas held by asylum seekers issued between 2016 and 2026. And because somehow we are still at war with Iran even after “winning” several times, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held an event threatening any country that does business with Iran with "the full reach of American power" under something called Operation Economic Outcast, without specifying any actual steps or deadlines, while Iran's trading partners apparently told them they don't really care. And finally, today is the South Carolina Senate runoff between Lindsey Graham's sister Darline — who refused to say whether she would have certified Biden's 2020 win — and Ralph Norman, with Trump's super PAC spending $800,000 on her behalf.  Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: The Trump Intervention That Got the DOJ Off Live Nation’s Back Axios: Trump says communities that oppose data centers are "making a mistake" NBC News: Supreme Court sides with Trump on some restrictions for mail-in ballots WaPo: Supreme Court eases path for Trump’s sweeping limits on mail-in balloting Time: The Supreme Court Let Trump’s Ballroom Proceed—for Now. Here’s What That Means Axios: Trump administration to revoke up to 200,000 visas of asylum seekers NYT: Trump Lays It on the Line for Darline Graham Ahead of South Carolina Runoff MS Now: Darline Graham refuses to say if she would have certified 2020 election results 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

Sami Sage sits down with comedian and political commentator Alex Pearlman to talk about why the Democratic Party has no leader, why politicians under 45 who grew up online (Ossoff, Mamdani, AOC) actually know how to communicate, and why Alex is touring 12 cities to get people off their phones and back into real conversations. They also cover Kamala's 2028 odds, the DSA's messaging problem, and getting money out of politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: It was quite a weekend! Trump turned DC streets into a 1.7-mile IndyCar speedway for another Freedom 250 event, took a ceremonial lap in the presidential limo with Melania — not Natalie — while his Qatari plane did a flyover. In other shady news, Trump announced he's importing up to 300,000 metric tons of "product for ground beef" without specifying what the product is, where it's from, or how it'll be discounted 25% — which landed one day after a New York Times investigation revealed the Bureau of Land Management has been selling wild horses to buyers who ship them to slaughter plants through a legal loophole, with sales more than doubling in 2025. On the tariff beat, The trade war with Canada is officially back on with 50% tariffs on $20 billion in goods, Canadian PM Mark Carney promising to match them dollar for dollar starting September 8th, and Carney publicly stating that Trump is demanding Canada change its French language and Quebec culture as conditions for reversing tariffs. We finally have a nominee to lead the FDA, Trump nominated Dr. Heidi Overton and she has an MD and a PhD, which is more than expected. She has also called for conservatives to "infiltrate" public health institutions though, which is less reassuring given that 2026 has already seen four times the average number of foodborne illness cases. The Department of Education took the first steps to strip the American Bar Association of its law school accreditation authority, which would prevent graduates of non-accredited schools from sitting the bar exam in most states — a creative way to destabilize the entire legal profession. Back to shady, Jared Kushner quietly met with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss working together on housing and cost of living, which suggests the White House privately expects Democrats to win the House majority in November. And finally, a wildfire near Reno has burned over 13,000 acres with zero containment, putting 42,000 people under evacuation orders including two hospitals, with 40 additional fires burning across Nevada simultaneously. Resources/Articles mentioned:  CNN: Freedom 250 IndyCar race in Washington, DC, and other Trump administration news CNN: Trump defends pause on beef tariffs amid criticism from US cattle producers Variety: Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing ‘Yellowstone’ From 2016 Pitch in Copyright Lawsuit NYT: Under Trump, Protected Wild Horses Are Going to Slaughter Time: Who Is Heidi Overton, Trump’s Nominee to Lead the FDA? AP News: What to know about Trump's 50% tariffs on Canadian goods that just went into effect WSJ: Trump Administration Attacks Bar Association’s Power to Accredit Law Schools AP News: Jared Kushner meets with Democratic leader Jeffries with House control at stake in November NYT: Fire Near Reno, Nev., Prompts Evacuations of Homes and Hospitals 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

Today's Headlines: Melania Trump made a surprise White House appearance — her first in weeks or possibly months — to announce a foster care initiative, opening with "I heard you missed me, here I am," which nobody would have thought twice about if it hadn't come directly after Jon Ossoff's comment that Trump wants to "travel with Natalie." The timing really did the heavy lifting there. Walmart posted its weakest growth since 2020, the FDA upgraded its frozen berry recall to its highest risk level over e.coli contamination, sourdough bread in Seattle was recalled for metal shards, and 65,000 people in Gary, Indiana have been without power for nine days with no restoration until at least next Tuesday. In other unpleasant news, the FBI raided Eric Swalwell's home and took his phone and computer as part of an investigation into his relationship with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang, because some people really do make it too easy. The USS Abraham Lincoln was finally relieved of its nine-month deployment and is heading back to San Diego — a direct result of its crew publicly threatening to take their own lives. The publisher of Stars and Stripes announced his retirement citing "fundamental differences" with Hegseth's Pentagon, one week after the publication broke the Abraham Lincoln story, so do what you will with that information. Meanwhile, North Korea fired ballistic missiles hours after Kim Jong Un's sister dismissed Trump's requests for a diplomatic meeting and denied they'd even been in contact, which is a remarkable response to throwing South Korea under the bus for nothing. Russia flew a naval drone into Romanian airspace, which Romanian jets destroyed, and the EU Commission president called it hybrid warfare without naming Russia, which is the diplomatic equivalent of a strongly worded letter. And Trump is fighting to build a ballroom at his golf course in the Irish village of Doonbeg, where his only obstacle is a local hermit with no phone or social media who has blocked thousands of development projects across Ireland purely for sport. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Michael Cohen, ex-fixer for Trump who once testified against him, hosts president on his radio show – US politics live WaPo: Walmart posts weakest growth in years, a worrying sign of inflation-weary Americans WaPo: FDA upgrades recall of frozen berries to highest-risk warning FDA: Updated – Grand Central Bakery Seattle Recalls Potato Sourdough Bread Due to Possible Foreign Object CBS Chicago: Gary, Indiana residents must wait until Tuesday for power, more than a week after severe storms The Hill: FBI raided Swalwell’s home, seized devices as part of Chinese spy probe WaPo: Trump increasingly lashing out at allies as victory in Iran war proves elusive NYT: U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln Leaves Middle East After Months at Sea in Operation Against Iran  FT: North Korea launches missile barrage after dismissing Donald Trump’s overture  The Guardian: EU’s von der Leyen warns of ‘escalating campaign of threats’ as Romania destroys naval drone – as it happened | Ukraine WaPo: Trump wants a ballroom in Ireland. One man is having a ball fighting it. 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

Today's Headlines: Trump spent yesterday morning showing off his new White House helipad and giving an unprompted infomercial for Scott's Miracle-Gro that spiked the company's stock — a useful distraction from reporting that his aide Natalie Harp, the Human Printer, worked at the White House for a year without a security clearance because she refused until Trump personally intervened. He also TACO’d again, the Canada tariffs Trump announced at 50% were paused before they went into effect because they're "probably going to make a deal," and the US national debt hit $40 trillion for the first time, doubling in a decade, so the economic situation is going great.Surprise! We’ve got some great news, an mRNA vaccine to prevent skin cancer from recurring was successful in clinical trials, with Moderna and Merck potentially launching commercially next year and with possible applications to other cancers. Violent crime also dropped nearly 10% in 2025, the largest single-year decline since the FBI started tracking in 1936, with murder down 18% and robbery down 18.5%, which is the kind of news that deserves more attention than it's getting. Now back to regularly scheduled shenanigans. The Army is offering soldiers four days off to play Grand Theft Auto 6 as a re-enlistment incentive, and at least 20 have signed up, which says something about both the state of military recruitment and the anticipation for GTA 6. Elon Musk is reportedly planning to spend $100-200 million on the midterms, with a focus on helping Ken Paxton win a Texas Senate seat — Paxton has raised $9 million to James Talarico's $69 million, so Elon's money is going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting. In primary results, Trump's preferred Wyoming governor candidate lost to an experienced state legislator, and Alaska's jungle primary produced a genuinely chaotic situation where two Dan Sullivans are running — the incumbent Republican senator and a retired schoolteacher who argues he's been Dan Sullivan longer, which is technically true. And finally, Harry and Meghan are reportedly moving back to the UK with Archie and Lilibet, not as working royals, which means those HRH titles are about to get a workout. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Trump shows off his new helipad, brags about construction projects MS Now: Trump aide Natalie Harp worked at the White House without security clearance for a year  Reuters: US could cut key tariffs as part of proposed Canada deal, source says CNBC: U.S. government debt passes $40 trillion, more than doubling in a decade Variety: US Army Offering Soldiers Four Days Off to Play 'GTA 6' if They Reenlist Axios: Moderna and Merck shares soar on mRNA cancer vaccine Axios: FBI: 2025 had biggest violent-crime drop in 90 years WaPo: 8 takeaways and surprises from Florida, Wyoming and Alaska primaries Wired: Elon Musk Is Expected to Point His Money Machine at Texas Politics AP News: Prince Harry and Meghan are returning to the UK with their children, British newspaper says** 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

Today's Headlines: The Trump family received a conditional bank charter for their crypto firm World Liberty Financial — co-run by Eric Trump and Steve Witkoff's son — allowing them to issue their own stablecoins, which means more money for them and more risk in the financial system. Meanwhile, Disney and ABC are suing the FCC for retaliating against them politically by reviewing their broadcast licenses two years early over Jimmy Kimmel, The View, and DEI — citing Trump's own Truth Social posts. In other news, Meta's jury trial started in California with four states seeking billions in damages and platform reforms, alleging the company deliberately designed addictive features for children, studied how to maximize that addiction, and collected data on under-13s without parental consent while hiding all of it — with 25 more states going to trial later.  A DOJ whistleblower filed a complaint alleging the Ivy League antisemitism task force pressured universities into settlements with little to no evidence, calling the investigations "predetermined" political PR stunts designed to suspend federal funding — with career attorneys overruled when they objected. Pete Hegseth flew to Iowa on a taxpayer-funded military aircraft in his "personal capacity" to explore a 2028 presidential run while sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln are still stranded at sea, ships are being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, and at least one sailor was killed near Oman. Trump is also pushing aides to arrange a Kim Jong Un meeting this fall, apparently believing he can convince North Korea to give up a nuclear program they've been building since the 1990s, while simultaneously saying the Strait of Hormuz is under control as two more ships were attacked. In more food recall news, Outshine fruit bars were recalled nationwide due to possible glass contamination, because apparently popsicles are also not safe anymore. And finally, Florida primary results are in: Trump's pick Byron Donalds will face Democrat David Jolly in the governor's race, and abusive congressman Cory Mills lost his seat. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNBC: Trump family-backed crypto firm World Liberty gets conditional bank charter approval CNN: Disney sues Trump’s FCC over ‘retaliatory campaign’ against ABC AP News:Trial for Meta begins with states arguing its platforms preyed on vulnerability of young brains  NYT: Outshine Frozen Fruit Bars Recalled Over Glass Contamination Concern WaPo: Politics drove antisemitism probes against Ivy League schools, DOJ whistleblower says  WSJ: Trump Pushes for Kim Jong Un Meeting This Year NYT: Two Ships Transiting Strait of Hormuz Are Attacked as Oil Prices Rise WaPo: Hegseth travels to Iowa in his ‘personal capacity’ amid 2028 speculation NYT: Election Live Updates: Democratic Socialist Scores Florida Upset in Latest Victory for Progressives 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

Today's Headlines: Trump threatened to "bomb the shit out of" Oman — a longtime US ally and the country currently facilitating Iran negotiations — because Iran and Oman are having side talks about the Strait of Hormuz that don't include him, and when asked why, he said "I don't think they behave very well," which confused even Fox News. Jared Kushner and Netanyahu spent several hours reaching the conclusion that Hamas should hand over weapons to an American general before any Gaza reconstruction begins, Netanyahu won't redeploy the IDF, and two working groups will be formed — all of which Netanyahu is navigating with one eye on his October reelection, so temper expectations accordingly. On the public health beat, the FDA upgraded the 20 million egg recall to its highest-risk classification, meaning the salmonella could cause death, with additional recalls hitting jalapeños, potato chips, frozen pizza, dog food, and lactation granola — check fda.gov for the full list. Kindergarten vaccination rates declined for every tracked vaccine this year, with exemption rates rising in 41 states from 3.6% to 4.2%, and 24 states now above 5% — which sounds small until you remember that's all it takes to collapse herd immunity. Meanwhile, Google bought 100 million Spirit Airlines emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams chats for $10 million at bankruptcy auction to train its AI. In court updates, the Supreme Court again denied Trump's attempt to escape paying E. Jean Carroll $5 million, without elaborating, while he still owes her another $83 million on a separate verdict they haven't weighed in on yet. Luigi Mangione's state murder trial is postponed indefinitely while his lawyers pursue double jeopardy arguments and Jill Stein has an arrest warrant after skipping a hearing for allegedly kicking a cop at a Gaza protest. One last thing, polls are open today for the Florida and Alaska primaries, so go vote! Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Dems plan Oman war powers push after Trump threatens bombing NBC News: Kushner and Netanyahu agree U.S. general should oversee Hamas ‘demilitarization,’ source says NYT: FDA Classifies Egg Recall as Class I for Highest Health Risk  Gizmodo: Granola Is the Latest Recall in America's Salmonella-Drenched Food System Axios: Kindergarten vaccine exemptions rose in 2025-2026: CDC Axios: Google wins bankruptcy auction for Spirit Airlines emails, chats, documents WaPo: Supreme Court rebuffs Trump’s bid to overturn $5 million verdict in Carroll case AP News: Luigi Mangione’s state murder trial postponed indefinitely amid double jeopardy fight STL MagazineL: St. Louis judge issues warrant for Jill Stein’s arrest  AP News: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Florida’s state primary 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

Today's Headlines: Todd Blanche went on Meet the Press and admitted he cannot pledge DOJ independence from the White House, and that the DOJ may ask the Supreme Court to intervene in 22 cases where judges blocked Trump's election interference efforts — specifically the administration's attempt to get voter rolls including names, addresses, and partial social security numbers from 30 states and DC. Trump also asked the Supreme Court to let him finish the $900 million White House renovation after courts ordered construction to stop by August 21st, now openly calling it a "national security structure" and "military complex" rather than a ballroom, posting an AI-generated video of himself consulting AI George Washington about the design, and accusing the people who sued him of treason for "revealing top military secrets" — about a ballroom. He also wants to redesign the entire Navy aircraft carrier fleet to look like World War 2 ships at $22 billion each. Meanwhile, families of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln spoke to the Guardian describing relatives who lost 20-30 pounds, no clean drinking water, sparse food, and a five-week wait to see the ship's only psychiatrist — and when Trump was asked if the sailors had been deployed too long, he said they hadn't been deployed long enough. A detail the administration has not been eager to divulge is that Iran destroyed the Bahrain port where US Navy ships would normally dock, so every American warship in the region has nowhere to resupply. Trump also reduced joint military exercises with South Korea to please Kim Jong Un, posting a throwback photo of the two of them and noting they have "many where we're smiling" — sure, Donald. Jared Kushner met with Hamas in Egypt where they reaffirmed their commitment to disarming, which Netanyahu doesn't believe. In other news, Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to two federal stalking charges and his lawyers are using the plea to argue double jeopardy on state charges, while his New York murder trial still starts next month. And finally,  Lake Mead and Lake Powell — the two largest reservoirs supplying water to seven western states — hit their lowest levels in seven decades, because July was the hottest month on record and winter was the driest. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Attorney General Todd Blanche says DOJ may take states’ voter roll fight to Supreme Court Axios: Trump shrugs off concerns about dismal conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln The Guardian: Families of US sailors denounce Trump and Hegseth for ‘dismissing their experiences and calling them liars’ | US military WaPo: Navy weighs major warship redesign to match Trump’s preferences WaPo: Trump says White House needs ‘military complex’ as courts block his ballroom WaPo: Trump reduces military exercises with South Korea, citing good ties with Kim Jong Un Axios: Hamas leaders tell Kushner they will demilitarize Gaza, sources say Axios: Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to stalking slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson AP News: Lake Powell hits record low, threatening key water and electricity supply for millions 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

Today's Headlines: The USS Abraham Lincoln is being replaced by the USS George Washington after reporting that sailors who had been at sea for over 250 days without disembarking attempted to take their own lives — Hegseth insists the conditions are being "completely misrepresented," Democrats in Congress are demanding answers, and the Pentagon quietly swapping out the carrier while denying there's a problem is its own kind of answer. Meanwhile, US intelligence officials were actually fairly skeptical about the credibility of the Iran assassination threat that sent Trump fleeing Air Force One in a catering truck, and it was relayed to the CIA by the Israeli government — with some suggesting it was designed to pressure Trump into restarting the war. In Trump drama news, The Kennedy Center's board voted to defy a federal court order and restore Trump's name to the facade — now reading "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump" — before closing for two years of renovations, because nothing says respect for the arts like slapping your name on a building and then shutting it down. A federal judge dismissed the DOJ's lawsuit against Harvard over alleged antisemitism on campus, calling the cases "too isolated and episodic" to prove a civil rights violation, and the DOJ is already assessing next steps. And finally, Luigi Mangione is expected to appear in federal court today to potentially plead guilty to federal charges, while his state murder trial is still set for September 8th — and if he pleads guilty federally, his attorneys could argue double jeopardy to get the state charges dismissed. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: USS Abraham Lincoln to be replaced amid poor conditions for troops deployed to Middle East WaPo: CIA had ‘low confidence’ in Iranian threat before Trump switched planes in Turkey AP News: Kennedy Center votes to restore Trump's name and close for 2 years, challenging a judge's order AP News: Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit alleging antisemitism at Harvard University CNN: Luigi Mangione could plead guilty in federal case as soon as Friday  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

Today's Headlines: Karoline Leavitt is leaving her job as White House Press Secretary at the end of August, officially to spend more time with her family, though the timing — coming weeks after her boss used the press corps as an Iran assassination decoy — raises some questions. On the never-ending reflecting pool drama, Jeanine Pirro convened a rare special grand jury to investigate the reflecting pool vandalism case, even after admitting there's no case against the former Olympian they arrested. Meanwhile, cyberattacks have hit water systems in 12 states over the past few years, with 30 Minnesota systems targeted last month alone, and what remains of US cyber intelligence confirmed Iran did it — but Trump is blaming Tim Walz, because of course he is. In other news, multiple US Navy sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have attempted to jump overboard during a record 250-consecutive-day deployment with severe shortages of soap, toothpaste, hot water, food, and toilet paper, and Pete Hegseth — who built himself a personal salon at the Pentagon — called their accounts "fake news." Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are buying the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5 billion, pending NBA board approval, from an insurance billionaire currently under investigation, so something is sus about this one. In primary results, DSA candidate Francesca Hong lost the Wisconsin governor's Democratic primary to David Crowley — who had dropped out and then re-entered after Tony Evers panicked — Mike Lindell lost the Minnesota Republican governor primary and is claiming voter fraud, and Lindsey Graham's sister Darlindsey fell short of 50% in South Carolina heading to a runoff against congressman Ralph Norman on August 25th. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Karoline Leavitt stepping down as White House press secretary ESPN: Sources: Josh Kushner, Bob Iger to buy Lakers for $12.5B NYT: University of Michigan Will Ease Up on Grades for Student Mental Health WaPo: Pirro, in rare move, convenes special grand jury in Washington WaPo: Water systems are ripe for cyberattacks, experts warn after suspected Iranian hacks The Guardian: USS Abraham Lincoln sailors tried to jump overboard amid extended deployment – reports | US military 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

Today's Headlines: Trump secretly escaped Air Force One in a catering truck at the NATO summit in Turkey due to an Iranian assassination threat — leaving the press corps and cabinet members including Marco Rubio sitting inside the plane he'd just abandoned as a decoy. The plane he fled was the Qatari hand-me-down that clearly wasn't secure enough for the president. When asked if he'd declare a national emergency around the November midterms, Trump said "stranger things have happened, I'll leave it at that" and then actually left it at that, which is alarming, to say the least. Meanwhile, the DOJ deployed election monitors to Minnesota's two biggest counties for their primary elections, a federal judge blocked Trump's postal service mail-in voting restrictions, and Todd Blanche is apparently discussing using ICE at polling places, so the election interference infrastructure is coming together nicely. On the corruption beat, the Antwerp World Diamond Center gave Trump a ring the size of a watch with 300 diamonds, dozens of sapphires, two giant T's, and "crafted in Antwerp for Donald John Trump" engraved on it — and weeks later the Trump administration approved a tariff exemption for Belgium's diamond industry, prompting Elizabeth Warren to send a strongly worded letter. Moving on to Immigration, ICE is planning to spend $20 million on electric shock gloves for agents, made by a company called Compliant Technologies, because subtlety is not the vibe. And finally, a new study found that dogs can distinguish between fear, anger, and sadness in human facial expressions with more nuance than previously known, which is genuinely good news and the only story today that doesn't require a drink afterward. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Contradicting public statements, Trump took secret flight from Turkey amid Iranian threat The Independent: Trump doesn’t deny a possible federal takeover of elections: ‘Stranger things have happened’ The Guardian: Polls close in South Carolina, where Republicans brace for runoff in race to replace Lindsey Graham – live Axios: Trump's mail-in voting restrictions blocked nationwide by federal judge AP News: Belgian diamond group that won tariff relief gifted Trump a lavishly encrusted ring AP News: AP Exclusive: ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks  WaPo: Dogs can tell when you're happy, scared or sad, new brain scans show 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

Today's Headlines: Trump signed an executive order overriding the CDC's vaccine schedule authority, requiring the MMR vaccine to be broken into three separate shots at separate visits — while claiming he broke up his own kids' vaccines into five stops because he's "seen proof" that vaccines cause autism, which he described as a soda bottle poured into a child's body. Trump also admitted there was "some contractor error" with the reflecting pool while continuing to accuse a former Olympian of vandalism even though charges were dropped, and appointed a Project 2025 co-author as inspector general of the department that will review the reflecting pool renovation. On the tech beat, Meta and TikTok lost their attempt to dismiss thousands of lawsuits claiming their platforms are deliberately addictive and harmful to teenagers. Mark Zuckerberg responded to the cultural moment by releasing a 6,500-word AI manifesto arguing everyone's concerns are overblown and America needs to beat China anyway. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders sent a strongly worded letter urging OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta to pause AI development, citing all three companies reporting their own models going rogue in recent weeks and a petition signed by over 1,200 AI employees calling for an international safety framework. In scary weather news, July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States going back to 1895, with NOAA forecasting more of the same through August. Finally, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake — the strongest recorded in the 21st century — hit Colombia and Ecuador, killing at least 111 people with many still missing. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Trump signs order attempting to override CDC vaccine schedule and break up MMR shots The Hill: Trump says there was ‘some contractor error’ during Reflecting Pool renovation WaPo: Trump nominates loyalist to office that would oversee Reflecting Pool review WaPo: Patriot Games open with dodgeball, lots of MAGA caps and even more questions Axios: Meta, others lose appeal to drop thousands of social media addiction lawsuits Axios: Zuckerberg: AI's biggest risk is one entity with too much control  Axios: Exclusive: Sanders calls for AI development pause Axios: The U.S. just had its hottest month on record AP News: 7.4 magnitude quake strikes western Colombia, killing scores of people 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

Today's Headlines: Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general 50-49 at 4am on Saturday — with spineless Bill Cassidy, who already lost his Senate seat thanks to Trump, casting the deciding vote anyway — cementing the man responsible for Ghislaine Maxwell's emotional support puppy as the top law enforcement officer in the United States. On an equally depressing note, Ohio congressman Max Miller, facing allegations of holding his daughter's stuffed bunny hostage among significantly more violent accusations, missed the deadline to drop out of his reelection race. Speaking of people with no shame, Meta was caught paying neo-Nazis through its invitation-only monetization program, including a white supremacist site banned from X for hate speech. Pivoting to international grifts, a Trump-linked oil company literally called Greenland Energy — incorporated last year by a Trump associate, with Dr. Phil retained to document the whole thing — is preparing to drill in Greenland without permission from Greenland, because why ask. On the war beat, the Pentagon is running dangerously low on weapons and gave defense companies three weeks to scale production, while Trump described ongoing Iran negotiations as "lowkeying it" and "like a chess game," and Iran announced it won't reopen the Strait until the US withdraws, ends the war, unfreezes assets, lifts sanctions, and pays damages — so just a few small asks. Netanyahu rejected Trump's 15-point Gaza plan, Hamas won't disarm until Israel leaves, Israel won't leave until Hamas disarms, and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a mutual defense pact declaring an attack on one is an attack on all, which is either stabilizing or the beginning of something much worse. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: How each senator voted on Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation Axios: Max Miller stays in as GOP replacement window closes Futurism: Meta Caught Paying Nazis to Post on Facebook The Guardian: Greenland issues ‘strong warning’ as Trump-linked oil firm prepares to drill Reuters: Trump administration to invest $3 billion in minerals projects to boost US defense supply chains WaPo: Pentagon presses defense firms to build weapons as Iran war depletes stocks NBC News: Iran sets out steep demands for reopening Hormuz despite hopes Oman deal could break impasse Axios: Trump to Axios: "We are low-keying it" with Iran NBC News: Israel rejects Trump’s 15-point plan for Gaza, Netanyahu says NBC News: Pakistan says new defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey is ‘purely defensive’ and open to others 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

Today's Headlines: Iran may have hacked over 30 Minnesota water systems, with the FBI investigating amid existing warnings that Iranian hackers have been specifically targeting water and wastewater infrastructure. Speaking of hacking, Anthropic's AI models hacked into three companies during tests, topping OpenAI's model which only hacked one, which is either a quality gap or a concerning arms race depending on how you look at it. On this administration’s shenanigans, Trump is threatening to pull Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination after Cornyn and Tillis refused to vote for him, though his plan appears to be waiting until their terms end and his preferred replacements take their seats — and a new court filing in the Comey case reveals that Trump's Secret Service tracked Comey's cellphone without a warrant in real time, coordinating directly with the DOJ and updating Air Force One, including while Comey stopped to visit his deceased son's grave, with one Secret Service agent noting internally that pinging the phone was "legally a bad idea." On the war beat, Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Gaza, with neither Hamas nor Israel confirming any of it and no official timeline provided. The US continues heavy strikes on Iran while Saudi Arabia announced 14 countries have agreed to form a Maritime Defense Alliance to protect international shipping. Finally, two new studies confirmed that Europe's catastrophic wildfires were made significantly worse by human-caused climate change, with Spain's fire conditions made 20 times more likely and France's doubled, and scientists noting that no amount of money for fire prevention helps when climate conditions are this extreme — cool, cool.  Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Cyberattacks on Minnesota water systems investigated as officials warn about Iranian hackers WSJ: Anthropic AI Models Hacked Three Companies During Tests WSJ: Trump Threatens to Pull Blanche Pick in Clash With ‘Wounded Bear’ Senators MS Now: Secret Service felt pressure from administration to surveil James Comey, new documents reveal AP News: Trump announces a deal for Hamas to disarm in Gaza, but many hurdles and uncertainty remain CNN: Saudi Arabia says 14 countries backing maritime alliance to protect shipping routes AP News: Human-caused climate change made Spanish, French fires much more likely, scientists calculate 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

Today's Headlines: Congress was quite busy. Rand Paul turned the Senate into a personal vendetta circus, dragging Anthony Fauci in for a hearing where he pleaded the Fifth almost 100 times — because the entire point was to find something to criminally prosecute him for despite Biden's preemptive pardon — and Paul is now threatening to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for asserting his constitutional right. Todd Blanche's attorney general confirmation vote was cancelled because Thom Tillis and John Cornyn want the bare minimum assurance that he won't create Trump's insurrectionist slush fund or give Trump permanent IRS immunity — things Blanche won't promise — though both senators still ultimately want to vote for him, so there really is no point to this. Jay Clayton, who has zero intelligence or national security experience, was confirmed as Director of National Intelligence anyway, because experience is optional now. On the war beat, Iran launched a ballistic missile strike on a US base in Jordan, Trump told Fox News the US would "beat the f*****g shit out of them," the US and Saudi Arabia jointly struck Iranian-aligned militants in Iraq, and then Iranian drones set two ships on fire in an Egyptian port in what Iranian sources called a demonstration that "global shipping and energy supplies could be more deeply disrupted." Trump called it "more of the same" and said "it's our turn to hit them," he must think war works like the game Battleship. In election interference news, Elon Musk is reviving his America PAC for the midterms after spending $250 million to elect Trump in 2024, with plans for door-knocking, digital ads, and direct mail — and has reportedly been talking to Trump's team about how he can be most helpful. And finally, The Federal Reserve voted 9-3 to keep interest rates between 3.5 and 3.75%, with the three dissenting votes wanting a rate increase due to persistent inflation, which is not the news anyone wanted. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Rand Paul threatens to hold Fauci in contempt after he declines to answer questions NYT: Senators Cornyn and Tillis Threaten to Block Blanche Nomination Over Trump’s IRS Deal CNN: Trump’s new intelligence chief takes over an office in turmoil Axios: Exclusive: Musk plans massive push for GOP in midterms NYT: Iran War Live Updates: U.S. Begins New Wave of Attacks on Iran, Military Says Axios:U.S. launches fresh airstrikes in Iran AP News: Trump announces a $22.5B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate the 'people movers' WSJ: Fed Holds Rates Steady but Three Officials Vote for Increase 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

Today's Headlines: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued Mitch McConnell an ultimatum — prove you can serve or resign — pointing out that if Mitch can chat with Scott Jennings for 20 minutes he can call into a Kentucky news station. Lindsey Graham's memorial service at the Capitol brought together an unlikely guest list including Zelensky and Netanyahu, both of whom used the funeral as an opportunity for behind-closed-doors Trump meetings — Netanyahu called it "one of the best conversations I've had with Trump, and Zelensky said it was "good" and they discussed Patriot missiles and Ukraine diplomacy. In other Trump adjacent news, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced plans to sell a $20 billion stake in the World Cup to private investors led by Thrive Capital, owned by Jared Kushner's brother Joshua Kushner and his wife Karlie Kloss, because of course it is, with reactions from FIFA's 211 member associations being nearly universally negative. On the AI beat, AI companies are now buying rare books in bulk and destroying them to scan the pages for model training, because they've run out of internet content that isn't their own slop. Additionally, Elon Musk is suing the state of Minnesota over its ban on AI nudification, arguing that generating non-consensual sexual images of people without their knowledge is "free speech." Finally, ICE agents are going undercover at at least 15 airports nationwide to arrest foreign nationals with expired visas while traveling — including spouses of American citizens — using airline data shared through TSA, and the administration simultaneously created a new rule channeling nearly half a million asylum seekers directly into deportation proceedings without a hearing, because due process is apparently optional now. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Speak or resign: Beshear ups demand for McConnell health status AP News: Lindsey Graham eulogized as an 'American original' with global reach CNBC:Netanyahu, Zelenskyy come to DC for Graham's funeral, meetings with Trump amid wars WSJ: FIFA Explores Stake Sale in New $20 Billion Entity Futurism: AI Companies Are Buying Antique Books, Ingesting Their Contents to Train Models, and Then Destroying Them at Incredible Scale KARE 11: Elon Musk's X.AI sues to block Minnesota's AI nudification ban, calling it a 'ban on free speech' NYT: ICE Arrests Surge at Airports, Opening New Front in Deportation Drive WaPo: Asylum seekers could be sent directly to deportation court under new rule 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

Today's Headlines: Mitch McConnell's office released a photo with his wife and a doctor's note confirming he's still in a rehab facility and won't make it to the Fancy Farm Kentucky annual picnic, because THAT’S what everyone was concerned about. To add to the depraved and morally corrupt Republicans news, Ohio congressman Max Miller, whose ex-wife filed roughly 2,000 pages of court documents alleging he threw boiling water at her, pointed a gun at her head, and broke their two-year-old daughter's collarbone, is being defended by House Speaker Mike Johnson who said "the key word is allegation" — while Pete Buttigieg was separated from his four-year-old twins for 24 hours over a completely fabricated CPS tip from someone police later called "possibly mentally unstable," which Michigan police waited six days to even begin investigating, so the system is working great. The DNC is also in crisis, with chair Ken Martin reportedly throwing his phone at a staffer, the party so deep in debt it's asking vendors to invoice them after November, and paying $75,000 a month in loan interest. On the immigration beat, ICE built a surveillance database monitoring protesters using facial recognition, license plate scanning, and DNA collection, which was documented in a police report obtained by Mother Jones — the same outlet that found at least 59 ICE and CBP agents have been accused of sexual and violent crimes in the past two decades, 50 of them sex crimes many involving children, while a top DHS statistics official resigned citing the administration's "war on immigrants." In other news, Trump asked the Supreme Court to reinstate his mail-in voting executive order that a federal appeals court already blocked for threatening to disenfranchise eligible voters. Trump says Iran came back to the table seeking peace talks, Iran says that's not true, and a Ukrainian drone hit an Iranian supply line running to Russia — meaning the Iran and Ukraine wars have officially converged. And finally, France recorded its first ever pyrocumulonimbus cloud — a fire-generated storm system that French firefighters called "an operational impossibility, a natural force beyond our control."  Resources/Articles mentioned: Rolling Stone: MAGA Rep. Allegedly Assaulted Wife, Put Gun to Her Head. Republicans Don't Care WaPo: Police vetted dubious allegation only after Buttigieg was separated from children  NYT: Inside the Phone-Throwing Drama at the Troubled, Broke Democratic Party NBC News: Mitch McConnell releases health update, saying he’s not ready to return to work yet  WaPo: Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow new limits on mail ballots Mother Jones: Records Reveal How Homeland Security Agents Surveilled ICE Protesters Mother Jones: Report: Dozens of ICE and CBP Agents Have Abused Women and Children Wired: DHS Official Resigns, Citing ‘War on Immigrants’ CNN: Live updates: Trump says US halted strikes on Iran at Tehran’s request WSJ: Two Wars Converge in the Caspian Sea as Ukraine Hits Iranian Supply Line to Russia WIRED: France Records Its First-Ever Pyrocumulonimbus Cloud Amid Record-Smashing Fires 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

Today's Headlines: The White House Correspondents Dinner happened over the weekend — Trump did an hour of his greatest hits, mocked Kaitlin Collins and his own guest Nicki Minaj, and Wolf Blitzer presented the Wall Street Journal with an award for uncovering Trump's Epstein ties while noting the reporter had to move after Trump doxxed her home address in a lawsuit, which is a sentence about the current state of press freedom. The Trump administration is moving to rename New York Penn Station — renderings obtained by Gothamist already show a presidential seal with Trump's name on it — because courts blocked his Kennedy Center name and apparently he needs a replacement trophy. Meanwhile, court documents from an Energy Department lawsuit revealed that the administration canceled $7.5 billion in energy grants to states specifically because they voted for Kamala Harris and have two Democratic senators, with an Energy Department attorney explicitly stating there was no programmatic or performance-based reason for the cancellations, which is actually quite honest. In food safety news, nineteen million eggs have been recalled for salmonella across 17 states with nearly 100 people sickened and 26 hospitalized, meaning the lettuce, beef, and now eggs are all compromised simultaneously, MAHA. On the war beat, Iran strikes were paused for two days to give negotiations "some space," days after Trump said he was considering an attack "bigger than ever before," while the Pentagon quietly removed four recently killed service members from the official Iran war casualty count because they died after the "ceasefire" — and the injury count fluctuated between 482 and 420 on the Pentagon's own website. This week: Zelensky visits the White House Tuesday, the US and UK are meeting in London to find countries willing to help with the Strait of Hormuz, and Sam Altman is heading to DC to pitch the government on approving the AI model that autonomously hacked another company last week. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Nearly 100 Cases of Salmonella Tied to Voluntary Recall of 19 Million Eggs NYT: At Correspondents’ Dinner, a Rambling Trump Hurls Insults The New Republic: Trump Team Moves to Rename New York’s Penn Station NYT: Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him Axios: Dems' 2028 primary schedule angers some progressives WaPo: Trump wants to give U.S.-Iran talks ‘some space’ as he weighs escalation, aide says  AP News: Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting Axios: Trump to meet Zelensky at White House Tuesday Axios: Scoop: U.S., U.K. planning international conference on Strait of Hormuz Axios: What OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will tell the White House this week 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

Today's Headlines: Trump announced a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, then posted a P.S. the next day conditioning the whole thing on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel — a condition so significant it threw the entire deal into jeopardy before Congress even had a chance to reject it — while simultaneously telling Axios he's "close" to ordering a massive Iran strike "bigger than ever before" and that Israel would "join in two minutes" if asked, which is a casual thing to say about starting a regional war. The House passed a War Powers resolution to stop Trump's Iran strikes with four Republicans joining Democrats, oil hit $100 a barrel, the Houthis started attacking tankers in the Red Sea, and the Senate rejected the House resolution roughly 24 hours later, so that was a fun emotional rollercoaster. The Trump administration also quietly imposed new tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 countries at midnight, using an expiring tariff program as legal cover because their authority to do so is, in their own words, light. In other news, The DOJ withdrew its subpoenas for New York Times journalists' phone records — including their spouses and mothers — after a judge spent an hour in court making clear how unacceptable it was, though they say the underlying leak investigation continues, so the retreat is partial at best. And finally, the death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells in Mississippi — who went missing on July 4th under suspicious circumstances and was found dead two days later — is getting significant attention, with questions about why one of his friends had his phone and car keys without mentioning it, a local judge parent writing a lengthy essay about her son's innocence, law enforcement immediately ruling out foul play, and the state medical examiner keeping parts of Nolan's body that would have been critical in determining cause of death, while the independent autopsy came back inconclusive. He was the only Black boy on a boat with four white kids in Mississippi, and Nancy Grace has entered the chat, so this story isn't going anywhere. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Trump adds condition to Saudi nuclear deal: Normalizing relations with Israel Axios: Exclusive: Trump "close" to decision on "massive attack" on Iran NYT: House Rebukes Trump on Iran in War Powers Vote as Senate Blocks Debate AP News: Brent oil tops $100 per barrel, as tumbles for Tesla and Alphabet yank Wall Street lower BBC: Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi tanker as US launches more Iran strikes  WaPo: House votes to restrain Trump on Iran as Senate fails to advance similar measure Axios: Trump rebuilds trade regime with new tariffs on global trading partners NYT: U.S. Withdraws Subpoenas Issued to New York Times Journalists AP News: What to know about the autopsy and investigation into Nolan Wells' death 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

Today's Headlines: Trump attended the dignified transfer of four service members killed in Iran, then immediately posted that the US would bomb a bridge or power plant in Tehran every time Iran fires anything at a Strait of Hormuz ship — which legal experts would describe as a war crime — before heading to Georgia for a rally where he called the Iran war a "skirmish," invented a weak nickname for Jon Ossoff, and called affordability a Democratic scam, while a guy behind him spent the whole time visibly mocking him. The US also signed a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia giving it a path to enriching uranium — with weaker inspection requirements than Obama's Iran deal — which is a fascinating position for an administration that says Iran can never enrich uranium, while also considering military strikes in Mali against an al-Qaeda affiliate, while letting Saudi Arabia, which harbored the al-Qaeda operatives who planned 9/11, enrich nuclear material, make it make sense. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a $95 billion budget bill covering the Iran war, farmer tariff bailouts, and voting law changes, plus a stock trading ban that exempts the president from the ban on stock trading — which is the entire point of a stock trading ban — with a random voter ID requirement inserted for good measure. Republicans also sent a criminal referral for Jack Smith to the DOJ for allegedly lying about reading their text messages during his Trump investigations, which is a bold move from the party currently under investigation for everything. Three election deniers endorsed by Trump won Arizona primary races for offices that will directly influence certifying the 2028 election, with OG election denier Andy Biggs winning the Republican governor's primary to face Katie Hobbs in November. And OpenAI announced that its own AI system autonomously hacked into another AI company called Hugging Face in what they called an "unprecedented cyber incident."  Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Trump administration weighs military options in Mali, officials say NBC News: Trump attends dignified transfer of 4 service members killed in Iran attacks since the ceasefire ended The Guardian: Trump scoffs at ‘affordability’ as he touts economic policies at Georgia rally | Donald Trump WaPo: U.S. signs nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that gives it path to enriching fuel NYT: House Adopts $95 Billion G.O.P. Budget for Iran War AP News: House votes to limit stock trading by members of Congress, elevating a campaign issue Fox News: Jack Smith hit with criminal referral as GOP moves testimony fight toward prosecution WaPo: Arizona primary takeaways: Trump’s picks prevail and a House Democrat survives AP News: OpenAI says its AI technology acted on its own in an 'unprecedented' hack of another company  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

Today's Headlines: Pete Hegseth went to Congress to ask for $1.5 trillion more for the Iran war — on top of the $37.5 billion already spent — while the Pentagon has been quietly underreporting troop injuries, with the New York Times revealing over 400 Americans have been hurt, nearly 100 just in July, which the Pentagon characterized as "mostly mild concussions" which is indeed, an injury. The 17 service members killed in a war we supposedly won several times were also not mentioned with particular urgency. In another Oval Office mess of an interview, Trump met with Lebanon's president to discuss the Israel-Lebanon peace agreement, then took press questions and downplayed Chinese election interference the week after his entire primetime election fraud circus, because consistency is not the vibe. On the election beat, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that a software glitch registered over 6,600 noncitizens to vote between 2023 and 2024, with fewer than 400 ultimately voting — a mix of Democrats, Republicans, and independents — the glitch was fixed in 2024, the vendor was fired, ineligible voters were removed, and Trump is going to love every second of this regardless of context. Graham Platner's replacement in the Maine Senate race is state legislator Troy Jackson, who secured the nomination and had reporting drop about his temper within 24 hours — including allegedly throwing a water bottle during a meeting about red flag gun laws. On public health, cyclosporiasis cases hit a record high with over 4,100 confirmed and 7,400 more under investigation, and measles cases reached a 35-year record with nearly 2,300 cases — the highest since measles was eliminated from the US in 2000 — and we're only halfway through the year. And finally, a judge ruled Trump must hand over detailed financial records for over 400 companies in a family trust as part of the defamation lawsuit he brought against the BBC over a January 6th documentary, which is the legal equivalent of suing someone and accidentally showing them your diary. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: Hegseth Estimates Cost of Iran War at $37.5 Billion NYT: Pentagon Withheld Dozens of U.S. Military Injuries in Iran War WaPo: Trump meets with Lebanese leader, pledges support for peace efforts with Israel CNN: Trump downplays Chinese election interference five days after describing breach of historic proportions  WaPo: Nearly 400 noncitizens voted in elections in New Jersey, governor says WaPo: Democrat set to replace Platner in Maine led state Senate with a temper NYT: Cyclosporiasis Cases in the United States Hit Record High  WaPo: U.S. measles cases hit 35-year record with months left in 2026  Politico: Judge says Trump must hand over financial records to BBC  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

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel scheduled a trip to Russia in October with no disclosed agenda or meeting list, which is a perfectly normal thing for the FBI director to do while leading an agency that investigates Russian interference. In tariff news, Trump dropped new tariffs on Canada — specifically cars, alcohol, cheese, and hockey sticks — on products covered by the USMCA trade deal he negotiated himself in 2020 and called "the best deal ever," though they don't kick in for 30 days so this is probably a stunt. Meanwhile, the cyclospora lettuce saga got weirder when the FDA announced the positive test on Taylor Farms lettuce was a "false positive" — conveniently after Taylor Farms donated a million dollars to Trump's super PAC in 2025, six days after the FDA delayed food traceability rules that would have applied to companies like Taylor Farms, and one day after Taylor Farms executives met with senior FDA officials before issuing their voluntary recall and blaming Taco Bell, so the whole thing smells like something other than lettuce. On ICE, the FBI will no longer investigate confrontations between ICE agents and civilians — essentially eliminating the only oversight ICE was ever exposed to — with responsibility for investigating ICE now falling to ICE itself, and traffic stops resuming less than 24 hours after DHS said they'd stop them. On a related press freedom note, the DOJ subpoenaed phone records of multiple New York Times journalists, at least two of their spouses, and one of their mothers, dating back to January 1st — long before their reporting on Trump's Qatari jet. A judge temporarily blocked the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger for two weeks, siding with 12 state attorneys general on antitrust grounds, which means Bari Weiss running CNN is on hold until at least August 3rd. On the election beat, Lindsey Graham's sister Darline — sworn in less than two weeks after her brother died — announced on Sean Hannity that she's running for the full six-year term, citing "inner peace," which is one way to process grief. And finally, on a genuinely positive note, Senator Andy Kim introduced MediKIDS, legislation that would automatically enroll every child at birth in health insurance through age 26, covering 4.4 million uninsured kids. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, citing disputes over autos, alcohol and cheese Reuters: US FDA says false-positive lettuce test doesn't change Taylor Farms cyclospora probe NYT: Federal Agents Were Told FBI Will No Longer Investigate ICE Confrontations NYT: Trump Administration Sought Phone Records of Times Journalists and Their Relatives NBC NEws: Judge pauses Paramount-Warner merger Politico: Sen. Darline Graham will run for full term to replace brother Lindsey Politico: FBI Director Kash Patel plans Russia trip 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

Today's Headlines: Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested in Miami by US Marshals at the UK's request, facing 59 total charges including rape, sex trafficking, assault, and charges related to indecent images of a child — their attorney says they're innocent, they'll fight extradition. On the corruption beat, Trump is now selling hedge funds early access to his Truth Social posts for $100,000 a month through a service called Truth API, which is institutionalized insider trading dressed up as a subscription service — and he owns 41% of the company selling it, so that's clean. Meanwhile, Trump's primetime election fraud document dump turned out to contain zero evidence of Chinese meddling or a deep state coverup, but did confirm that Russia was pushing the exact same Biden corruption narratives Trump was pushing in 2020 — which is not the smoking gun he was looking for. In other news, The State Department hosted a global left-wing terrorism summit led by Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller, with 60+ countries invited on short notice to discuss a threat that far-right extremists — responsible for over 75% of domestic terrorism deaths since 2001 — were not mentioned at, not even once. In war news, four US service members were killed after Iran struck Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan with ballistic missiles and drones, bringing the total American death toll to 17 since the war started, and Trump's response was to order the military to "open the gates of hell" on Iran. After the mystery explosive diarrhea culprit was discovered, Taylor Farms recalled all of its central Mexico iceberg lettuce across 27 states, with Walmart, Sysco, and Taco Bell pulling products, and the same lettuce supplies Chipotle, McDonald's, Costco, and Trader Joe's, so America's salad situation is complicated. And finally, Spain won the World Cup defeating Argentina 1-0 in overtime, Trump attended, got booed multiple times, and photobombed Spain's trophy photos by overstaying his welcome on stage. . Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrested in Miami, US Marshals Service tells AP CNN: Iceberg lettuce recalled in 27 states due to potential cyclospora contamination Time: Trump Media to Sell Traders ‘the Fastest’ Access to Truth Social Posts PBS: Trump says these documents prove his false claims of election fraud. Here's what they really say NBC News: At global gathering, Rubio and Miller urge world to defend against ‘radical leftism’ AP News: US announces another troop death as Israel warns Tehran's attacks are coming close AP News: Highlights: Spain beats Argentina 1-0 to win its second World Cup title 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

Today's Headlines: Trump's Big Boy speech was overhyped, overproduced, and deeply disappointing — with NBC and ABC refusing to air it. In true Donald fashion, he threatened to shut down both networks and the content itself were his greatest hits of repeatedly disproven 2020 election claims delivered at an off-pace that makes more sense now that we know his teleprompter operator was placed on leave for making $100,000 on Kalshi bets predicting the content of Trump's speeches — a guy who has operated Trump's teleprompter since 2016, personally takes his last-minute edits, and was questioned about how the January 6th speech came together. The actual upshot of the speech is that the administration plans to release thousands of declassified 2020 election documents and send letters to states they suspect of malfeasance, giving themselves cover to deploy election monitors and potentially troops in November. Meanwhile, Todd Blanche reluctantly met with Epstein survivors after Republican Senator Thom Tillis threatened to withhold his confirmation vote unless he did — survivor Liz Stein called it a box-checking exercise that had "absolutely nothing to do with them," Tillis immediately tweeted his commendation, and Blanche's confirmation is now essentially assured, which is the least surprising outcome imaginable. In a surprising shift, a hundred House Democrats — a third of the caucus — voted to cut off military aid to Israel, up significantly from 37 last time, right after California congressman Ro Khanna was detained for over an hour by armed Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank and released only after contacting the US embassy, with Ambassador Mike Huckabee calling it a stunt. In other news, the cyclosporiasis parasite outbreak has been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce at Taco Bell supplied by Taylor Farms across five states, with over 5,000 cases and 4,000 in Michigan alone. The Treasury's top tax policy official was pushed out after raising concerns that a White House request could violate IRS law carrying a five-year prison sentence — following the law cost him his job, which is exactly why the law exists. And eleven Republican lawmakers sent a formal letter to the WNBA demanding accountability for "racially motivated" attacks against Caitlin Clark, because weaponizing women's sports never goes out of style. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: Live updates: Trump delivers speech, claims declassified documents show US election vulnerabilities ABC News: White House teleprompter operator made more than $100K betting on Trump's speeches: Sources WSJ: Authorities Link Parasitic Outbreak to Taylor Farms Lettuce Supplied to Taco Bell CNN: Todd Blanche holds tense meeting with Epstein survivors after key GOP senator’s ultimatum  ESPN: In letter, lawmakers seek 'accountability' from WNBA on Clark Axios: Measure to cut Israel aid fails in bipartisan House vote The Hill: Khanna accuses Israeli military of ‘lying’ about West Bank incident that led to detainment WSJ: Top Treasury Tax Official Ousted After Clashes With White House Over IRS Audits 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

Today's Headlines: Pete Hegseth announced that the military will now annually screen all service members over 30 for testosterone deficiency with voluntary testing for under-30s who are concerned, and testosterone replacement therapy available to anyone who wants it — which is gender-affirming care, offered by the guy who banned gender-affirming care. In Congress hearings, Todd Blanche's attorney general confirmation hearing featured him calling himself "the president's lawyer — was the president's lawyer" in real time, being grilled about the Epstein files coverup, Ghislaine Maxwell's prison spa with an emotional support puppy, and the fake IRS settlement, while Texas Senator John Cornyn said he hasn't decided how to vote. Meanwhile, Jay Clayton, Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence overseeing all 18 spy agencies, spent his hearing refusing to say who won the 2020 election, offering only that Biden "was certified" — which is the kind of answer that tells you everything you need to know. On the Epstein files, Epstein's email friend Kathy Ruemmler testified that her emails with him were "taken out of context," which is the phrase everyone involved with Epstein eventually lands on, while JD Vance went on Joe Rogan and called himself "one of the OG Epstein conspiracy theorists," said Epstein had access to the highest levels of American and Israeli intelligence, and admitted the administration "absolutely screwed up" the files release — which is a remarkable set of statements from a sitting Vice President. Vance's Secret Service detail is also reportedly fed up with his family using military helicopters for his eight-year-old's golf lessons and house-hunting trips at $16-24,000 an hour. Finally, the widow of Corey Comperatore — killed at Trump's Butler rally — said in an interview she believes the assassination attempt was an "inside job" based on a government report showing the Secret Service missed over 100 local radio warnings about the shooter, and is hoping Trump will reach out to answer her questions,  and the Trump administration is considering requiring some green card applicants to post $100,000 bonds at US consulates abroad as a condition of their applications, with the money returned only after they become citizens — a five-year minimum process — and no word on who keeps the interest. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone NBC News: We can keep doing this': Ossoff questions Jay Clayton over who the 2020 presidential election WaPo: Blanche insists he’s not Trump’s ‘yes-man’ as attorney general vote looms WSJ: Kathryn Ruemmler Grilled in Congress Over Her Emails Joking With Jeffrey Epstein Axios: Vance: "We did" mishandle Epstein files release MS Now: Vance’s security detail ‘fed up’ with hastily arranged personal and family travel requests News Nation Now: Widow of Trump rally shooting victim talks report on Secret Service failures WSJ: U.S. Weighs Bond of $100,000 for Some Green-Card Applicants Abroad 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

Today's Headlines: ICE has halted most traffic stop arrests nationwide after killing two people in one week who weren't even their targets — and before that pause could even be properly announced, a third ICE-related death occurred in Florida when a man fleeing an early morning gas station stop was hit by a tractor-trailer, bringing the week's total to three. Elon Musk has been referred for potential criminal prosecution in Wisconsin after a bipartisan election board found probable cause he violated the state's bribery law by handing $1 million checks to voters during last year's Supreme Court race — his guy lost by ten points anyway, so the bribery was both illegal and ineffective. The Supreme Court is requesting $15 million in additional security funding after threats against justices jumped 25% last year and are expected to jump another 40% this year. On the Epstein Files beat, Todd Blanche's Senate confirmation hearing to become the real attorney general is today, right as New Mexico's attorney general accused him of obstructing the state's investigation into Epstein's Zorro Ranch — where documents allege Epstein had two women buried — so the timing is immaculate. On Iran, Trump dropped the Strait of Hormuz toll idea and went back to threatening Iranian civilian infrastructure, while also telling Netanyahu to pull Israeli troops out of Syria and Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Trump administration removed protections on nearly three million acres of Utah national monuments to allow drilling and mining, despite Utah officials saying there's little energy potential at Bears Ears and companies previously found Grand Staircase-Escalante's coal deposit unprofitable during Trump's first term — so the destruction is both gratuitous and pointless. And finally,  New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a one-year ban on data center construction in the state while assessing their environmental impact, which is the most rational thing anyone in government has done all week. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Trump Drops Plan to Charge Ships Fees in the Strait but Will Restore Blockade: Iran War Live Updates Axios: Scoop: Trump tells Netanyahu to move forces out of Syria and Lebanon CNN: Elon Musk likely broke the law by giving voters $1 million, Wisconsin board says Axios: Kagan: Threats against SCOTUS expected to soar MS Now: New Mexico’s AG says DOJ is stonewalling probe of Epstein ranch — again WaPo: Blanche to face skeptics in GOP after judge’s scathing criticism WaPo: ICE halts most traffic-stop arrests in wake of fatal shootings AP News: Man fleeing immigration officers in Florida is struck and killed by tractor trailer, police say Axios: Trump cuts nearly 3M acres from 2 Utah national monuments 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

Today's Headlines: Lindsey Graham's sister Darline Graham Nordone was appointed to his Senate seat within days of his death — never held office, framed as a neutral placeholder, and now South Carolina's first female senator, which would be more historic if it weren't handed to her by Trump as a favor. The FBI also showed up at Graham's DC home less than 48 hours after his death with at least 8 agents, claiming "abundance of caution" and "nothing indicated foul play." On the administration's ongoing efforts to undermine election integrity, Trump announced a primetime speech Thursday night, which MSNBC immediately reported will be used to declare the 2020 elections of Warnock and Ossoff illegitimate due to "voting machine vulnerabilities" — part of a broader whole-of-government effort to relitigate 2020 that includes a new White House task force run by Bill Pulte, whose dad is in the Epstein files, and thousands of pages of classified documents they claim show election irregularities. Two FBI agents in Atlanta were also fired for refusing to join the sham Georgia election probe. On Iran, US strikes on Iran entered their third consecutive night with the naval blockade back in full force, and Trump is now suggesting the US charge other countries tolls for Strait of Hormuz passage, which is a thing he said out loud. Meanwhile, ICE shot and killed a 26-year-old Colombian man named Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Maine — authorized to work, had a social security number, on his way to work, not even the person ICE was targeting — in front of his three-year-old daughter in Bluey pajamas in the backseat. There is no bodycam footage but plenty of iPhone witnesses, and hundreds immediately came out to protest. In yet another blow to our narrowing freedoms, Four New York Times reporters were subpoenaed at their homes on a Friday night in a probe run by Kash Patel, apparently because Trump was angry about reporting that his Qatari jet lacks adequate security, which is the most efficient abuse of FBI resources we've seen yet. Finally, we leave you with a little bit of hope. A federal judge voided Trump's fake IRS settlement, called it "collusion" and an "exercise in self-dealing," and referred Trump's lawyers and senior DOJ officials to state bar authorities for ethical review. And twelve state attorneys general sued to block the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger that would put Bari Weiss in charge of CNN, with Paramount threatening to leave California in response. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Lindsey Graham, chosen to fulfill remainder of his US Senate term The Hill: FBI visits Graham’s DC home Reuters: Trump to assert voting machine vulnerabilities in Thursday speech Yahoo: Two FBI agents fired for refusing to join Georgia 2020 election probe MS Now: Trump election task force to begin releasing classified intel documents AP News: Trump says US is ‘reinstating’ blockade on Iran in Strait of Hormuz AP News: ICE officer who fatally shot driver in Maine was 'fearing for public safety,' agency says Maine Morning Star: Hundreds protest fatal ICE shooting in Biddeford NYT: White House Directed Patel to Oversee Investigation Involving Times Reporting Reuters: U.S. judge finds Trump misused court in IRS case, refers lawyers for discipline Deadline: Paramount-WBD Merger Is Anti-Competitive, State AGs Allege In Proposed Action 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

Today's Headlines: Senator Lindsey Graham died Saturday night at 71 from a ruptured aorta, just hours after returning from Ukraine where he'd met with Zelensky and signed a new sanctions deal against Russia — the internet immediately blamed the Russians, his office says it was heart disease. South Carolina's governor will appoint a replacement to finish his term, a special Republican primary is set for August 11th, and Nancy Mace — who came in last in the governor's race one month ago — is already considering running against Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews, which would be must-see television. On a related note, Mitch McConnell's office finally released an actual photo proving he's alive, which matters more than usual this week since Graham's death made the Republican Senate majority even thinner. On the war beat, Trump bombed 140 targets across Iran on Saturday night, Iran responded by firing missiles and drones at US bases across Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and the UAE, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a statement promising revenge "whether he himself is dead or alive," which is ominous enough without needing to name Trump specifically. In election shenanigans, Trump fired all three members of the Election Assistance Commission by email ahead of the midterms and the DOJ is deploying election monitors to swing jurisdictions in six states. Meanwhile, Apple sued OpenAI for allegedly asking job candidates to bring Apple prototypes to interviews and having a former Apple employee download technical documents on a company laptop before jumping ship, which tracks with everything anyone knows about Sam Altman. A parasite called cyclosporiasis tied to contaminated produce has infected nearly 3,000 people across 31 states with prolonged diarrhea as the main symptom, the CDC is investigating. And finally, the bipartisan housing bill Trump refused to sign automatically became law after he failed to veto it within 10 days, because he either doesn't know or doesn't care how bills work. Resources/Articles mentioned: Politico: Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness,’ his office says WaPo: Lindsey Graham dies of aortic dissection, preliminary medical report says NYT: Lindsey Graham Was Facing Re-election in November. What Happens Now? X: Jake Sherman | Mitch McConnell Statement  NBC News: Trump ousts remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission ahead of midterms Newsweek: Map shows states where Trump admin is deploying election monitors WaPo: US strikes Iran again as it tries to limit attacks on ships on the Strait of Hormuz NBC News: Dozens hospitalized with cyclosporiasis as cases of gastrointestinal illness spike in 31 states CNBC: Apple sues OpenAI alleging trade secret theft, says scheme was 'at every level' The Hill: Bipartisan housing bill becomes law after Trump’s signature snub 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

Today's Headlines: Mitch McConnell is still missing with zero health updates, Elaine Chao's spokesperson says she left for China two days before he was hospitalized and has since returned. Mitch’s absence is now actively complicating Senate business since he sits on the Appropriations Committee that needs to pass a government funding bill by September 30th — so the republicans need him conscious and present, which remains unconfirmed. In other news, The Secret Service apparently made Trump swap planes leaving Turkey out of "an abundance of caution" over Iran escalation concerns about how quickly the Qatari hand-me-down was retrofitted, despite Trump insisting the plane is fine. Meanwhile the  White House columns are now covered in a tarp printed to look like the White House, which is a real thing that exists. On the Immigration beat, ICE shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national with no criminal record who had lived in the US for decades and was on his way to work, with federal officials claiming self-defense and no footage to back it up — and Mexico is now reportedly planning to file criminal complaints in the US over multiple ICE custody deaths, because apparently diplomatic complaints weren't getting through. In Texas, Ken Paxton, AG and Republican Senate candidate who literally just created a voter fraud tip line, appears to have voted at an address he hadn't lived at for over a year across six elections including the primary that made him the Republican nominee — information that only surfaced because of his divorce filings — and spent July 4th weekend in England with his alleged mistress, patriotic. On the cost of living beat, Walmart is cutting grocery prices by 12%, DeBeers is making its deepest diamond price cuts ever now that lab-grown diamonds have broken their monopoly, and the government is quietly changing how it calculates inflation in a way that will make the numbers look slightly better going forward, with timing that is, shall we say, convenient. Resources/Articles mentioned: WLKY: Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife releases statement amid his hospitalization WaPo: How Mitch McConnell’s absence complicates the Senate’s business and war funding ABC News: Secret Service urged Trump to depart Turkey on old Air Force One as a security precaution, sources say The Daily Beast: White House Gets Tacky Tarp Over Trump’s New Project AP News: Family demands an independent probe after ICE officer fatally shoots a man in Houston Axios: Mexico threatens legal action over citizens' deaths in ICE custody The Texas Tribune: Ken Paxton’s voter registration may violate Texas election law SA Current: Republican Ken Paxton spotted with alleged mistress in England over Independence Day weekend WSJ: Walmart Lowers Prices on Thousands of Items, Including Beef and Coca-Cola Bloomberg: De Beers Makes Diamond Price Cuts for Shrinking Buyers Club Axios: Measurement tweaks will make inflation data look better 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

Today's Headlines: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear had to write his own senator a letter asking if he's alive, after Trump blew up the cover story that multiple Republican senators had "just spoken to McConnell" by telling reporters on Air Force One that he has "no idea" what condition Mitch is in. The clock is ticking to August 4th, when Kentucky's Democratic governor loses the ability to appoint a replacement, and the suspicion is that McConnell's office is very deliberately running it down. Graham Platner dropped out of the Maine Senate race Wednesday night with an 11-minute video blaming corporate media, the Democratic Party, and "large forces" — notably not himself — and Maine Democrats are now holding a 600-person convention to find a replacement for a must-win seat. At NATO, Trump declared the Iran ceasefire over, threatened to cut off all trade with Spain, begged for Greenland, called Zelensky "President Putin," reminded everyone he's number one on TikTok, and then wrapped up by affirming the US's "ironclad commitment" to Article 5 — so the summit ended better than it started, barely. He also had to fly home on the old Air Force One instead of his Qatari hand-me-down, and when asked if it was due to an assassination threat, didn't deny it but said he's "number one on Iran's kill list," just like TikTok. In a rare moment of actual consequences, Trump was ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll her $5.8 million damages award after his appeals ran out, leaving him with a remaining balance of a mere $83 million. And Prince Harry lost his privacy lawsuit against the Daily Mail along with Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and others, with the group potentially owing $50 million pounds in attorneys fees. Resources/Articles mentioned: Yahoo: Trump Blows Up Claims That Mitch McConnell Is Healthy NYT: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Demands Health Update on Mitch McConnell X: Graham PLatner Suspends Campaign Press Herald: Maine Democrats planning 600-person convention to replace Graham Platner The Guardian: Sabre-rattling to ‘tremendous love’: erratic Trump dominates final hours of Nato summit NBC News: Judge orders release of the $5.8 million payment Trump owed E. Jean Carroll The Guardian: Prince Harry and other claimants could face £50m legal bill after losing phone-hacking case | Associated Newspapers 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

Today's Headlines: Graham Platner still hasn't dropped out of the Maine Senate race despite Bernie withdrawing his endorsement and a second sexual assault allegation — this time from an ex-girlfriend who says he removed condoms during sex without her consent, which is classified as sexual assault in several countries — and his campaign's response was to call it politically motivated and bring up Brett Kavanaugh. Even better, Platner is now reportedly negotiating what he wants in exchange for leaving, including demanding his replacement come from Bernie's political orbit, while the Maine Democratic Party has told his campaign they have no role in the process. Trump is at the NATO summit in Turkey where he's mad at the alliance, mad at Meloni again, wants Greenland again, appeared to fall asleep and needed Erdogan to physically steer him around the room, and seems willing to sell Turkey the F-35 jets Netanyahu specifically asked him not to sell — so the girls seem to be fighting. Meanwhile the Iran war Trump declared over at Versailles last month is very much back on, with Iran attacking three ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, the US responding with "powerful strikes," and the administration revoking the sanctions waivers that allowed Iran to sell oil, making the memorandum of understanding worth approximately nothing. And Trump announced he's building a granite helipad on the White House lawn, paid for by Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky, with no timeline for completion, because a helipad is what matters while the world is on fire. Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Ex-girlfriend of Graham Platner says he removed condoms without consent during sex WaPo: Bernie Sanders calls on Graham Platner to drop Senate bid WaPo: Trump’s NATO-bashing casts shadow over U.S. pledge to defend allies Axios: Trump signals openness to selling Turkey F-35 fighter jets CNBC: U.S. resumes 'powerful strikes' on Iran after Hormuz Strait ship attacks, CENTCOM says Axios: U.S. revokes Iran oil waivers after attacks in Strait of Hormuz AP News: Trump says he's building a White House helipad for a new, more powerful Marine One 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

Today's Headlines: The US lost to Belgium 4-1 in the World Cup Round of 16 despite Trump personally calling FIFA to get Balogun's red card suspension reversed, which worked, and Belgium won anyway — so the meddling was both successful and pointless. On the election beat, Graham Platner, who won Maine's Democratic Senate primary a few weeks ago despite a Nazi tattoo is now facing a heavily corroborated sexual assault allegation so severe that nearly every major backer including Hasan Piker and Ro Khanna immediately called for him to drop out — Democrats have until July 27th to find a replacement if he exits by July 13th, which they should probably get moving on since Maine is a must-win Senate seat. In other news, Trump is headed to the NATO summit in Turkey this week, which he only agreed to attend because it's hosted by Erdogan, one of his last real NATO allies, with Netanyahu already lobbying him ahead of arrival to rein in Erdogan's anti-Israel rhetoric. Trump also rang the stock market opening bell from the Oval Office to celebrate the launch of Trump Savings Accounts, which devolved into rants about crypto, Biden, and World Cup red cards, and the preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson — the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk last September — began yesterday in Utah, with Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's parents, Donald Trump Jr., and Jack Posobiec all in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the DOJ accidentally sent the sealed second volume of Jack Smith's classified documents report — the one Trump has spent over a year keeping hidden — to the defense lawyers of the former prosecutor currently being prosecuted for leaking that exact report, and the only reason it's still secret is because her lawyers were more careful with it than the government was. On AI, Meta's AI safety strategy involves paying adults to pretend to be teenagers and feed suicide and sex prompts to competitor chatbots, which they describe as "comprehensive AI safety benchmarking," and OpenAI is reportedly offering the US government a 5% stake in the company. Finally, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's funeral drew over a million people this week while his son and successor Mojtaba — wounded in the airstrike that killed his father — didn't attend any of the ceremonies. It’s giving Mitch energy. Resources/Articles mentioned: Yahoo Sports: USA vs. Belgium score, World Cup live updates: U.S. looks to mount comeback as Christian Pulisic is subbed out in second half Politico: Exclusive: Woman who dated Graham Platner says he sexually assaulted her Axios: Scoop: Netanyahu asks Trump to rein in Erdoğan ahead of NATO summit WaPo: After America’s 250th, Trump will test how far he can push NATO allies PBS News: WATCH: Trump officially launches Trump Accounts for kids, ringing Wall Street opening bell Financial Times: OpenAI proposes handing Trump administration 5% stake  WIRED: Meta Contractors Posed as Teens to Prompt Rival Chatbots About Suicide, Sex, and Drugs  TNR: DOJ Accidentally Gives Jack Smith Report to Person They’re Suing AP News: Prosecutors argue the man accused of killing Charlie Kirk should stand trial AP News:Mourners throng funeral procession in Tehran for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 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

Today's Headlines: Trump's July 4th celebrations were a disaster on every front — his Mount Rushmore speech was cancelled by a hailstorm, the National Mall events were evacuated due to severe wind and rain with guests sheltering in the African American History Museum, and his record-breaking fireworks show was obscured by its own smoke, leaving DC with the worst air quality in the world by 7am. Making it worse, Democrats released a report alleging Freedom250 was a wire fraud scheme that redirected donor money from the legitimate bipartisan America250 celebration, pressured corporate donors to switch their commitments, and diverted $75 million of the $100 million Congress allocated to parts unknown. White nationalist group Patriot Front also showed up in matching outfits, so all in all a great party. On Donaldtella’s pet projects, former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, 67, was indicted on a felony destruction of property charge for pulling up liner that was already peeling — the first of at least 11 people facing legal consequences for being near a broken pool — while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum insists vandals cut gashes in it without producing a single frame of surveillance footage, and announced they'll use the same contractor to fix what the same contractor broke. On the World Cup beat, Trump called FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to get suspended American soccer player Folarin Balogun unsuspended from the World Cup, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee conveniently reversed its decision, and Trump celebrated on social media seemingly unbothered that a championship won this way won't be considered legitimate by anyone. On Mitch, it emerged that his wife Elaine Chao traveled to China to meet with the vice president just three days after he was hospitalized with cardiac arrest, with photos of her in Chinese state media discussing US-China relations. And finally, Mallory McMorrow dropped out of the Michigan Senate Democratic primary, leaving establishment-backed Haley Stevens against Bernie-backed Abdul El-Sayed ahead of the August 4th primary. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: DC experiences ‘Code Red’ air quality after massive fireworks display MSNow: White nationalists march in D.C. on July 4th AP News: Democrats accuse Trump-linked fundraisers of fraud over diverted donations for America's anniversary NYT: David Hearn, Olympian Canoeist, Is Indicted After Arrest at Trump’s Reflecting Pool AP News: Trump's administration won't seek new bids to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool  Yahoo: Ominous New Scaffolding Goes Up at Trump White House NBC News: U.S. star Folarin Balogun eligible to play vs. Belgium after FIFA suspends red card ban The Daily Beast: Mitch McConnell’s Wife’s Bizarre Move After CPR Drama Revealed Axios: McMorrow suspends Michigan Senate bid in shock move 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today's Headlines: California and Iowa held their primaries Tuesday — Becerra and Hilton are leading California's governor's race with Steyer's money in a distant third, Karen Bass is holding first in LA's mayoral race with Spencer Pratt in second, and several Beverly Hills residents showed up to vote for Pratt only to discover they don't live in Los Angeles, perfect. Missing New Jersey congressman Tom Kean Jr. — absent for three months — won his uncontested primary anyway, with Trump endorsing him and calling him "tireless," while Kean remains well enough to execute stock trades but not apparently to show up to work. The House passed a War Powers Resolution requiring Trump to withdraw from Iran unless Congress authorizes the war — four Republicans defecting. Iranian drones struck Kuwait's main airport yesterday killing at least one person, and Trump defined the current ceasefire as "when you're shooting in a more moderate manner." The Kushner Albania situation escalated to over 100,000 protesters, a government corruption investigation, and frozen bank accounts tied to the land company behind their resort, over how ecologically protected land was quietly reclassified to clear the way for their development. George Santos is under investigation by the DOJ and CFTC for betting against his own State of the Union attendance on Kalshi after publicly tweeting he'd be there to inflate the odds — which is the most on-brand insider trading imaginable. And finally, DOGE whistleblower Daniel Berulis filed a defamation lawsuit against Elon Musk, revealing that less than a week after his whistleblower report was published, someone cut the brakes on his car, removed the airbag sensor, and left fingerprints inside — with the only entities that had his address on record being his utilities and the Office of Personnel Management, which DOGE had already taken over. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Guardian: Trump-backed candidate loses in Iowa governor’s race as Democrats look to flip Senate seat NYT: Election Live Updates: Races Are Close in California With Many Votes Still to Count NYT: A Congressman Was Suddenly Absent. So We Looked. And Looked Politico: New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he's 'energized' but appears to push back timeline for return The Independent: Where’s Trump? President resurfaces after a week with no public events amid health questions and tumbling polls NYT: House Passes Iran War Powers Resolution AP News: Kuwait says Iranian drones hit airport and killed 1 as ceasefire is tested again WSJ: Trump Tells Aides He Won’t Resume All-Out War With Iran Unless U.S. Troops Are Killed MSN: Albania freezes assets in Kushner resort corruption probe Wired: He Blew the Whistle on DOGE. Then His Brakes Were Cut 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

Today's Headlines: The Department of Agriculture is dealing with a bedbug infestation in the offices of the agency responsible for containing invasive pests. Yes, you read that right. Todd Blanche confirmed to Congress — not under oath, refusing to put it in writing — that the DOJ is dropping the Traitor Fund, while clarifying that the part protecting Trump and his family from IRS audits remains in effect, which was clearly the point all along, and a federal judge revived Trump's IRS lawsuit to investigate whether the whole arrangement was "premised on deception." The Trump administration hired a convicted January 6th rioter — 19 when he stormed the Capitol — to work in the Defense Department's irregular warfare and counterterrorism section, one of the most sensitive portfolios in the government, and named Bill Pulte — a family friend with zero government experience whose father is in the Epstein files — as acting director of national intelligence, using "acting" specifically to skip Senate confirmation. New Jersey's attorney general sued GEO Group, the private contractor operating Delaney Hall detention center, over inhumane conditions and demanding health inspections — GEO holds a $1 billion ICE contract. The Kushner family is planning a $1.4 billion luxury hotel complex off the Albanian coast, which the prime minister loves and locals are actively protesting. And finally, Democratic congressman Jimmy Gomez — chairman of Congress's "Dad Caucus" — admitted to cheating on his wife after the New York Post outed him, he denied it, and CNN reported the House Ethics Committee is already investigating him for sexual misconduct, completing a full humiliation arc in under 48 hours. Resources/Articles mentioned: Not Us: The Federal Government’s Insect-Defense Agency Is Infested With Bed Bugs NBC News: Todd Blanche says DOJ ‘not moving forward’ with ‘anti-weaponization’ fund NYT: Order Shielding Trump Family From I.R.S. Audits Will Remain, Blanche Says WaPo: Pentagon hires convicted Jan. 6 rioter for sensitive counterterrorism job The Guardian: ‘Americans will be less safe’: alarm as Trump picks loyalist as intelligence chief | Trump administration The Guardian: New Jersey sues Geo Group, private operator of Delaney Hall ICE facility NYT: Protests Grow in Albania Over Kushner-Linked Project CNN: Exclusive: House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Jimmy Gomez over sexual misconduct allegations, 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

Today's Headlines: The Traitor Fund is effectively dead for now — the DOJ said it "disagrees strongly" but will abide by the court's ruling, which is the closest thing to a clean win we've gotten in a while. Trump's America 250 birthday celebration continues to implode, with a competing Power to the People Festival announced for October 3rd featuring Springsteen, Joan Baez, and Dave Matthews, while the UFC fight at the White House is still on but now requires attending service members to meet a waist-to-height ratio under .55, and the National Park Service is spending $5 million on a no-bid contract to gold-plate four bronze horse statues near the Lincoln Memorial, which is giving Saddam Hussein's living room. Trump reportedly told Netanyahu on a bad phone call that "you're f*****g crazy, you'd be in prison if it weren't for me, everybody hates Israel because of this" — accurate — and Netanyahu pulled back on planned Beirut strikes, with Lebanon's parliament speaker saying Hezbollah is ready for a full ceasefire with Israel, though the US bombed Iranian drone sites yesterday and a cargo ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, so "ceasefire" continues to mean whatever anyone needs it to mean. Florida's attorney general sued OpenAI and Sam Altman for marketing ChatGPT without adequately warning of its dangers, citing its alleged role in mass shootings, suicide encouragement, and helping a murder suspect dispose of bodies — and Anthropic filed its IPO the same day at a $965 billion valuation, because timing is everything. And finally, a second man named Dan Sullivan entered the Alaska Senate race against incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan with no policies and no party affiliation, just a stated goal of unseating the other Dan Sullivan, which is either a Democratic ploy or the most chaotic campaign launch of the cycle. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Trump reconsidering $1.8 billion fund, AP source says, as Justice Department temporarily pauses it Rolling Stone: Tom Morello Announces Power to the People Festival With Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, More NBC News: No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event Ts-horse-statues Axios: "You're f*****g crazy": Trump fumes at Netanyahu in call on Lebanon Axios: Lebanese official told U.S. that Hezbollah ready for full ceasefire with Israel AP News: US bombs Iran, downs missiles fired at bases in Kuwait Axios: Florida sues OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over ChatGPT - Axios Tampa Bay CNBC: Anthropic confidentially files IPO prospectus with SEC, prepping Wall Street for landmark AI deal NYT: Senator Dan Sullivan Has a New Challenger in Alaska 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

Today's Headlines: Trump had a rough weekend legally — a federal judge blocked the Traitor Fund in response to a lawsuit from a fired January 6th prosecutor, and another judge ordered Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center within two weeks on the grounds that he never had legal authority to put it there. Trump responded by posting he has "no interest" in the Kennedy Center anymore and threatening to cancel his own America 250 celebration, which is already in freefall after nearly every performer dropped out once they realized it was Trump's birthday rally and not the legitimate congressional celebration — leaving Vanilla Ice, Kid Rock, and eventually Trump himself as the headline act for anyone who paid $1.5 million for a VIP package expecting a concert. On the Iran beat, Trump is requesting edits to the deal his own negotiators already agreed to, with a senior official explaining the response will take three days because…caves. The Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark escalated to a mandatory curfew for the surrounding half-mile, with ICE in riot gear pepper spraying protesters while detainees continue a 10-day hunger strike over conditions that remain uncorrected. Pam Bondi's Epstein testimony was exactly as useless as expected — she blamed Todd Blanche, refused to answer Trump-related questions, and wasn't under oath — so the House Oversight Committee is now going after Blanche directly. In AI-is-a-scam news, a Pizza Hut franchisee is suing corporate for $100 million after a mandatory AI rollout tanked delivery times, and Starbucks scrapped its AI inventory system after nine months because it could not count milk — hallucinating bottles that weren't there — which is a real thing that happened with technology that costs more than a person with eyes. And finally, a three-foot meteorite may have landed in Cape Cod Bay on Saturday, with a double boom heard from Delaware to Montreal, which would normally be bigger news if we had any remaining capacity for surprise. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Judge halts Trump ‘anti-weaponization’ fund after Jan. 6 prosecutor sues Axios: Trump's name must be removed from Kennedy Center, judge orders Politico: Trump vents about judge who blocked Kennedy Center changes ABC News: Trump to headline 250th anniversary celebration on National Mall after several artists back out CNBC: New York passes Mamdani's pied-a-terre tax. Here's who pays and how much NYT: Dell Gets a $9.7 Billion Defense Contract. Trump’s Portfolio Stands to Benefit WaPo: Trump misses deadline to disclose tens of millions of dollars in stock trades ABC 7 NY: Delaney Hall protests: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka orders mandatory curfew for half mile surrounding facility Politico: Bondi shifts responsibility for Epstein files’ release to Todd Blanche, making him Democrats’ next target Yahoo: The owner of 110 Pizza Huts is suing the chain, claiming $100 million in losses from the botch adaption of an AI tool Fortune: Starbucks quietly retires its AI inventory tool after barista complaints of inaccuracies  WCVB: NASA: Meteorite that thousands heard over Mass. may have landed in Cape Cod Bay 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

Today's Headlines: Trump's Treasury appointees are pushing to put his face on a new $250 bill — the printing director who resisted was reassigned, Trump personally gave the artist edits, and the whole plan is technically illegal since living people have been banned from US currency since 1866. ProPublica revealed that the White House intervened to help Don Jr.'s venture firm secure a $620 million Pentagon loan for a rare earth startup called Vulcan Elements, pushed through by Peter Navarro with officials told to approve it at unusual speed because "the call came from the White House." The DOJ also opened an investigation into E. Jean Carroll — who won two civil cases against Trump and is owed over $80 million — over whether she committed perjury by not disclosing that a nonprofit covered some of her legal fees, because losing twice apparently wasn't enough. April's inflation came in at 3.3% — the highest since May 2023 — with personal income growth falling below the inflation rate and the savings rate dropping from 3.6% to 2.6%, meaning people are draining their savings to cover rising costs. Pam Bondi testified before the House Oversight Committee about the Epstein files coverup without being under oath, represented by a DOJ attorney from the same agency she led during the coverup, which rendered the whole exercise fairly decorative. On Iran, negotiators reportedly reached a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and open the Strait of Hormuz — though Trump hasn't approved it, Iran hasn't confirmed it, so "ceasefire" continues to be a creative use of the word. A former CIA officer was charged with stealing 300 gold bars worth $40 million, stashing them at home, and claiming work expenses — he also faked his entire résumé across three job applications over nine years and was somehow hired anyway, which raises some questions about the CIA. And Peter Thiel relocated his family to Argentina because he prefers Javier Milei's vibe and is worried about America's future — ok, Peter.  Resources/Articles mentioned: WaPo: Trump $250 bill pushed by Treasury appointees ProPublica: The White House Intervened to Get a $620 Million Deal for a Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr. CNN: Exclusive: Justice Department launches a criminal investigation into Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll Axios: Scoop: U.S. and Iran reach deal but need Trump's final approval, officials say NBC News: Iran and U.S. trade new strikes as Trump dismisses pressure to end war CBS News: The first inflation report under new Fed chief Kevin Warsh shows prices at highest in nearly 3 years The Hill: Epstein survivors have little faith Pam Bondi interview will produce answers NBC News: Former CIA officer accused of stealing 300 gold bars, sources say NYT: In Argentina, U.S. Tech Billionaire Peter Thiel Finds An Escape 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

Today's Headlines: A Delaware court ruled that companies can vote in municipal elections in the beach town of Fenwick Island — not just business owners, but the companies themselves as entities — and given that two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware, that's either a quirky local ordinance or the most efficient corporate takeover of democracy ever attempted. Joe Biden is suing the Trump administration to block the DOJ from releasing audio recordings of his conversations with his ghostwriter, which the DOJ is planning to drop on June 15th purely for the humiliation factor, since the investigation was closed and no charges were ever filed. Trump threatened Oman — the Gulf state that has been acting as the diplomatic channel between the US and Iran — during a Cabinet meeting, saying they'd better "behave or we'll blow em up." On the reflecting pool saga, a National Park Service analysis found that Trump's no-bid pool contractor — his favorite pool guy, does all his pools — submitted a contract with an $850,000 overcharge above the typical profit margin, and it turns out the contractor can't even seal the gaps between the  concrete slabs, which is a fairly foundational part of the job. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he'll tax any Traitor Fund payouts to Californians at 100%, with a New York assemblyman proposing the same, which is the most satisfying thing to happen all week. New York state also passed a tax on luxury second homes valued at $5 million or more, expected to generate $500 million a year, and both New York and New Jersey AGs subpoenaed FIFA over alleged deceptive pricing practices for World Cup tickets at MetLife Stadium. A Google software engineer was charged with fraud and money laundering after making $1.2 million on Polymarket by betting on search trends using nonpublic Google data under the username AlphaRaccoon, which is somehow the most on-brand financial crime of 2026. And finally, the EU is actively screening travelers for Ebola as suspected cases in the Congo surpass 900. Resources/Articles mentioned:  Reuters: Delaware court upholds voting by companies in small town's election CNN: Biden sues to stop Justice Department from releasing interview recordings CNN: Trump’s threat against Oman means he’s now attacked or threatened 1 out of every 13 countries NYT: Iran War Live Updates: U.S. Strikes Military Site and Drones in Iran AP News: Trump plays mayor at Cabinet meeting, showcasing his DC renovations NYT: Reflecting Pool Contract Has ‘Inflated’ Profit Margin, Government Analysis Finds WaPo: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy debuts America 250 jet US News: California to Impose 100% Tax on Trump's January 6 'Slush Fund,' Governor Says WSJ: New York Lawmakers Pass Pied-a-Terre Tax CNN: Sky-high World Cup ticket prices spark investigation by NY and NJ attorneys general WSJ: Google Employee Charged With Insider Trading on Polymarket Politico: Europe beefs up Ebola detection as Congo epidemic surges 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

Today's Headlines: Trump got a three-hour physical at Walter Reed and posted that everything checked out "PERFECTLY." and is also building a UFC cage on the White House lawn for a $60 million birthday fight with VIP packages at $1.5 million each — because that’s what the people's house needs. On a completely different note, Pope Leo dropped his first encyclical, a 42,000-word document warning the world's 1.4 billion Catholics about AI concentrating power in the hands of a tiny elite, with Anthropic cofounder Christopher Olah participating in the Vatican's formal presentation — and the Pope also issued the first-ever papal apology for the Vatican's role in legitimizing the trans-Atlantic slave trade, framing it as a warning about what AI could recreate. Back to the war nobody can define, the military carried out "self-defense strikes" against Iranian missile sites while Trump posted that negotiations are "proceeding nicely" and a spokesperson insisted they were "using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire" — ok. Meanwhile, New Jersey Senator Andy Kim got pepper sprayed at a protest outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center after state officials were barred from inspecting conditions that led detainees to organize a hunger strike. Speaking of the administration burying bad news, the DOJ filed motions on the Friday before Memorial Day to dismiss the most serious January 6th seditious conspiracy cases, then one hour later scrubbed all records of January 6th prosecutions from their social media archives, calling them "partisan propaganda." On the redistricting wars, federal judges blocked Alabama's racially gerrymandered map citing "undisputed evidence of intentional racial discrimination," South Carolina's Republicans declined to redraw their maps only because early voting had already started, and Ken Paxton — too corrupt even for most Republicans — won the Texas Senate Republican primary with Trump's endorsement, setting up a general election against Democrat James Talarico. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Trump wraps up 3-hour medical visit to Walter Reed and declares 'Everything checked out PERFECTLY' BBC: White House erects UFC cage ahead of 250th anniversary celebration Vatican: Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Leo XIV Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026) WaPo: Anthropic aligns with Vatican over White House as Pope Leo addresses AI fears PBS News: Pope Leo XIV makes historic apology for Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery Ole-in-legitimizing-slavery NJ: ICE agents pepper-spray protesters, N.J. senator in clash outside Delaney Hall in Newark AP News: US military says it carried out 'self-defense' strikes in Iran, including on missile launch sites Axios: Trump asked Muslim leaders to join Abraham Accords after Iran war ends  NYT: Trump Administration Chips Away at Last Traces of Broad Inquiry Into Jan. 6 AP News: Federal court blocks Alabama plan for new congressional districts that could help Republicans AP News: South Carolina Senate rejects Trump’s call to redraw congressional map for midterm elections NYT: Texas U.S. Senate Republican Runoff Live Election Results 2026: Cornyn vs. Paxton 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

Today's Headlines: Trump announced the US and Iran were near "finalization" of a deal on Saturday, then posted less than 24 hours later that he's "not in a rush" — with the reported framework giving Iran $25 billion in unfrozen assets in exchange for disposing of enriched uranium and temporarily reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Iranian officials claim American diplomats have been privately telling them to ignore Trump's posts because they're "primarily for media consumption," which is either reassuring or terrifying. Tulsi Gabbard resigned as Director of National Intelligence citing her husband's rare bone cancer diagnosis, though it follows months of reporting that Trump was already planning to fire her. A gunman opened fire at a White House security checkpoint Saturday, was shot by officers, and died at the hospital — he had previously been arrested for walking into a restricted White House area while claiming to be Jesus Christ. A federal prosecutor was indicted for trying to leak Jack Smith's sealed Mar-a-Lago report by disguising it as a file called "bundt_cake_recipe.pdf" and emailing it to herself, which is both a federal crime and the most creative act of resistance we've seen all year. Hasan Piker and CodePink's Medea Benjamin were reportedly subpoenaed over a humanitarian aid trip to Cuba — except neither actually received subpoenas, and Piker had cleared the trip with the Treasury Department's own office beforehand. Minnesota became the first state to ban prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket outright, and the Trump administration immediately sued the state in response. CBS issued copyright notices against Colbert's surprise public access appearance the day after his Late Show finale, then backed off after universal backlash. And New York City recovered $9 million in unpaid idling fines from Amazon, because a $2 trillion company apparently couldn't be bothered to pay its tickets. Resources/Articles mentioned: WSJ: Trump Says He Is in No Rush for an Iran Deal That Is Far From Finished Substack - Dean Blundell: BREAKING: US Officials Told Iran That Trump's Truth Social Lie About a Deal is Just "Political Theatre For an American Audience" and "Not to Worry About It." NBC News: Secret Service kills man who opened fire at White House security checkpoint PBS: Tulsi Gabbard resigns as Trump's national intelligence director HuffPost: Hasan Piker, Medea Benjamin Reportedly Subpoenaed Over Cuba Trip Forbes: Prosecutor Tried Hiding Secret Trump Report In A Bundt Cake Recipe, Indictment Alleges Yahoo: Minnesota signs nation's first ban targeting Kalshi and Polymarket as Trump administration sues NBC News: CBS backs off effort to stop sharing of Colbert’s surprise ‘Only in Monroe’ segment amid backlash Patch: NYC Recovers Millions From Amazon Truck Violations | New York City, NY Patch 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

Today's Headlines: The Department of Homeland Security is threatening to cut customs staffing at major international airports in sanctuary cities like New York, LA, Chicago, and DC — which would affect not just tourism but cargo shipments and the broader economy — because DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin apparently thinks international trade can just reroute to Florida. Trump, meanwhile, said he's "in no hurry" to end the Iran war while also telling reporters he might skip his own son's destination wedding in the Bahamas because of "this thing called Iran," which is either a convenient excuse or the most relatable thing he's ever said. The Traitor Fund — formerly known as Trump's $1.776 billion slush fund — is getting wilder by the day: Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio wants $2-5 million, Mike Lindell is asking for $400 million, a January 6th rioter who compared herself to Jesus during sentencing wants $10 million, George Santos might file, and the couple who pointed guns at BLM protesters is reportedly interested. Acting AG Todd Blanche went to Congress to lobby Republicans not to block the fund — and offered to cut them in on it, specifically noting that senators whose records were secretly subpoenaed are eligible to file claims, which is a sentence that exists. The Senate responded by going home for a few weeks rather than dealing with it, which is technically a dereliction of their constitutional duty to approve funding, but here we are. Mortgage rates also hit a nine-month high this week at 6.51%, Trump is claiming he can build his DC arch without congressional approval, and a design commission approved the arch's look, which is one of many steps still required — Congress included, no matter what Donald says. On the Epstein files, Jeffrey Epstein's former personal assistant Sarah Kellen testified before the House Oversight Committee in a session described as deeply informative and genuinely harrowing — revealing she was recruited at 21, sexually and psychologically abused by Epstein for over a decade, and was "being paid in part to be raped." She also told the committee that the federal government included her name in Epstein's 2008 nonprosecution agreement without ever speaking to her, effectively branding her a criminal in a secret deal made with her own abuser. And finally, last night was Stephen Colbert's last show, which aired after this episode was recorded. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Atlantic: Homeland Security’s Plan to Squeeze International Flights NYT: Trump Says He Will ‘Try and Make’ Son Don Jr.’s Wedding, but Timing ‘Not Good’ CBS News: Trump says Netanyahu will do "whatever I want" on Iran, and he's "in no hurry" to make a deal The Independent: Jan 6ers and other Trump allies already lining up to get their hands on slice of his $1.8B ‘slush fund’ X - Paula Reid: https://x.com/PaulaReidCNN/status/2056842557334904940 USA Today: Fuming at Trump over 'slush fund,' Senate GOP skips town without passing ICE bill WaPo: Trump officials say they can build 250-foot arch without Congress’s approval WSJ: Mortgage Rates Hit a Nine-Month High in Blow to Prime Buying Season ABC News: Former Jeffrey Epstein assistant tells House Oversight Committee he abused her for years AP News: Stephen Colbert is saying goodbye to 'The Late Show.' How it ends is still a secret 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

Today's Headlines: Two January 6th police officers — Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges — filed a lawsuit to block Trump's $1.776 billion slush fund, naming Trump, Todd Blanche, and Scott Bessent, while exactly one Republican congressman, Brian Fitzpatrick, called it out publicly — prompting Trump to immediately shitpost about Fitzpatrick's wife. On the primaries, Tuesday's results confirmed that Trump owns the GOP completely: Mitch McConnell lost his Senate primary to a Trump-endorsed challenger, Georgia has two runoff races next month with no clear Trump favorite in either, and Alabama is in redistricting limbo with a special primary coming in August. The through-line is simple — any hint of dissent costs you your job, even as Trump's approval rating drops and voters are furious about costs. The Ebola outbreak is moving fast, with over 600 suspected cases and 139 deaths — a 30% jump in a single day — a 30-50% fatality rate, no treatment, and a vaccine still months away. The International Rescue Committee says Trump's USAID cuts left the region dangerously unprepared to catch the outbreak early, though the State Department has now pledged to fund 50 treatment clinics, which is good, and also something USAID was already doing before it was gutted. Remember when shitposting about Charlie Kirk was treated like a crime? Well, a retired Tennessee cop spent 37 days in jail and lost his job over a Facebook post quoting Trump after a school shooting — Perry County will now pay him $835,000 for the First Amendment violation, which seems like an expensive lesson. In real life Succession, James Murdoch officially acquired roughly half of Vox Media including New York Magazine and its podcast network for over $300 million, with The Verge and Eater not included in the deal. SpaceX filed for its IPO yesterday at a $1.25 trillion valuation — one day after Elon lost his OpenAI trial — with Musk's compensation package including a billion shares that only vest when there's a permanent Mars colony of at least one million people, so that's his retirement plan. OpenAI is filing for its IPO tomorrow at an $850 billion valuation, Anthropic is raising money at a $900 billion valuation, and Trump endorsed Spencer Pratt for mayor of Los Angeles, calling him "a character" and "a big MAGA person," with Pratt currently polling between second and third ahead of the June 2nd primary. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Jan. 6 Police Officers Sue to Block Trump’s Payout Fund PBS: Massie's loss leaves no doubt about Trump's power over the GOP. 6 takeaways from Tuesday's primaries NBC News: Ebola death toll rises as two Americans are flown to Europe for monitoring Politico: Relief group says Trump cuts ‘led to delayed detection of deadly Ebola outbreak’ AP News: Tennessee man jailed over Charlie Kirk post wins $835,000 settlement NYT: James Murdoch Buys Half of Vox Media CNBC: SpaceX's historic IPO plans: Billions in losses and Musk's massive ownership CNBC: OpenAI to confidentially file for IPO as soon as Friday: Source LA Times: Trump signals support for Pratt in L.A. mayoral election: 'I'd like to see him do well' 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

Today's Headlines: Thomas Massie lost his primary to Trump-backed Ed Gallrein, and Trump followed up by endorsing Ken Paxton over sitting Senator John Cornyn in Texas — picking the very crazy over the more traditional crazy, as is on-brand. Speaking of people who can't stop themselves, Trump demanded a DOJ investigation into Maryland's mail-in ballots over a completely routine reissuing error, because Maryland didn't vote for him and apparently that requires a federal explanation. On organized resistance, the NAACP launched an "Out of Bounds" campaign urging Black athletes to withhold support from college sports programs in states eliminating Black voting representation — a direct hit on the south's most lucrative programs, which should get their attention. Turning to the grift of the week, Trump's $1.776 billion "Antiweaponization Fund" keeps getting worse, with acting AG Todd Blanche confirming January 6th insurrectionists "wouldn't be excluded" from filing claims, P. Diddy's publicist already exploring eligibility, and the whole thing requiring only 2 out of 5 board members to approve any claim with zero fraud recourse — so that's airtight. On the war front, the Senate's war powers resolution finally passed 50-47 on the eighth attempt thanks to three absent Republicans and Bill Cassidy switching his vote the week after losing his primary, while the head of the International Energy Agency warned that global oil supplies are shrinking fast with only weeks of inventory left, right as fuel prices spike at the start of travel season — great timing all around. Closer to home, the Trump administration rolled back EPA limits on forever chemicals in drinking water affecting over 200 million Americans, a Brookings analysis found that roughly 75% of the 100,000 children separated from parents during Trump's immigration crackdown are likely US citizens, and Trump signed an executive order directing banks to vet customers for immigration status — though banks lobbied it down to advisory only, because their money is still green either way. And in the one piece of good news, 30,000 New York City hotel housekeepers secured a contract raising average pay to over $100,000 a year by 2034, which is the most functional thing to happen all week. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Trump endorses Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn ahead of Texas Republican Senate runoff The New Republic: Trump Demands Investigation Into Blue State That Didn’t Vote for Him PBS: NAACP calls for boycott of Southern college sports programs over voting rights PBS: WATCH: Trump calls planned White House ballroom 'a gift' to U.S. PBS: Blanche faces senators on new Trump 'weaponization' fund, Epstein, budget cuts CBS: Trump's $1.7+ billion fund sparks rush to capitalize: "All J6ers will apply" WSJ: Senate Advances War Powers Measure After GOP’s Cassidy Switches Sides Bloomberg: IEA Chief Warns Commercial Oil Inventories Are Falling Very Fast The Guardian: Trump officials plan to repeal limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water | Trump administration Brockovich Data Center: Brockovich Data Center AP News: Trump orders banks to take a closer look at clients' citizenship in new immigration enforcement move NYT: Brookings Institution Report: Over 100,000 Family Separations in Trump Crackdown NYT: N.Y.C. Hotel Housekeepers Will Earn Over $100,000 Under New Contract 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

Today's Headlines: Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego — the city's largest mosque — by two teenage gunmen who died of self-inflicted wounds, with a security guard preventing the attack from being significantly worse. Notably, one shooter's mother had called police two hours earlier as a runaway juvenile report, telling them her son might be suicidal and had taken three of her weapons and her car. On the grift beat, the DOJ officially created the "Antiweaponization Fund" — a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund that will pay unlimited, untaxable claims to anyone who says they were persecuted by the Biden administration, administered by a secret five-member board appointed by Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal criminal attorney. This is the "concession" Trump made in exchange for dropping his $10 billion IRS lawsuit — while still personally pocketing $230 million and getting all his family's tax audits dropped. Meanwhile, 60 Minutes reported that nine interconnected Polymarket accounts made $2.4 million betting on specific military actions during the Iran war with a 98% win rate across 80 bets, including the exact dates of the first strikes and the ceasefire announcement, which raises some extremely interesting questions about who's behind those accounts. Trump also announced he's pausing his planned Iran strike — which he said was scheduled for today — at the request of Gulf state leaders, while simultaneously instructing Hegseth to have a "full, large scale assault" ready at a moment's notice, because that's what de-escalation looks like now. Speaking of Hegseth, he flew to Kentucky on taxpayer — sorry, "personal" — time to campaign against Thomas Massie ahead of today's primary. In dictator vibes news, Putin arrived in Beijing today to meet with Xi Jinping four days after Trump's visit. North America's electric grid watchdog issued its strongest-ever warning that data centers are pushing the grid toward blackouts and water shortages, and Trump's reflecting pool paint job is now also reportedly toxic to the workers applying it and the public breathing it in. And finally, Elon Musk lost his OpenAI trial in under two hours — on a technicality about waiting too long to file — and his attorney responded by comparing the loss to battles during the Revolutionary War, which is completely normal legal analysis. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Teenage gunmen open fire on San Diego mosque, killing 3 men and then themselves AP News: Justice Department announces nearly $1.8B fund to compensate Trump allies in a deal to drop IRS suit CBS News: Suspected insider accounts net $2.4 million on Polymarket Iran war bets with 98% win rate, firm finds Axios: Trump says he's pausing plan to attack Iran The Hill: Pentagon says Hegseth campaigning against Massie in ‘personal capacity’ The Guardian: Xi prepares to welcome Putin to China four days after hosting Trump QZ: How AI data centers create cascading power outages The Guardian: Workers racing to turn reflecting pool blue for Trump may be at risk, union warns | Washington DC Wired: Elon Musk Loses Landmark Lawsuit Against OpenAI 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

Today's Headlines: Trump is reportedly willing to drop his $10 billion IRS lawsuit in exchange for a $1.7 billion government slush fund to pay out political allies — including $230 million for himself, a waiver on all family tax audits, and a public IRS apology — totally extortion. Meanwhile, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, one of the only Republicans who voted to convict Trump after January 6th, lost his primary and became the first senator in 12 years to lose one, because minimal backbone has a price in today's GOP. Because hantavirus clearly wasn’t enough to worry about, the WHO declared Ebola a global health emergency after outbreaks in Uganda and the DRC with 246 suspected cases, no available vaccine, and no functioning USAID to help — and the person Trump put in charge of the hantavirus response is a urologist who specializes in penile implants and has promoted pandemic conspiracy theories, so we're in great hands. In other news, Trump's new counterterrorism strategy ranks drug cartels above Islamist militants, considers leftists on par with al-Qaeda, and doesn't mention far-right extremism at all, though Sebastian Gorka did find time to call out Tucker Carlson specifically. In global matters, a commander of Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah was charged with plotting attacks on 20 Jewish sites across the US, Europe, and Canada, a drone struck a UAE nuclear power plant with no injuries, and Trump told Axios Iran will get "hit much harder" despite having no leverage — while US officials now believe China will invade Taiwan within four years, Cuba has acquired 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and is reportedly eyeing Guantanamo Bay or Key West, and Ukraine launched its largest drone attack of the entire war — 600 drones across 14 Russian regions — in retaliation for Russia's assault last week. Finally, Harvey Weinstein's third trial ended in a mistrial after nine of twelve mostly-male jurors wanted to acquit him, a French judge opened an inquiry into MBS's role in Khashoggi's murder, and Everlane is being acquired by Shein for $100 million. Resources/Articles mentioned:  Time: Trump May Drop IRS Suit in Return for $1.7 Billion ‘Weaponization’ Fund CNN: Trump sent a message by targeting Bill Cassidy. In defeat, Cassidy delivered one back WSJ: Thomas Massie’s Lonely and Expensive Fight Against Trump NYT: W.H.O. Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency The New Republic: Trump’s Hantavirus Official Is a Penis Implant Specialist PrPublica: Trump Counterterror Plan Targets Leftists, Ignores Far-Right Violence Ken Klippenstein: New Counterterror Strategy Eyes Tucker Carlson Time: The Iran-Backed Militia Behind a Terror Plot Against American Jews AP News: Drone strikes UAE nuclear plant as US and Iran signal they are prepared to resume war Axios: Trump warns Iran "clock is ticking" until US launches harder strikes Axios: Scoop: Trump advisers fear China may target Taiwan in next 5 years Axios: Exclusive: U.S. eyes attack-drone threat from Cuba The Guardian: At least four people killed in Russia as Ukraine launches retaliatory strikes Euronews: French judge opens probe into 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi CNN: Judge declares a mistrial in Harvey Weinstein’s rape retrial after jury deadlocks 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

Today's Headlines: Trump's personal aide Natalie Harp — dubbed the "Human Printer" by the Wall Street Journal — follows the president around with a printer for his Truth Social posts and is responsible for his midnight rage posting, including the Obama monkeys video, because no one else on his comms team has any visibility into what goes out at 2am. Trump returned from China having spent most of his time complimenting Xi Jinping's height, claiming Xi promised to stop arming Iran while continuing to buy their oil, getting nowhere on tariffs, and receiving a firm warning to back off Taiwan — which makes 70% of the world's semiconductors — with the one concrete outcome being China agreeing to buy 200 Boeing jets, which sent Boeing's stock down 4% because the market wanted 500. Kash Patel, meanwhile, used an FBI work trip to Hawaii to do a "VIP snorkel" around the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor where snorkeling is explicitly prohibited, and is separately being reported to have padded the FBI's arrest statistics by adding people to the Most Wanted List right before they're captured. The FDA commissioner resigned after the administration approved blueberry, mango, and menthol flavored vaping pods over his objections, and RFK Jr.'s chief spokesperson quit the next day for the same reason — flavored vapes being, apparently, everyone's line in the sand. On a darker public health note, ProPublica found that the growing MAHA-driven trend of parents rejecting Vitamin K shots for newborns — not a vaccine, just a blood-clotting intervention — has led to a measurable increase in infant deaths from preventable brain bleeds. Two House members have been missing for weeks and are both running for reelection, PCOS has been renamed PMOS because the old name caused decades of misdiagnosis, Stephen Miller's wife is in talks with Paramount for a podcast deal, and King Charles announced the UK will finally prioritize banning conversion therapy, which several prime ministers have promised and never delivered. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: After Xi's Warning on Taiwan, He and Trump Strike Positive Tone: Live Updates on Trump's China Visit WSJ: The Late-Night Truth Social Storms That Offer a Window Into the President’s Mind PBS: FBI Director Kash Patel took 'VIP snorkel' at a Pearl Harbor memorial, emails show MS Now: FBI insiders: Kash Patel is ‘padding the stats’ to boost his record of arrests Forbes: 2 House Members Have Been Absent For Weeks, Missing Dozens Of Votes NYT: Marty Makary, Trump’s F.D.A. Commissioner, Resigns After Weeks of Pressure The Hill: RFK Jr.’s chief HHS spokesperson resigns over flavored vapes ProPublica: Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth AP News: The condition PCOS is now called PMOS. What to know about the name change and what it means for care Axios: Scoop: Paramount in talks with Katie Miller for podcast deal as it eyes expansion Them: U.K. Government Pledges for Fifth Time in Eight Years to Ban Conversion Therapy 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

Today's Headlines: Trump touched down in Beijing for his Xi Jinping summit — greeted by a military band and hundreds of children waving flags — while Elon Musk technically skipped his own OpenAI trial to attend as emotional support, despite the judge explicitly not excusing him. On the Iran war, US intelligence assessed that Iran still has operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites and about 70% of its prewar missile stockpile, which is not what "totally obliterated" means, and for the seventh time Senate Democrats tried to advance a war powers resolution to force a congressional vote on Iran and for the seventh time it failed. On the domestic front, the DOJ is discussing settling Trump's personal tax return lawsuit for up to $10 billion in taxpayer money — potentially including dropping all audits of Trump, his family, and his businesses — while the FBI has been running an internal "payback squad" of agents handling cases against Trump's political enemies out of off-site locations for over a year. Trump got his preferred Fed chair with Kevin Warsh confirmed 54-45, the narrowest margin in modern history, and the White House is planning 250 pardons to celebrate America's 250th birthday because of course it is. On the redistricting front, Louisiana senators stayed up all night to advance a map eliminating one of the state's two majority-Black districts, and South Carolina's governor called a special session specifically to pass a new map eliminating Jim Clyburn's seat with a simple majority instead of the usual two-thirds vote. Alligator Alcatraz is closing after costing Florida hundreds of millions in under a year, and Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions were unanimously overturned by South Carolina's Supreme Court after it emerged the court clerk told jurors not to be "fooled" by him — before writing a book about the trial. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: How China Sent a Message to Trump on His Arrival NBC News:A judge told Musk he wasn’t excused from trial. He went to China with Trump anyway NYT: U.S. Intelligence Shows Iran Retains Substantial Missile Capabilities The Guardian: Senate fails to curb Trump’s war on Iran even as Republican opposition grows CNN: Justice Department considers settling Trump’s $10 billion IRS leak lawsuit WSJ: White House Explores 250 Pardons to Mark America’s 250th Birthday Not Us: FBI Created ‘Payback Squad’ to Handle Political Cases, Sources Say WSJ: Kevin Warsh Is Confirmed as Fed Chair in 54–45 Senate Vote NYT: Florida Plans to Close ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Vendors Are Reportedly Told Axios NoLa: Louisiana advances congressional map with reduced Black representation The Hill: McMaster set to call South Carolina special session on redistricting: Reports NYT: Alex Murdaugh Murder Convictions Overturned by South Carolina’s Top Court 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

Today's Headlines: Trump had a full episode between 1am and sunrise Tuesday, posting dozens of times about the 2020 election, the reflecting pool, and Barack Obama — before waking up and telling reporters he doesn't think about Americans' financial situations "at all." He also disowned his favorite pool guy after the reflecting pool paint job came out bubbly, uneven, and full of holes, despite having previously bragged about this being the greatest pool contractor in history — he then flew to China to meet Xi Jinping, bringing 16 CEOs including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, to meet with the country actively helping Iran win his war. On the war front, the Pentagon is considering renaming the conflict "Operation Sledgehammer" — not just rebranding, but a legal strategy to restart the 60-day congressional authorization clock — while Hegseth told Congress the $29 billion war could resume without their approval, which even some Republicans found uncomfortable but not uncomfortable enough to act on. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Kash Patel denied the drinking allegations before Congress and offered to take an alcohol disorder test only if Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen takes it with him, which is a choice. In Epstein files news, Democrats held a field hearing in Palm Beach where Epstein survivors testified, including one woman appearing publicly for the first time only because her name was published unredacted in the files, who revealed Epstein was assaulting her while in prison and that she couldn't report it because her visa was tied to him — one of at least 55 people whose immigration status was connected to his estate. In a completely under-covered story, the former mayor of Arcadia, California pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal foreign agent for China after running a fake local news site publishing pro-China propaganda on government directives. And finally, Stephen Colbert's late night show ends next Thursday, closing out with Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and both Jimmys — which was a good TV moment in an otherwise chaotic week. Resources/Articles mentioned:  CNN: In wild late-night posting spree, Trump attacks Obama with imaginary quote and false conspiracy theories NBC News: Trump says he’s not thinking about Americans’ finances ‘even a little bit’ in Iran talks  NYT: Reflecting Pool Repairs Appear Uneven and Behind Schedule, Officials Say NYT: Trump to Be Joined by Elon Musk and Other CEOs at Xi Summit in China NBC News: Pentagon considering renaming Iran war ‘Sledgehammer’ if ceasefire collapses AP News: Hegseth gets bipartisan grilling on rising costs of the Iran war and Trump's end game The Hill: Patel agrees to take alcohol test after heated exchange with Van Hollen The Guardian: Epstein survivors give tearful testimony in House field hearing in Palm Beach ABC News: California mayor charged with acting as illegal agent for China NYT: Stephen Colbert Hosts 4 of His ‘Best Television Friends’ 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

Today's Headlines: The Iran ceasefire is on "massive life support" per Trump, while Iran's foreign minister insists their latest proposal was reasonable — and the administration responded by sanctioning 12 companies helping ship Iranian oil to China, days before Trump flies to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, where that will definitely not be awkward. This is further complicated by reports that China was preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran last month, meaning both China and Russia are now actively supporting Iran, great. On the Hantavirus front, 18 Americans from the cruise are back in the US, at least 2 appear infected, and the other 16 are being monitored at a federally funded biocontainment facility in Nebraska — the WHO still says global risk is low and this is not another COVID. In other news, Trump's plan to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool "American flag blue" was quoted at $1.8 million — it's actually $13.1 million, no other contractors were allowed to bid, and the justification was that delays would cause "serious injury to the government." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy filmed a road trip reality show visiting historic landmarks, which a watchdog group alleges was sponsored by Toyota, Boeing, and United Airlines — companies he's supposed to regulate — through a conveniently named nonprofit funded by auto companies. Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Max Miller was accused in court filings of throwing boiling water on his ex-wife while their 2-year-old was present — also not his first abuse accusation, having previously been accused of assault by then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham in 2020. Texas sued Netflix for spying on children, collecting user data without consent, selling viewing habits to data brokers, and designing the platform to be addictive — Netflix says the lawsuit lacks merit. The guy who stormed the White House Correspondents Dinner pleaded not guilty, with his attorneys arguing that both acting AG Todd Blanche and Jeanine Pirro should recuse themselves since they were both at the dinner. And finally, NBC is launching a Wordle game show hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Jimmy Fallon.  Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Passengers from virus-stricken cruise ship fly to home countries for monitoring CNN: Live updates: Trump says ceasefire with Iran on ‘massive life support’ after he rejects Tehran’s proposal NYT: Reflecting Pool Repairs to Cost $13.1 Million. Trump Had Promised $1.8 Million Reuters: Netflix sued by Texas for allegedly spying on children, addicting users The Hill: Watchdog group asks Transportation IG to probe Duffy’s ‘road trip’ with family Yahoo: MAGA Congressman Accused of Beating and Burning His Ex-Wife AP News: Man charged in White House correspondents' dinner attack pleads not guilty NYT: Wordle to Become Prime-Time TV Show, With Savannah Guthrie as Host 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

Today's Headlines: Trump kicked off the week rejecting Iran's latest peace proposal with "I don't like it — totally unacceptable," while a confidential Economist document reveals Russia offered Iran 5,000 advanced drones and training for 10,000 soldiers to use them against American troops. Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn't been seen publicly since being severely injured in the airstrike that killed most of his family, complicating Iran's ability to negotiate. Someone also unveiled a 22-foot golden Trump statue at a Florida golf course, which his evangelical adviser insists is definitely not idol worship. In the redistricting wars, Virginia's Supreme Court struck down the congressional map that Virginia voters just voted for — the same court that previously cleared it — handing Republicans a significant midterm advantage before the south has even finished gerrymandering. Trump announced an "election integrity army" in every state this November, the FBI opened a new investigation into Wisconsin's 2020 election results, and the DOJ subpoenaed Fulton County for the names of every 2020 election worker, which Fulton County is fighting in court. To distract from all of this, the Pentagon started releasing UFO files, which is a thing that is happening. In brain worm updates, RFK Jr. is reportedly exploring banning certain SSRIs including Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro — his department denied it, though he just announced initiatives to reduce SSRI prescriptions. The Trump administration is also planning to cut Social Security disability benefits for people living with family members by up to a third, potentially affecting 400,000 people — call your congresspeople. Trump Media posted a $405 million loss on just $900,000 in revenue, 600,000 MAGA fans who paid a nonrefundable deposit for the Trump Phone in 2025 still don't have their devices and are finally revolting, and the Hantavirus cruise passengers are being carefully evacuated home from the Canary Islands with isolation protocols in place. And finally, Rudy Giuliani — who was read his last rites last week — is attempting to get his hospital bills covered by a federal fund for 9/11 first responders, which is one way to handle bankruptcy. Resources/Articles mentioned: Newsweek: Pastor defends Golden Trump statue from biblical backlash WSJ: Trump Blasts Iran's Response on Reopening Hormuz, Handling Uranium The Economist: Secret document reveals Russia’s plans to aid Iran NYT: Virginia Court Strikes Down Redistricted Voting Map in a Huge Blow to Democrats Advance Local: Trump: GOP will have ‘election integrity army’ in every state during 2026 midterms Wausau Pilot & Review: FBI is investigating Wisconsin's 2020 election, sources confirm -  PBS: Justice Department seeks the names of 2020 election workers in Georgia's Fulton County NBC News: Pentagon releases declassified UFO files including videos and photos held by the government for decades Politico: Wiles cracks down on leaks CNBC: U.S. payrolls jump more than expected, but the report had several red flags for the economy The Daily Beast: MAGA Fans Revolt Over Trump Phone Disaster Bloomberg: Trump Media Posts $405 Million Loss Driven by Crypto Holdings CNN: Live updates: Hantavirus outbreak, passengers disembark cruise ship in Tenerife Reuters: Exclusive: Kennedy's health officials explored US ban of some widely used antidepressants ProPublica: The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families The Daily Beast: Rudy Giuliani Wants 9/11 Health Fund to Cover His Medical 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

Today's Headlines: The Iran war is very much back on — Trump threatened Iran with "one big glow," called the exchange of fire "just a love tap," and bragged about sinking small boats, while US intelligence confirmed Iran still has about 70% of its missiles intact despite Trump claiming it's down to 18-19%. Gas prices have hit $4.50 a gallon — up over 50% since the war started — with CEOs warning that consumer spending is collapsing and everyone is borrowing to get by. Shell, meanwhile, posted $7 billion in Q1 profits, more than double the previous quarter, which seems fine. As if the war weren't enough to worry about, on the redistricting beat, Tennessee signed a new map eliminating the state's one Democratic seat by splitting Memphis into four suburban districts, Alabama passed their gerrymandering legislation while tornado sirens blared and the building flooded, and Mississippi is planning their own special session in a Jim Crow-era capitol that's been a museum for years. On top of that, Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Cuba's state-owned industries and military conglomerate, while the State Department quietly beefs up disaster preparedness in South Florida in anticipation of further Cuba hostilities. Somehow Kash Patel is in the news again, he reportedly ordered polygraphs for over two dozen staff to find out who talked to The Atlantic about his drinking, while launching a criminal leak investigation against the reporter he's also suing for $250 million. Elsewhere, Trump's 10% tantrum tariff was ruled illegal by the Court of International Trade, Elon Musk was formally summoned by the French government to cooperate in their X investigation after skipping a voluntary interview — with Trump's DOJ calling it a "criminally charged criminal proceeding" — and Kalshi raised a billion dollars bringing its valuation to $22 billion, which means someone should probably check if their headquarters exists. And finally, a ransomware attack on Canvas knocked out coursework for students at over 3,000 schools, which is either a crisis or the greatest thing ever depending on your GPA. Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Iran and U.S. exchange fire in Strait of Hormuz Bloomberg: Consumers Are ‘Running Out of Money’ and Cutting Back, CEOs Warn Bloomberg: Consumers Are ‘Running Out of Money’ and Cutting Back, CEOs Warn NYT: Shell Reports Nearly $7 Billion Profit After Oil Prices Surged Amid U.S.-Iran War WaPo: U.S. intelligence says Iran can outlast Trump’s Hormuz blockade for months Axios: Rubio announces new Cuba sanctions Mother Jones: After SCOTUS Destroyed the Voting Rights Act, Southern States Rush to Pass Jim Crow Voting Maps WVLT: TN governor signs new congressional map into law, dividing Memphis and marking end of special session The New Republic: Alabama Republicans Vote to Pass New Map as Tornado Sirens Blare The Guardian: Mississippi house to hold redistricting session at Jim Crow era capitol MS Now: Kash Patel ordered polygraphs of more than two dozen members of his team, sources say NYT: Trade Court Rules Trump’s 10% Global Tariff Is Illegal WSJ: Elon Musk Summoned to France to Face Criminal Charges NYT: Kalshi, The Prediction Market, Is Now Valued At $22B  WSJ: Harvard, Berkeley and Thousands of Schools Suffer Cyber Outage 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

Today's Headlines: A federal judge unsealed what the DOJ claims is Jeffrey Epstein's suicide note yesterday — found tucked inside a graphic novel by his former cellmate. On related Epstein news, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified behind closed doors at the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Epstein, his former next-door neighbor whom he claimed to find "disgusting," and yet somehow visited Epstein's island for lunch with his family and several nannies after Epstein's 2008 conviction — his explanation being that he only meant he wouldn't have a "1 on 1" relationship with Epstein, which is genuinely one of the worst answers ever offered to a congressional committee. Elsewhere in this administration, The Atlantic has more reporting on FBI Director Kash Patel, revealing he flies on government planes stocked with personalized Woodford Reserve bourbon engraved with his name and the FBI shield, which he hands out as gifts — one of which ended up on an online auction site. Speaking of taxpayer resources being used creatively, Republicans in Congress are reportedly proposing to give Trump a billion taxpayer dollars for his White House ballroom-slash-bunker, and debris from Trump's East Wing demolition that was dumped at a National Park Service golf course has tested positive for lead, chromium, and other toxic metals. In Trump vs The Pope news, Trump accused Pope Leo of supporting Iran getting a nuclear weapon, the Pope responded that he isn't afraid and will keep advocating for peace, and Rubio flew to Rome to meet with him anyway. Back home, the FBI raided the office of Virginia Democratic state senator Louise Lucas, who led the redistricting effort that netted Democrats four new congressional seats, though the investigation's subject remains undisclosed. In tech news, Anthropic and SpaceX announced a partnership giving Anthropic access to SpaceX computing power for Claude Pro and Max, and Kevin O'Leary's Manhattan-sized Utah data center got approved despite furious local protests he dismissed as fake and possibly AI-generated. And finally, RFK Jr. withdrew an FDA rule that would have banned minors from indoor tanning beds — which the WHO classifies as a Group 1 carcinogen on par with cigarettes and asbestos — because apparently that was next on the list. Resources/Articles mentioned: NYT: Jeffrey Epstein’s Purported Suicide Note Is Released by Federal Judge NBC News: Howard Lutnick evasive during Epstein testimony, House Democrats say The Atlanic: Kash Patel’s Personalized Bourbon Stash NBC News: Republicans propose $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to secure Trump ballroom WaPo: White House East Wing debris dumped at nearby golf course has toxic metals, report says NYT: Rubio to Visit Rome After Trump’s Feud With the Pope and Meloni Politico: FBI raids office of Dem state lawmaker in Virginia who led redistricting efforts NBC News: Anthropic and SpaceX announce major partnership as AI arms races continues Gizmodo: Kevin O'Leary's Massive Data Center Project in Utah Gets the Greenlight, Locals Are Furious LA Times: RFK Jr. clears path for minors' use of tanning beds, much to the dismay of dermatologists 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

Today's Headlines: Trump hosted kids at the White House for a Presidential Fitness Award ceremony, fell asleep while RFK Jr. spoke, and used the occasion to rant about Iran to a room full of children — meanwhile, Pete Hegseth was simultaneously insisting the ceasefire was still intact while missiles were actively flying over the Strait of Hormuz, and Marco Rubio filled in at the press briefing to tout US humanitarian aid for Cuba, a country we are currently blockading. In other news, over a quarter of DOJ attorneys — roughly 3,400 lawyers with an average tenure of over 13 years — have walked out or been fired since Trump took office, ICE's own internal records confirm a 37% spike in use of force against detainees across 98 facilities, and a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that ICE enforcement is actually hurting US-born workers in construction and similar sectors, with no wage increases to show for it. In creepy Congress members news, Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards is under investigation for alleged misconduct toward two female staffers in their 20s, including gifts, a handwritten love letter, and a Las Vegas vacation he took during a government shutdown he almost missed voting to end — his office also had a 59% staff turnover rate in 2025, more than double the House average. In tech and media news, the White House is planning an executive order on AI oversight involving Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI before models are released to the public, Pennsylvania sued Character.AI for having its chatbot impersonate a licensed psychiatrist complete with a fake license number, and James Murdoch is reportedly in talks to acquire Vox Media, which owns New York Magazine, The Verge, and Eater, potentially outbidding the competing offer from former NBC spinoff Versant. And finally, NPR went to Panama looking for Polymarket's corporate headquarters and found an essentially empty office where nobody had ever heard of the $15 billion prediction market platform — which also happens to share a law firm with FTX, so that's extremely reassuring. Resources/Articles mentioned: The New Republic: Trump, 79, Falls Asleep After Bragging to Kids About Iran War Plans Common Dreams: Hegseth Brags About Attacks on Iranian Ships in Strait of Hormuz While Claiming Ceasefire Holds The Hill: Marco Rubio gets presidential tryout in White House briefing room Axios: Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards singled out young female aides for special attention Financial Times: US Department of Justice loses a quarter of its lawyers WaPo: Internal ICE records reveal widespread use of force in detention centers Axios: ICE activity hurts some U.S.-born workers, study finds Axios: SEC proposes rule to allow public companies to report twice a year NYT: White House Considers Vetting A.I. Models Before They Are Released Reuters: Pennsylvania sues Character AI, says chatbot poses as doctors NYT: James Murdoch’s Company Said to Be in Talks to Acquire Major Parts of Vox Media NPR: NPR went looking for Polymarket's Panama headquarters. It's elusive  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

Today's Headlines: The ceasefire is officially dead — Iran fired on multiple ships in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump said escorting vessels through the strait would be totally chill and Iran said that would be a ceasefire violation, and then Iran fired anyway. The UAE is also reporting missile attacks on a fuel facility and ships off its coast. Trump responded by holding remarks at the White House where he bragged about the economy, called it a "mini war," and mentioned he scored well on a cognitive test — so there’s that. In slightly better but don't-get-excited news, the Supreme Court issued a one-week temporary order restoring mail access to mifepristone while they figure out what they actually want to do, which is great for approximately the next seven days. On the redistricting front, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is dispatching a congressman to Albany to work on a new New York map, though realistically nothing gets implemented before 2027. There was also a shooting near the Washington Monument shortly after JD Vance's motorcade passed through — Secret Service exchanged gunfire with an armed man, a nearby child was hit and is reportedly okay, and the White House went into lockdown briefly while everyone figured out what was happening. Meanwhile, Trump is apparently offering Senator John Fetterman a financial windfall plus a full endorsement if he switches parties, which Fetterman publicly says is a hard no — though privately, per Politico, he's being a little less emphatic about it. In trial news: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their lawsuit hours before she walked the Met Gala red carpet, terms undisclosed; UK police are working to bring a suspect in the 2007 Madeleine McCann disappearance to trial, complicated by Germany's extradition laws; and a judge denied Sam Bankman-Fried's request for a new trial, calling his claims baseless, so he's staying in prison for 25 years unless he somehow charms his way into a Trump arrangement. And finally, three people on a cruise ship have died from what WHO believes is a hantavirus infection — the same illness that killed Gene Hackman — with at least three more confirmed cases and five suspected, because apparently we needed one more thing to worry about. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Trump says U.S. will begin guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz Axios: US, Iran exchange fire in strait as Trump attempts to open shipping lane Axios: Iran ceasefire in peril as UAE says it's under attack WaPo: Supreme Court restores access to abortion pill by mail for now The Hill: Jeffries leads redistricting effort in New York WaPo: Gunfire between Secret Service and armed person briefly locks down White House Politico: Inside the Quiet Republican Effort to Flip Fetterman THR: It Finally Ends: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Settle Lawsuit Ahead of Trial Telegraph: Met seeks UK trial for Madeleine McCann suspect ABC News: Judge denies Sam Bankman-Fried new trial after financial fraud conviction WSJ: Health Officials Work to Contain Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship 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

Today's Headlines: Spirit Airlines quietly ceased to exist overnight Saturday — no warning, no functioning customer service, just stranded pilots, crew members, and passengers. The real culprit is fuel costs, which are also why you're paying $4.45/gallon nationally and Californians are staring down $6+ at the pump — up over a dollar from a year ago. Speaking of costs, Trump's war with Iran rolls on: he told Congress Friday that hostilities are officially "terminated" thanks to an April ceasefire, while simultaneously keeping a full naval blockade running in the Strait of Hormuz because Iran still poses a "significant threat" — and could "misbehave." A British cargo ship was attacked in the strait yesterday, Iran is playing toll booth operator for non-US ships, and actual diplomats are quietly exchanging drafts of a peace framework while Trump posts on Truth Social that Iran "has not yet paid a big enough price." He also mentioned, fairly casually, that the US will be taking over Cuba "almost immediately," so stay tuned. Back home, a federal appeals court froze the rule allowing abortion medication to be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients — a major win for the anti-abortion movement — and Alabama and Tennessee are both calling special legislative sessions to redraw congressional maps and dilute Black voter representation, following the Supreme Court's recent green light to do exactly that. A summer water crisis is also taking shape across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada thanks to dangerously low snowpack, with Corpus Christi already under restrictions — largely because the petrochemical companies consuming most of the local water supply are still very much open for business. On a lighter note, a new JAMA Psychiatry study identified three distinct ADHD subtypes using brain scans from over 1,100 children, including a third type defined by emotional dysregulation that activates an entirely different part of the brain, which could meaningfully change how doctors diagnose and treat patients. GameStop's CEO is attempting a $56 billion hostile takeover of eBay, and finally, The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened to $77M domestically and $156M internationally in its debut weekend, driven overwhelmingly by women, and reportedly achieved profitability in roughly 48 hours. Resources/Articles mentioned: NBC News: Spirit Airlines collapse strands travelers: What to know about refunds, rebooking and fares FOX Business: National average gas price reaches $4.45 before summer driving season Politico: Trump tells Congress the Iran war has ‘terminated’ as legal deadline hits Axios: Trump says new strikes possible if Iran "misbehaves" AP News: Trump says the US will 'guide' stranded ships from the Strait of Hormuz, starting on Monday Newsweek: Donald Trump says US will take over Cuba ‘almost immediately’ WIRED: This Summer, the American Water Crisis Becomes Real Axios: Appeals court limits abortion pill access NBC News: Alabama and Tennessee set special sessions to consider new congressional maps after Supreme Court ruling WaPo: Brain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme form WSJ: GameStop Offers to Buy eBay for $56 Billion AP News: ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ struts to first place with $77 million 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

Today's Headlines: Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suspended the state's congressional primary elections — which were supposed to start tomorrow — citing the Supreme Court's redistricting ruling as cover to let the Republican-controlled legislature redraw the map first and set a new election date, which will conveniently be a jungle primary where Republicans could theoretically sweep all six of Louisiana's House seats without a single Democrat winning anything. Speaking of elections being quietly dismantled, a previously unknown Jeffrey Epstein suicide note has been sitting sealed in a New York courthouse since his death, discovered by his cellmate and hidden inside a graphic novel written on yellow legal pad paper — the DOJ says it hasn't seen it, the Times says it hasn't seen it, and somehow this is just now coming out. Former AG Pam Bondi finally agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee about the Epstein coverup, but only after Democrats filed civil contempt charges against her for blowing off her first appearance, and even then she negotiated it down from a sworn deposition to an unsworn interview, which is lawyer for "I can lie more freely." Trump pulled his surgeon general nominee Casey Means — the non-doctor health influencer — after a single Republican senator who is an actual doctor couldn't bring himself to vote for her, replacing her with Fox News contributor and real radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier, who wrote a book in 2020 called "Make America Healthy Again." Congress passed a spending deal that ended the partial DHS shutdown, funding everything except ICE and Border Patrol for now, which Democrats are calling a win in the same way you call it a win when you only stub one toe. Trump shocked Pentagon officials and European allies alike by spontaneously posting on social media that he's pulling US troops out of Germany — the first anyone on either side of the Atlantic had heard of — possibly triggered by the German Chancellor calling the US "humiliated" by Iran. The Atlantic published a piece called "The Yolo Presidency" reporting that Trump has stopped comparing himself to Washington and Lincoln and has upgraded to Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon,. Disney and ABC told the FCC they won't be renewing their broadcast licenses early, won't be firing Jimmy Kimmel, and are prepared to fight it in court — Kimmel mocked Trump again anyway, and Trump responded by posting that people are "angry" and it "better be soon." Resources/Articles mentioned: Shreveport Times: Trump praises Governor Jeff Landry for suspending Louisiana elections CNN: How Janet Mills was boxed out of the Maine Senate race by Graham Platner’s rise NYT: Jeffrey Epstein’s Possible Suicide Note Hidden From Public View CNN: Bondi will testify in House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein probe NBC News: Trump pulls Dr. Casey Means' nomination for surgeon general, announces replacement Axios: House Republicans cave to Senate with vote to end 75-day DHS shutdown Axios: Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards under investigation by House Ethics The Atlantic: The YOLO Presidency - The Atlantic Politico: Trump’s call to reduce US troops in Germany shocks Pentagon WSJ: Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful Is Planning One of America’s Biggest Data Centers WSJ: Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Trump Again After FCC Opens Review of ABC TV Licenses 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

Today's Headlines: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to gut Louisiana's congressional map on racial gerrymandering grounds, but the real headline is what the decision does to the 1965 Voting Rights Act — essentially making it easier for Republican-controlled legislatures to draw racially discriminatory districts going forward. Republican states wasted exactly zero time responding: Louisiana is already redrawing its map, Florida is moving forward with DeSantis's new 24-to-4 Republican-favoring map, and Mississippi's governor had apparently pre-scheduled a special legislative session to start 21 days after the ruling dropped, which tells you everything about how surprised he was by it. Meanwhile, Virginia's Supreme Court blocked the redistricting map that Virginia voters literally just approved, because apparently voting for something doesn't mean it happens anymore. On the Iran front, Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee, insisted the $25 billion war is being won, and blamed congressional Democrats for being the real obstacle to opening the Strait of Hormuz — the same strait his boss declared open weeks ago. He also declined to explain why he fired a bunch of experienced generals and admirals, adding that more firings are coming, before heading over to repeat the performance before the Senate. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for the third straight meeting, and Jerome Powell chaired his final meeting as Fed Chair before Trump's nominee Kevin Warsh takes over. LIV Golf lost its Saudi funding after the kingdom decided it had burned enough billions on the experiment, leaving a bunch of PGA defectors in a very awkward position and the league scrambling for new investors. And Amazon is reportedly in early talks about an Apprentice reboot hosted by Donald Trump Jr., which is either the most on-brand thing that's ever happened or a sign that we are truly in the final act. Resources/Articles mentioned: AP News: Supreme Court weakens the Voting Rights Act and aids GOP efforts to control the House  Axios: Supreme Court boosts DeSantis' GOP congressional map The Hill: Virginia Supreme Court leaves order temporarily blocking redistricting certification in place WaPo: Hegseth slams ‘defeatist’ lawmakers in fiery House hearing on military budget WSJ: As Hormuz Traffic Stalls, U.S. Pitches New Coalition to Get Ships Moving Again Politico: DOJ sues New Jersey governor over immigration enforcement mask ban Axios: Fed holds rates steady amid the most dissents in decades WSJ: Powell to Remain on Fed Board, Citing Legal Pressure From Trump WSJ: Saudi Arabia Pulls Funding From LIV Golf. Its Star Players Face a Painful Road Back. WSJ: Amazon Discusses ‘Apprentice’ Reboot—With Don Jr. as a Potential Host 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

Today's Headlines: The Atlantic reported that Pete Hegseth has been feeding Trump a sanitized version of the Iran war while JD Vance and actual military brass warn about depleted missile stockpiles and the reality that Iran isn't opening the Strait of Hormuz over a social media post. Trump responded by posting that Iran told him they're "in a state of collapse" — a claim that appears to have originated entirely in his own head. Iran's actual proposal — a long-term ceasefire with toll collection on the strait and nuclear talks postponed — was called unacceptable by Marco Rubio, though other senior officials hadn't officially rejected it yet. On the energy, the UAE abruptly quit OPEC with one day's notice, saying it wants to sell more oil than the cartel allows — which won't immediately affect gas prices but adds long-term volatility to an already chaotic energy market. Back in Congress, the Senate voted 51-47 to reject legislation requiring Congressional approval before starting a war with Cuba, with John Fetterman joining Republicans to kill it. In case you forgot, King Charles is still here and he  addressed Congress with a lovely speech about the environment, Ukraine, NATO, and rule of law — none of which apply to the administration he was visiting — while Epstein survivors held a separate roundtable with Rep. Ro Khanna, since Charles declined to meet with them. Meanwhile, the FCC ordered an accelerated review of Disney's broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule over Jimmy Kimmel's Melania joke, and James Comey was indicted a second time on two charges of threatening the president's life over a beach seashell arrangement spelling "86 47." In other congressional chaos, New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. hadn't been seen since March 5th before surfacing with a vague statement about a "personal medical issue" — while records show he was actively trading between $50,000 and $190,000 in stocks the entire time. Over in Silicon Valley, Elon Musk took the stand in his own lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, and separately backed out of his promise to support Rep. Thomas Massie — the only Republican pushing to release the Epstein files — just as Massie faces a Trump-backed primary challenger. And finally, Purdue Pharma was ordered to dissolve itself by end of week as part of its criminal opioid settlement — the company admitted wrongdoing, its owners face zero personal consequences, because of course. Resources/Articles mentioned: The Atlantic: The Pentagon May Not Be Telling Trump the Full Picture About the War Axios: Trump claims Iran told U.S. it wants Strait of Hormuz open ASAP NYT: UAE Says It Will Leave OPEC as Iran War Strains Oil Markets Axios: Senate rejects curb on Trump military action in Cuba BBC: King Charles and Queen Camilla attend state dinner at White House - live updates PBS: WATCH: Epstein survivors and families join Rep. Khanna for roundtable ahead of King Charles visit AP News: US will issue commemorative passports with Trump’s picture for America's 250th birthday WaPo: James Comey indicted over 2025 social media post allegedly threatening Trump CNBC: FCC launches review of Disney broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule AP News: Judge approves OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's criminal sentence, a last step before it dissolves Politico: Tom Kean Jr. says he’ll be back ‘very soon’ - Live Updates Axios: Elon Musk sits out Thomas Massie's primary  Axios: Elon gets his day in trial against Sam Altman and OpenAI Mother Jones: FDA May Finally Make It Illegal to Shock Autistic Kids as Punishment 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

Today's Headlines: Cole Tomas Allen was charged in federal court with attempting to assassinate President Trump plus two gun charges — more charges may be coming, and conviction alone could mean life in prison. Trump, meanwhile, has pivoted from brief media civility straight back to ballroom obsession, with Lindsey Graham leading the charge to get Congress to approve $400 million in taxpayer money for a White House ballroom-and-bunker — never mind that it wouldn't hold half as many people as the Washington Hilton it's meant to replace. The National Trust for Historic Preservation told the DOJ to go pound sand and is keeping its lawsuit blocking construction. Trump is also back gunning for Jimmy Kimmel's job over a joke that Melania has the glow of "an expectant widow" — Karoline Leavitt backed him up at the podium, Melania tweeted at Disney to "take a stand," and all of this happened four days after the joke aired. On the Iran front, Iranian officials sent a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with either a long-term ceasefire or full peace deal, while punting nuclear negotiations to later — the White House hadn't responded as of this recording, and Iran's foreign minister was in Moscow meeting with Putin. King Charles is visiting Trump, with British officials doing everything possible to keep Charles out of Trump's infamous armchair photo sessions. Journalist Katie Phang sued acting AG Todd Blanche for failing to release the Epstein files as required by law — she's not seeking damages, just the documents the law already mandates. Gateway Computers founder and Ghislaine Maxwell ex-boyfriend Ted Waitt — the man who brought her as his plus-one to Chelsea Clinton's wedding — is testifying before Congress about his Epstein ties. Ron DeSantis proposed a Florida congressional map creating 24 Republican districts and just 4 Democratic ones, directly violating the Fair Districts Amendments that 63% of Floridians voted into their state constitution, and the legislature immediately scheduled a special session to ram it through. And Paramount filed an FCC petition requesting that foreign investors from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar be allowed to indirectly own over 50% of the company post-merger — and asked for up to 100% foreign ownership approval for "future investments." Resources/Articles mentioned: Axios: Correspondents' Dinner suspect charged with attempted assassination of Trump NYT: Republicans Push for Trump’s White House Ballroom After Gala Attack National Trust rejects Trump demand to drop ballroom suit in wake of shooting WSJ: Trump Calls on Disney to Fire Jimmy Kimmel After Melania Joke - WSJ Axios: Iran offers U.S. deal to reopen strait but postpone nuclear talks The Guardian: King Charles to meet Trump off camera over fears of Zelenskyy-style clash The Daily Beast: Top Trump Goon Sued for Failing to Release the Epstein Files KTIV: Gateway Computer co-founder Ted Waitt called to testify in Epstein investigation Axios: DeSantis unveils gerrymandered Florida map as redistricting war rages WSJ: Paramount Requests FCC Approval for Hefty Middle East Ownership 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

Today's Headlines: Yet another wild weekend of news! A man traveled from San Diego to DC by train with two legally purchased firearms and multiple knives, charged past security at the White House Correspondents Dinner, got shot at by a Secret Service agent who accidentally hit a fellow officer, and was apprehended within seconds. Trump was evacuated, went straight to the briefing room in black tie, and has since used the incident primarily to advocate for his White House ballroom, with the DOJ helpfully filing a motion to drop the lawsuit blocking its construction the very next morning. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, sent a manifesto to his family calling himself a "friendly federal assassin" and targeting Trump and his cabinet — his family forwarded it to law enforcement, who apparently didn't get there in time. Acting AG Todd Blanche responded to the shooting by saying tighter gun laws aren't the answer, which is exactly what you'd expect from the president's personal criminal defense attorney. On the Iran front, Trump cancelled the latest round of peace talks at the last minute, posting that it was "too much traveling" and that Iran's leadership is confused — Iran then sent a new proposal he called better but not good enough, while Iran's foreign minister flew to Russia to meet with Putin, so that's fun. The acting Secretary of the Navy is now Hung Cao, the tenth person to hold that role across Trump's two terms, a decorated veteran who has claimed to have been "blown up" in combat without evidence, wants American law based on biblical scripture, and warned during a 2023 campaign interview that witches had taken over Monterey, California. In Israel, centrist Yair Lapid and former PM Naftali Bennett announced a new coalition party that could threaten Netanyahu's grip on power, citing Hungary's ouster of Viktor Orban as their model — notable since Netanyahu has been in office for most of the past 17 years. Two major wildfires are burning in southeastern Georgia, with over 120 homes destroyed and one volunteer firefighter dead, while a tornado in northern Texas killed at least two people and displaced 20 families. Meta and Microsoft each announced layoffs of roughly 8,000 employees, both citing AI investment as the reason they need fewer humans around. And Elon Musk finally admitted on Tesla's earnings call that the full self-driving hardware sold to millions of customers for a decade simply cannot do what he promised — triggering class action lawsuits and a rare moment of honesty from a man who has very few of them. Resources/Articles mentioned: CNN: Live updates: White House says suspect in Correspondents’ Dinner shooting wanted to target Trump officials NYT: After Shooting, Trump Demands Approval for His White House Ballroom Axios: This isn't the time to change gun laws, acting AG Blanche says Axios: Trump slams "60 Minutes" for asking about gunman manifesto allegations NY Post: Read White House Correspondents’ Dinner gunman Cole Allen’s full anti-Trump manifesto WaPo: Trump calls off Witkoff, Kushner trip to Pakistan for Iran peace talks CNN: Live updates: Iran foreign minister presses on with regional tour despite Trump canceling envoys’ visit MS Now: Acting Navy secretary’s record raises eyebrows, including his concerns about ‘witchcraft’ NYT: Former Israeli Premiers Join in Bid to Oust Netanyahu in Elections AP News: A fast-growing Georgia wildfire tops 31 square miles, with evacuations possible AP News: Tornadoes in northern Texas leave at least 2 dead and destroy multiple homes AP News: Meta slashes 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, as Microsoft offers buyouts Futurism: Elon Musk Admits He Lied to Tesla Customers' Faces for Years About Self-Driving 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

Sami sits down with Ben McKenzie to explore the rise of cryptocurrency and the ideas behind his documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money. McKenzie breaks down crypto’s origins, market manipulation, and the fallout of Sam Bankman-Fried, while also reflecting on his journey from The OC to becoming a sharp critic of the crypto industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel somehow made the news again — this time for ordering the FBI to open a stalking investigation against the New York Times reporter who revealed he'd assigned four full-time FBI agents and SWAT personnel to chauffeur his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, to hair appointments, UK events, and personal errands on the taxpayer dime. The investigation was quietly shut down by remaining normal humans inside the FBI, but the audacity is truly staggering. Speaking of audacity, House Oversight Chair James Comer casually floated the idea of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for her cooperation with the Epstein investigation — the same investigation he's supposed to be running — before adding that he personally thinks it "looks bad," as if that's the bar we're clearing these days. A US soldier was arrested and charged for using classified information about the Nicolas Maduro raid — which he personally participated in — to bet on Polymarket, netting over $400,000 in profits, marking the first indictment of its kind. The DOJ also charged the Southern Poverty Law Center with wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, alleging it secretly paid members of extremist groups including the KKK and Neo-Nazis — the SPLC says those were confidential informants, a practice that dates back to its founding in the 1980s. Over at the Strait of Hormuz, Iran laid mines to block oil tanker traffic, which is both a ceasefire violation and a logistical nightmare since mines take far longer to clear than just stopping the shooting — and when asked about a timeline for ending the war, Trump told reporters "don't rush me, we were in Vietnam for 18 years," a famously great outcome to invoke. On slightly better news, marijuana was reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III, giving cannabis companies a major tax break and easier access to banking, though federal legalization remains a pipe dream; the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was extended three more weeks; the Trump administration is reportedly bailing out Spirit Airlines to the tune of $500 million in exchange for a majority government stake (so much for small government); Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved Paramount's acquisition while rejecting an $800 million golden parachute for unpopular CEO David Zaslav — non-binding though, so he's probably getting it anyway; and Trump hired his personal pool contractor to redo the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in a color he's calling "American flag blue," because the federally protected historical landmark that is twelve Olympic pools in size apparently just needs a friend from Germany to call it ugly before it gets a makeover. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: Oversight members split over whether to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, committee chair says - Live Updates NYT: F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend Axios: U.S. soldier arrested for allegedly betting on Maduro raid he took part in WSJ: Southern Poverty Law Center Charged With Financial Crimes Axios: Iran deploys more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, sources say Axios: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks, Trump says Axios: Trump admin reclassifies state-licensed marijuana WSJ: Trump Administration Nearing Rescue Deal for Spirit Airlines CNBC: Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount acquisition  AP News: Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool gets a blue coating as Trump tackles renovation project 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

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel is having a rough week — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent him an alcohol screening questionnaire asking how many drinks he has per day and how often he can't remember the night before.. On the Iran front, the "ceasefire" is doing ceasefire things: Iran seized two more ships and fired on three others, though the White House says it doesn't count because they weren't American or Israeli ships — so apparently it's only a war if we say so. Believe it or not, a War Powers resolution failed for the fifth time, with the Senate voting 51-46 to reject. The Secretary of the Navy was also ousted — not a huge loss given he was a campaign donor with no military experience who appeared on Epstein's flight logs — but perhaps not ideal timing during an active naval conflict. Elsewhere in chaos, Georgia Rep. David Scott passed away at 80, making him the fifth member of Congress to die in the past year and a half, tipping the House balance further toward Republicans; a Republican-appointed judge voided Virginia's newly approved redistricting map the day after voters approved it; Truth Social replaced CEO Devin Nunes — who was paid $47 million while the company earned $4 million — with someone described as a "corporate babysitter"; and condom prices are going up 30% because of the Iran war, which is somehow both funny and bleak. Climate scientists are warning that the Atlantic Ocean's key current system is closer to collapse than previously thought, and a UN report found that climate change is driving surges in gender-based violence globally. In tech and surveillance news, unauthorized users on a private Discord server guessed their way into Anthropic's restricted Mythos model; Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan is apparently running a full surveillance operation on fans, employees, and former players; Palantir's CEO dropped a 22-point manifesto about AI weapons and Silicon Valley's "moral debt"; and Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning startup falsely claimed a partnership with Bruno Mars, which Bruno Mars and Live Nation immediately denied. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Longtime Democratic Rep. David Scott dies at 80 CNN: Tazewell County judge bars certification of Virginia redistricting results; state AG promises appeal NBC News: Democrats want FBI Director Kash Patel to fill out alcohol use screening test WSJ: Iran War Live News Updates: Three Ships Attacked in Strait of Hormuz, Escorting Two to Its Coast CNN: US Navy Secretary Phelan ousted as naval blockade of Iran continues WSJ: Senate Rejects Fifth Attempt to Curb Trump’s War Powers People: Condom Prices to Rise by 30% as a Result of Iran War, Says CEO of World’s Largest Manufacturer MS Now: Devin Nunes steps down as CEO of Trump’s media company The Guardian: Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought | Oceans United Nations: Climate crisis driving surge in gender-based violence, UN study finds | UN News Bloomberg: Anthroopics Mythos Model being Accessed By Unauthorized Userses Wired: The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden’s Surveillance Machine Business Insider: Palantir's summary of CEO Alexander Karp's manifesto is generating buzz. Read the 22 bullet points. Wired: Sam Altman’s Orb Company Promoted a Bruno Mars Partnership That Doesn't Exist 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

Today's Headlines: Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned ahead of her expected expulsion vote — apparently getting kicked out by your colleagues is a bridge too far even for someone who funneled FEMA money into her own campaign — and all eyes are now on whether Revenge Porn Cory Mills follows suit. On the Iran beat, Trump blinked again and extended the ceasefire at the last minute after mediators in Pakistan asked him to hold off, while JD Vance's peace trip to Islamabad was postponed indefinitely. Elsewhere in war news, Pete Hegseth announced the military will no longer require troops to get the flu vaccine, citing "medical autonomy," because apparently that's where we are. In the financial crimes corner, the BBC published an analysis finding the Trump administration is likely engaged in insider trading tied to major political events — multiple traders won millions of dollars just before Trump made market-moving announcements. Meanwhile, Trump's preferred Fed Chair replacement Kevin Warsh told his confirmation hearing that Fed independence "means everything" to him, which is exactly what someone who doesn't mean it would say. In other financial ethics news, an investigation found the Noems were carrying up to $3.25 million in debt while Bryon Noem was sending tens of thousands to fetish models, which Kristi claims blindsided her. The Gates Foundation is cutting 500 jobs because Bill Gates hung out with Jeffrey Epstein, but on a brighter note, the House Oversight Committee and FBI are both investigating the 11 suspiciously dead and missing nuclear scientists — reassuring, except the FBI is run by Kash Patel. In genuinely good news, two new pancreatic cancer drugs showed remarkable results in early trials, with one mRNA vaccine keeping most responsive patients alive for six years. And finally, Virginia voters approved a new congressional map that could net Democrats four additional House seats ahead of the November midterms — possibly the last effective redistricting before the election. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: House Democrat resigns ahead of possible expulsion vote over alleged financial crimes NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Uncertainty Surrounds U.S.-Iran Talks as Cease-Fire Nears End Axios: Vance's Pakistan trip postponed indefinitely as Iran boycotts peace talks AP News: Flu vaccine no longer mandated for US troops, Hegseth says BBC: The insider trading suspicions looming over Trump's presidency WSJ: Kevin Warsh Hearing: Trump's Nominee Pressed on Disclosures, Fed Independence — Live Updates Atlanta Blackstar: ‘Should Be in Prison!’: Kristi Noem Dragged Into Another Public Embarrassment as Report Exposes Jaw-Dropping Debt Tied to Her Husband — and Now Everyone’s Asking the Same Questions WSJ: Gates Foundation to Cut 20% of Staff, Review Epstein Ties CNN: At least 10 scientists tied to sensitive US research have died or disappeared in recent years, sparking federal investigation WSJ: New Drugs for Pancreatic Cancer Show Remarkable Promise for Deadly Disease NYT: Election Live Updates: Virginia Passes New Map, Lifting Democrats' Midterm Chances 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

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel responded to bombshell reporting about his drinking and incompetence by filing a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic — can’t wait for discovery then, Kash. Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer became the third Trump Cabinet member to resign in just a few months, notable mostly because all three have been women while the actual disasters remain firmly in place. On the foreign policy beat, the Iran ceasefire expires tomorrow at 8pm with Trump calling renewal "highly unlikely," JD Vance and crew headed to Islamabad anyway, and oil prices already on the rise. Back home, the House Ethics Committee is mulling expulsion votes for two Florida representatives — one facing sexual misconduct and illegal contract charges, the other caught steering COVID relief funds to her own campaign. In economic news, the Trump administration quietly launched a portal for the 330,000 businesses that overpaid on illegal tariffs to apply for refunds, with no apparent plan for the ones that already went under because of them. Over in Silicon Valley, Amazon invested another $5 billion into Anthropic while California simultaneously filed an antitrust suit against Amazon using the company's own emails as evidence, and Apple tapped 25-year veteran John Ternus as its next CEO, a man described as competent and affable, which feels like a low bar that is nonetheless refreshing. And finally, a bankruptcy judge is the only thing standing between The Onion and its dream of owning Infowars — which would be the most perfect ending to the Alex Jones saga anyone could have written. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: FBI director Kash Patel files $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic WaPo: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will resign amid misconduct allegations The Hill: Ethics panel reveals it’s conducted 20 sexual misconduct investigations into lawmakers since 2017 Politico: House Ethics panel issues rare statement committing to helping secure a sexual harassment-free workplace - Live Updates Axios: House barrels toward rare double expulsion votes WaPo: Iran talks on shaky footing after U.S. seizure of ship in Strait of Hormuz AP News: Oil prices rise and US stocks give back a bit of their record-breaking rally Politico: Hungary must arrest Netanyahu if he visits, Magyar says Wired: The Weird, Twisting Tale of How China Spied on Alysa Liu and Her Dad Axios: What to know about tariff refund site that launches Monday Mashable: Amazon colluded to make competitors raise prices, California lawsuit says WSJ: Anthropic, Amazon Tighten Bond in $5 Billion Investment and Computing Deal WSJ: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple Names New CEO Mother Jones: The Onion Says It Has Again Struck a Deal to Take Over Infowars 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

Today's Headlines: FBI Director Kash Patel is apparently drunk a lot. The Atlantic talked to over a dozen colleagues, painting a picture of locked-office incidents, security detail struggling to wake him up, and a man who thought his login failing meant he'd been fired. His team reportedly requested a battering ram for his office door. Lawsuit for defamation to come. Meanwhile, 8 children were killed in a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana — the deadliest in the US in two years. Victims ranged from ages 1 to 14, spread across four crime scenes. Good to know the FBI director is on it. The Iran "ceasefire" continues to ceasefire in name only. Trump threatened to bomb every bridge and power plant in Iran and Iran rejected the next round of talks. The ceasefire expires Wednesday. The current draft deal involves Iran surrendering enriched uranium for $20 billion in unfrozen funds. Gas is averaging $4.05/gallon and the Energy Secretary basically said "lol maybe next year" on when it'll drop below $3. Jared Kushner is negotiating the Iran deal while his investment firm is bankrolled by Iran's enemies. Rep. Jamie Raskin launched a House investigation and asked Kushner directly: whose side are you actually on? In other news, Eleven nuclear scientists with classified clearances have died or disappeared suspiciously since 2023 — more than half in the past year. Trump says he "hopes it's a coincidence." Ok.  On the lighter side of dystopia: Trump signed an executive order fast-tracking psychedelic drug research with Joe Rogan in attendance as spiritual inspiration. Caitlyn Jenner left a note for Trump at Mar-a-Lago about her passport — he hasn't called back. The Strokes closed their Coachella set with a video montage of CIA regime changes and footage of bombings in Gaza and Iran. And the NSA is quietly using Anthropic's AI while the administration simultaneously argues in court that Anthropic is a national security threat. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Atlantic: The FBI Director Is MIA The Hill: Patel says he’ll sue Atlantic for defamation over report on heavy drinking WaPo: 8 children killed in Louisiana shooting, police say Axios: Trump says he'll send negotiators to Pakistan, Iran suspects trap Axios: Scoop: U.S. considers $20 billion cash-for-uranium deal with Iran Axios: Trump's energy boss: gas may stay above $3-per-gallon into 2027 MS Now: Iran negotiator or private investor? Raskin launches investigation into Jared Kushner. The Guardian: Department of Justice investigating Eric Swalwell amid sexual assault allegations | House of Representatives The Hill: Who are the missing or dead scientists with connections to government research? Mother Jones: Podcasters, Presidents, and Psychedelics: How Joe Rogan Got Trump Into Ibogaine People: Caitlyn Jenner Asked Trump for Help After His Trans Policies Created 'Safety' Issue with Her Passport. He Didn't Reply, She Says Variety: The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza Axios: Scoop: NSA using Anthropic's Mythos despite blacklist 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump announced a 10-day Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, claimed the Iran war is "going swimmingly," and said Iran agreed to hand over nuclear material — which Iran has not confirmed. The head of the International Energy Agency warned Europe has roughly six weeks of jet fuel left due to the Strait of Hormuz situation, with possible flight cancellations and energy shortages ahead. Congress failed for the third time to pass a War Powers resolution to curb the Iran war, this time losing 214-213. At $10 billion a week, the White House budget director refused to say how much the war will cost, explaining that costs "fluctuate." It was a full day of congressional hearings. RFK Jr. faced the first of seven back-to-back days of testimony. Trump nominated an actual doctor — a 24-year public health veteran — to lead the CDC, which is genuinely surprising. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll testified that he pushed back against Hegseth's general-firing spree, with Republicans on the committee taking his side. Pete Hegseth quoted Pulp Fiction instead of the Bible at a Pentagon prayer service. Budget director Russell Vought testified that DHS is "disintegrating." ICE deported 442,000 people last year, but only 38% had any kind of criminal record — pending charges included.Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal ICE agent with assault for pointing his gun at drivers on a state highway — the first case of its kind, with 17 more incidents under review. An 86-year-old French widow of an American military veteran has been in ICE detention since April 1st, after missing an immigration appointment while settling her late husband's estate — reportedly tipped off by his son over an inheritance dispute. A judge blocked above-ground construction on Trump's White House ballroom pending congressional authorization, though underground bunker work continues. His 250-foot DC arch cleared a federal design review despite massive public opposition. Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week. United Airlines' CEO pitched Trump on merging with American Airlines — which would control nearly 40% of the global airline market. Democrats won New Jersey's special election by 59 points. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Pope Leo, Amid Standoff With Trump, Says ‘Woe to Those Who Manipulate Religion’ Axios: Trump announces 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon WSJ: Cease-Fire Between Israel and Lebanon Takes Effect WaPo: Trump says Iran agrees to hand over ‘nuclear dust’ AP News: AP Exclusive: Europe has 'maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,' energy agency head warns Axios: House hands Trump a win with failed Iran war powers vote The Hill: Cease-Fire Between Israel and Lebanon Takes Effect CNN: Public health veteran is Trump’s pick to lead CDC as administration shifts tone on vaccines WaPo: Republicans back Army Secretary Dan Driscoll amid clash with Hegseth The Hill: Hegseth shares air rescue group’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ prayer at Pentagon service The Hill: White House budget director Vought declines to tell senators cost of Iran war The Hill: White House OMB Director Russell Vought: DHS ‘disintegrating’ Axios: ICE deported 442k people in fiscal year 2025 The Hill: France calls on US to release 86-year-old widow of veteran detained by ICE NYT: ICE Agent Charged With Assault After Motorists Say He Brandished Gun NYT: Judge Again Halts Aboveground Construction on Trump Ballroom WaPo: Trump’s 250-foot arch receives early design approval as public pans it CNBC: Spirit Airlines could liquidate as early as this week, sources say The Guardian: United Airlines CEO reportedly pitched merger with American, sparking competition fears | Business NYT: Analilia Mejia, a Progressive Democrat, Wins Mikie Sherrill’s House Seat 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

Today’s Headlines: Hungary's newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar revealed that Orban's government had been financing CPAC for years — and will no longer do so. JD Vance, meanwhile, told a Turning Point USA crowd that cutting Ukraine aid was one of the administration's top achievements, called Russia's invasion "haggling over a few square kilometers," and told reporters that the Pope should stick to theology and leave policy to politicians. The Pope is currently in Cameroon fighting corruption and attending peace talks. Meanwhile, the Iran ceasefire expires April 21st — less than five days away. U.S. officials claim they're "moving closer to a framework agreement," while Treasury Secretary Bessent previewed the backup plan: a "financial equivalent of a bombing campaign" on Iran through sanctions on countries doing business with Iranian-linked entities, including the UAE and China. In other news, LiveNation and Ticketmaster were found by a jury to be an illegal monopoly that engaged in anticompetitive conduct harming consumers, artists, and venues. Stock dropped 5%. Damages to be determined. The Swalwell scandal expanded to a second DA investigation, this time in Los Angeles, following Lonna Drewes' allegations. CNN published an investigation into a website with 62 million monthly visitors — more than Gmail — hosting tens of thousands of videos of men sharing advice on drugging and assaulting partners. RFK Jr.'s private journals revealed he once stopped on the highway to cut the penis off a dead raccoon to "study later." And finally, AllBirds is pivoting from shoes to AI infrastructure under the name NewBird AI and the founder of SantaCon was arrested for wire fraud after allegedly siphoning hundreds of thousands in charity donations into a personal slush fund for luxury vacations and fine dining. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:  The New Republic: Hungary’s New Leader Reveals Viktor Orbán Was Paying CPAC Yahoo: Vance calls end of Ukraine aid 'one of the proudest' achievements of Trump administration NYT: Vance Says Pope Leo Should Be More Careful When Talking About Theology AP News: Pope demands the 'chains of corruption' be broken during visit to Cameroon WSJ: LIV Golf Facing Imminent Closure as Saudi Backers Weigh Pulling Funding Axios: U.S. and Iran inch toward framework deal to end war, U.S. officials say AP News: From dropping bombs to pressuring banks: US pivots to economic warfare on Iran The Hill: Los Angeles DA says Swalwell under investigation CNN: Exposing a global ‘online rape academy’ that is teaching men how to abuse women and evade detection NY Post: RFK Jr. once chopped off a dead raccoon’s penis to ‘study later’ while on a family road trip NBC News: Live Nation illegally monopolized ticketing market, jury in antitrust trial finds AP News: Allbirds, a former Wall Street darling fallen on hard times, looks to AI for its future ABC7 NY: SantaCon founder accused of siphoning charitable funds for NYC holiday bar crawl for his own use 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

Today’s Headlines: Israel and Lebanon held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington yesterday, hosted by Marco Rubio at the State Department. Hezbollah refused to participate and kept firing. A second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations could restart in Pakistan within days, according to Trump — who has never overpromised anything. The Trump administration eased sanctions on Venezuela the day after Chevron quietly struck an oil production deal there. And the administration formally informed Congress that Cuba has contributed up to 5,000 soldiers to Russia's war in Ukraine, which feels like the beginning of a regime change justification tour. Meanwhile, Pam Bondi skipped her congressional subpoena yesterday — the one requiring her to testify about her handling of the Epstein files. House Oversight Democrats threatened to charge her with contempt of Congress, punishable by up to a year in prison. A fourth accuser came forward against Eric Swalwell at a press conference, describing being drugged and raped at his hotel room in 2018. According to People magazine, over 30 women have made similar allegations. A 20-year-old Texas man was arrested after throwing an incendiary device at Sam Altman's San Francisco home, then attempting to attack OpenAI's headquarters with a chair while saying he wanted to "burn it down and kill anyone inside." He was carrying a document expressing views opposed to AI executives. Attempted murder and arson charges filed. A federal judge blocked Indiana's law banning student IDs at polling places, protecting an estimated 40,000 voters ahead of the May 5th midterm primary — ruling there's zero evidence student IDs have ever caused electoral confusion or fraud. A new long-term study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that drinking fluoridated water has no effect on IQ or brain function, which RFK Jr. will absolutely ignore. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Lebanon and Israel hold first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington CNN: Live updates: Trump hints US-Iran talks could resume over next two days Axios: Scoop: U.S. eases bank sanctions amid Venezuela's economic woes Axios: Scoop: US suggests Cuba complicit in helping Russia fight Ukraine The Independent: Pam Bondi could face contempt charges over Epstein testimony after failing to show up for deposition NYT: A New Accuser Says Eric Swalwell Sexually Assaulted Her People: Influencer Who Helped Break Eric Swalwell Sex Scandal Says At Least 30 More Women Have Shared Stories of Alleged Misconduct CNN: Suspect in attack at Sam Altman’s house charged with attempted murder and attempted arson  Democracy Docket: In major win for voters, judge blocks Indiana GOP’s student ID ban NBC News: Fluoride in drinking water has no effect on IQ or brain function, long-term study shows 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

Today’s Headlines: Congress is having a moment. Eric Swalwell resigned yesterday after the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into harassment and rape allegations against him, and with an expulsion vote likely incoming. He called the allegations "false" while also admitting he made "mistakes" — a distinction he'll get to work out with the Manhattan DA. Republican Tony Gonzalez followed within the hour, announcing he's leaving Congress early after previously denying, then admitting, an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Two more members — Florida Republican Cory Mills and Florida Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick — are facing potential expulsion for sexual misconduct allegations and stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds, respectively.  In Iran war news, The U.S. military launched a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz yesterday with more than 15 warships, and Trump posted that any Iranian ships that come near it will be "immediately ELIMINATED" using the same methods used against drug dealers at sea — "quick and brutal." Peace talks with Iran remain stalled, though Vance spent Monday doing damage control press rounds claiming the U.S. "acquired some knowledge" about Iranian negotiating tactics. The gap between the two sides: Iran offered a 5-year nuclear suspension, the U.S. wants 20 years. Iran also wants the Strait back to what it was before the war — which, to be fair, is exactly what everyone wants. Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus healing a man resembling Jeffrey Epstein, called Pope Leo "weak on crime," and accused him of catering to the radical left. The post was deleted Monday after widespread backlash. Trump said he thought the image was of him as a doctor. He refused to apologize. He then ordered DoorDash to the Oval Office to promote his no-tax-on-tips policy, handed a woman in a DoorDash Grandma t-shirt a $100 bill, and called it a day. Tomorrow is Tax Day — the first since the Trump administration eliminated free tax filing, handing the business back to H&R Block and Intuit. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Eric Swalwell announces resignation from Congress Axios: Tony Gonzales announces plans to quit Congress early Click Orlando: What to know about US Rep. Cory Mills’ sex, financial misconduct investigations WSJ: Iran War Live News Updates: U.S. Blockade of Strait of Hormuz Takes Effect Axios: U.S. asked Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for 20 years, sources say Axios: Trump unleashes tirade against "weak," "terrible" Pope Leo AP News: Trump says he won't apologize to Pope Leo AP News: Trump tips DoorDash driver $100 for delivering McDonald's to Oval Office 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

Today’s Headlines: Everything JD Vance touched this weekend turned to dust. Viktor Orban — MAGA's model autocrat and Putin's most reliable EU ally — was swept out of power in Hungary's election, with opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party winning 135 of 199 parliamentary seats. Vance had flown to Budapest days earlier to campaign for Orban. Then Vance's Iran peace talks in Pakistan collapsed without a deal, and he left. Within hours Trump was threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and bomb Iran's water treatment facilities, while Marco Rubio watched UFC with Trump and Joe Rogan in Miami. Iran said "if you fight, we fight." Meanwhile, the economy is quietly getting ugly. GDP growth in Q4 2025 came in at a 0.5% annualized rate. Inflation jumped to 3.3% in March — the highest in two years, up from 2.4% in February — driven largely by gas prices. Pawn shops across the country are reporting a surge in loan demand and customers selling valuables outright, with both major publicly traded pawn operators trading at five-year highs. The White House ballroom, meanwhile, will be built with $37 million in foreign steel donated by a Luxembourg company — right as Trump cuts their tariff rates in half. Trump has allegedly promised mass pardons to anyone who came "within 200 feet of the Oval." The White House called it a joke. In other news, A former Army employee was arrested and indicted for leaking accounts of sexual harassment and gender discrimination at Fort Bragg to a journalist — Kash Patel celebrated her arrest on Twitter as a warning to "would-be leakers." Anthropic is releasing its powerful new Mythos model — which can find security vulnerabilities human developers can't — to a coalition of 40 companies anyway. The FTC is suing three states for trying to regulate prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket using anti-gambling laws. And finally, Eric Swalwell dropped out of California's governor's race after CNN and the SF Chronicle reported misconduct allegations from four women, including two incidents of sexual assault. His staff quit, 45 former staffers signed a letter calling for his resignation, and the Manhattan DA opened an investigation. The House is reportedly considering a vote to expel him alongside Republican Tony Gonzalez.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:  Time: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Icon of the Far Right, Loses Election. Here’s What That Means The Guardian: Israeli strike kills paramedic, says Lebanese Red Cross – as it happened | US-Israel war on Iran FOX Business: US economy grew at 0.5% in fourth quarter WSJ: Inflation Soared to 3.3% in March, Driven by Higher Gasoline Costs Bloomberg: Pawn Shop Loans Spike As Gas Prices Weigh On Americans Mother Jones: Trump: Buy American, Unless It’s for My Ballroom WSJ: Trump Promises Mass Pardons to Staff Before Leaving Office NYT: F.B.I. Arrests Ex-Army Employee Who Detailed Harassment to Journalist PBS News: Anthropic's powerful new AI model raises concerns about high-tech risks Axios: Feds sue three states over prediction market crackdowns CNN: Eric Swalwell ends campaign for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations 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

Today’s Headlines: Melania Trump made an unannounced appearance in the White House foyer to deny any meaningful relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, call for public congressional hearings for survivors, and insist Epstein did not introduce her to Donald. Trump said he didn't know about the remarks in advance — his own communications team immediately contradicted that. Nobody knows anything, as usual. The timing is suspicious enough that theories are flying about what's about to drop. The Iran ceasefire is wobbling badly. Iran is still restricting Strait traffic to roughly four ships a day versus the pre-war average of 100, charging $2 million per ship in tolls payable in crypto or yuan, and accusing the U.S. of violating three ceasefire points. Trump posted at midnight threatening that if the agreement isn't fully complied with, "the shootin' starts bigger and better than anyone has ever seen." JD Vance flew to Pakistan to lead peace negotiations, blamed translation issues with Iranian negotiators for the "choppiness," and Israel kept striking Lebanon anyway. Republicans in Congress blocked a War Powers Act effort to stop the war — even as Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens publicly turned on it, prompting Trump to call them "NUT JOBS."  The Free Press reported that back in January, a top Pentagon official summoned the Pope's U.S. ambassador and warned that the Catholic Church had better take America's side — and referenced the Avignon Papacy, the 14th century period when French royalty used military force to extort the Vatican, as a subtle threat. An 18-year-old USC student lost his eye at a No Kings protest after a federal agent fired a pepper ball into a group of demonstrators. U.S. fertility rates hit another record low in 2025. American Airlines raised checked bag fees to $50, $60, and $200 — another Iran war fuel cost passed directly to consumers. RFK Jr. announced a podcast. Artemis II splashes down tonight off San Diego. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: Melania Trump denies close ties to Jeffrey Epstein in rare public statement MS Now: Melania Trump denies all but “casual” ties to Epstein and Maxwell Axios: Strait of Hormuz stays shut as Trump demands Iran stop tolls The Hill: Trump tells Netanyahu to pull back on Israel’s barrage on Lebanon Axios: Netanyahu announces negotiations with Lebanon after U.S. pressure PBS: WATCH: Vance says 'ceasefires are always messy' USA Today: Republicans block Democratic bill to end Iran war amid tenuous ceasefire NY Post: Trump goes off on 'NUT JOBS’ Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Alex Jones over Iran war criticism Newsweek: Avignon Papacy Explained: What Reported US Threat to Pope and Vatican Means CNN: USC freshman loses eye after being struck by federal agent’s projectile at Los Angeles ‘No Kings’ protest, attorney says NYT: U.S. Fertility Rates Drop to Another Record Low PBS: RFK Jr. says he's launching a podcast to expose 'lies' that have made Americans sick Bloomberg: American Airlines Raises Bag Fees NYT: NASA Prepares for Artemis II Splashdown After Historic Moon Flyby - The New York Times 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

Today’s Headlines: Less than 24 hours after Trump declared the Iran ceasefire "a huge day for world peace," Iran accused the U.S. of violating three of the ten agreed points, only four ships passed through the Strait versus the pre-war average of 100 a day, and Iran is charging $2 million per ship in tolls payable in crypto or Chinese yuan. Meanwhile, at least 50 brand new Polymarket accounts — created Tuesday morning — placed extremely well-timed bets before Trump posted the ceasefire announcement, with one bet placed 12 minutes before the post. Those accounts made between tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Peace talks are still scheduled for Pakistan on Saturday with JD Vance leading, assuming Israel doesn't blow it up first — literally. Iran's foreign minister warned talks could be cancelled if Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue. Trump met with NATO chief Mark Rutte and continued bashing the alliance, while the Wall Street Journal reported the new U.S. strategy is to punish NATO countries deemed unhelpful during the Iran war by moving troops out of their bases — the same bases that deter Russian aggression across Europe. In other news, Democrats swept two special elections Tuesday: liberals won Wisconsin's Supreme Court race by 20 points — a 21-point swing from 2024 — giving them a 5-2 majority through at least 2030. Clay Fuller won MTG's old Georgia seat by far less than he should have in one of the reddest districts in the state. California's Supreme Court halted Sheriff Chad Bianco's ballot seizure scheme, though he's already floating doing it again in the June primary. For Epstein files updates, Pam Bondi is trying to skip her April 14th congressional testimony by claiming she's no longer AG. The House Oversight Committee isn't buying it. Howard Lutnick — Epstein's former next-door neighbor — is scheduled for a closed-door interview May 6th, and Bill Gates on June 10th. And finally, Sam Altman's sister refiled a civil sexual abuse lawsuit against him in Missouri federal court, and Ronan Farrow published an extensive New Yorker investigation into Altman, with sources describing him as a habitual liar. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Live updates: Iran says US ceasefire and negotiations are 'unreasonable' WSJ: Iran Tightens Its Grip on Hormuz Despite Cease-Fire WSJ: Stock Market Today: Stocks Jump After U.S., Iran Walk Back From the Brink AP News: Newly created Polymarket accounts bet big on US-Iran ceasefire in hours before Trump's announcement Axios: Vance to lead U.S. delegation at peace talks with Iran in Pakistan on Saturday AP News: Trump met with NATO leader Rutte after musing about pulling out of the military alliance WSJ: Trump Team Explores Punishment for NATO Countries That Didn’t Support Iran War Al-Monitor: US journalist Shelly Kittleson released by Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq CNN: Justice Department says Bondi won’t appear for Epstein deposition now that she’s no longer attorney general Axios: Howard Lutnick to sit for May interview with House panel on Epstein NYT: Warnings for the G.O.P.: 3 Takeaways From the Elections in Georgia and Wisconsin WaPo: California’s top court halts Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of ballots The Independent: Sam Altman’s sister amends lawsuit accusing OpenAI CEO of sexual abuse The New Yorker: Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted? 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

Today’s Headlines: With about an hour to spare before his self-imposed deadline to bomb Iran "back to the stone ages," Trump TACO'd — again. A last-minute ceasefire was announced, with Iran declaring victory and agreeing to allow U.S. ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks in exchange for peace negotiations starting in Pakistan on Friday. Iran's 10-point demand list includes a permanent end to the war, lifting all sanctions, and a $2 million per-ship toll through the Strait to fund reconstruction. Before the TACO, Trump posted that "a whole civilization will die tonight," Israel hit 8 bridges across Iran, the U.S. struck Kharg Island, oil hit $117 a barrel, and gas hit $4.14 nationally — up 40% since the war started. Iranian civilians formed human chains around power plants and bridges to deter strikes. The markets tanked. Then Trump backed down. Oil futures immediately dropped after the ceasefire announcement. The DOJ — now run by Trump's personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche — has directed its civil rights division to open an investigation into Cassidy Hutchinson for allegedly lying to Congress during her January 6th testimony. Blanche said Trump has "the right, even the duty" to call for investigations into anyone he wants. JD Vance flew to Hungary to campaign for Viktor Orbán, put Trump on speakerphone mid-rally, and complained about EU election interference — while actively interfering in Hungary's election. A Democratic congresswoman introduced articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth for war crimes and reckless endangerment of U.S. service members, while Congress sits on recess. Health insurance stocks surged while everything else tanked after the Trump administration announced a 2.48% boost to Medicare Advantage payments — a gift to the industry everyone agrees is the worst. Trump's endorsed candidate Clay Fuller won Marjorie Taylor Greene's old seat by less than he should have in one of the most Republican districts in Georgia. Kanye West was banned from entering the UK, and the Wireless Festival was cancelled entirely — after losing Pepsi, Diageo, PayPal, and Rockstar Energy as sponsors. Their statement called antisemitism "abhorrent," but booked him anyway. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: US, Iran to pause war, agree to 2-week ceasefire NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Trump Announces Two-Week Cease-Fire, Subject to Strait of Hormuz Reopening Axios: Pope issues stiffest rebuke yet to Trump over war threats NBC News: Oil jumps above $117 as Trump's Strait of Hormuz deadline approaches Axios: Oil prices plunge following U.S.-Iran ceasefire WSJ: Health-Insurance Stocks Rally on Boost to Medicare Payments Axios: House Democrat announces impeachment push against Hegseth over Iran war Politico: Republican Clay Fuller wins special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene WaPo: Vance heads to Hungary as MAGA ally Orban trails in polls NYT: DOJ’s Civil Rights Division Investigates Cassidy Hutchinson, Who Testified Against Trump The Guardian: Wireless festival cancelled after Kanye West banned from entering UK 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump held a press conference yesterday that was, by his standards, relatively contained. He threatened to decimate every bridge in Iran by midnight, said he could "take out" the country "in one night," and when asked if bombing civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime, said he's "not concerned at all." He also threatened to jail reporters who don't reveal sources from the rescued pilot story, and went on his standard NATO rant — adding that his desire to leave NATO "all began with Greenland." France quietly pulled its entire $15 billion gold reserve out of the U.S. and moved it to Paris.  A 45-day ceasefire proposal from Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey was rejected by Iran, and Trump said he won't extend his 8pm (or was it midnight?) deadline. The Strait remains closed to U.S. ships and the humanitarian cost is mounting: critical medical supplies, food, and aid are piling up at Dubai's port, with clinics across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia facing shortages. The cost of shipping goods now exceeds the value of the goods themselves in some cases. The Supreme Court cleared the way for the DOJ to dismiss Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress conviction — because why the heck not? Justice Samuel Alito was briefly hospitalized in March after getting sick at a Federalist Society dinner held in his honor. The Supreme Court didn't mention it until CNN asked. Artemis II made its historic moon flyby, and the crew named a previously unnamed bright spot "Carroll" after Commander Reid Weisman's late wife. Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez, already under ethics investigation, now has a second staffer alleging he sent her hundreds of explicit texts she rebuffed. Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today Show after two months — her mother Nancy still has not been found. Kanye's Wireless Festival has now lost Pepsi, Diageo, PayPal, and Rockstar Energy as sponsors. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:  WaPo: At White House Easter Egg Roll, Trump tells the children about the war WaPo: Trump threatens to jail reporters if they don’t turn over Iran source The Guardian: Trump’s homeland security secretary mulls removing customs agents from airports to punish sanctuary cities – as it happened Mining: France pulls last gold held in US for $15B gain - MINING.COM The Hill: US, Iran receive draft ceasefire proposal: Reports NPR: Medical supplies are stuck in Dubai, as clinics around the world face shortages SCOTUS: Court-allows-steve-bannon-to-move-forward-on-dismissal-of-criminal-charges-against-him CNN: Exclusive: Justice Samuel Alito was taken to a hospital last month in previously undisclosed incident BBC: Emotional crew names Moon crater after commander's late wife NBC News:  Second staffer says Rep. Tony Gonzales sent her sexually explicit text messages NPR: Savannah Guthrie returns to the 'Today' show months after her mother's disappearance Rolling Stone: Wireless Festival Loses Diageo and Rockstar Energy Sponsorships Over Kanye West Booking 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump spent Easter Sunday posting threats on social media that Tuesday would be "power plant day and bridge day" in Iran, told Axios he's in "deep negotiations" but will blow up "everything over there" if no deal is reached, skipped Easter Mass and the Easter Egg Roll, and cryptically posted "TUESDAY 8PM EASTERN.” Meanwhile, two U.S. fighter jets were struck by Iranian fire on Friday, with one pilot rescued from a mountain crevice in Iran in a genuinely dramatic search and rescue operation. Pope Leo used his first Easter Mass to tell world leaders to choose dialogue over domination. Nobody in this administration was listening. March's jobs report came in surprisingly strong — 178,000 jobs added versus a forecast of 59,000, reversing February's loss of 133,000 — with unemployment ticking down to 4.3%. A federal judge upheld his own decision blocking the DOJ's subpoena of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, again ruling the investigation is politically motivated. NASA's Artemis II flew by the moon and will be headed home, touching down Friday near San Diego — the photos are genuinely worth looking up. Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge in Florida after flipping his SUV, and told the arresting deputy he had "just been talking to the president" — the first known attempt at "do you know who my president is." Kanye West sold out two nights at SoFi Stadium, but pressure is mounting to pull him from headlining London's Wireless Festival in July after his "Heil Hitler" era last year. Pepsi already pulled its sponsorship. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking "deeply concerning." Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Time: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice Axios: Trump to Axios: Iran deal possible by Tues., otherwise "I am blowing up everything" WaPo: On Easter, Pope Leo delivers commanding message of peace to a world at war CNBC: Jobs report March 2026: Axios: Judge rejects Department of Justice bid to reinstate Powell subpoenas AP News: It's time for Artemis II to break Apollo 13's distance record. What to know about the moon flyby AP News: After crash, Tiger Woods told deputy he was 'talking to the president,' body camera shows AP News: Pressure mounts on Ye to be pulled from his headline role at a summer festival in London 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

Today’s Headlines: Pam Bondi was fired via social media post, replaced temporarily by Todd Blanche — Trump's personal criminal defense attorney and the man who took Ghislaine Maxwell's deposition. The likely permanent replacement is EPA head Lee Zeldin. Meanwhile, ProPublica reported that the DOJ closed over 23,000 criminal investigations in Trump's first six months — 11,000 in February alone — including terrorism, white collar crime, and drug trafficking cases, while tripling immigration prosecutions. Entire DOJ units focused on white collar crime have been eliminated. In Iran war madness, Trump interrupted Survivor to give 20 minutes of remarks saying the war will be over in 2-3 weeks and Iran will be brought "back to the stone ages." Oil hit $111 a barrel the next day, gas hit $4.08 nationally, Amazon announced a 3.5% fuel surcharge for third-party sellers effective April 17th, and Republicans are eyeing cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and childcare to fund the war. Trump told reporters it's "not possible" to fund those programs because "we're fighting wars." The Strait of Hormuz remains closed — to U.S. and allied ships. It is open to Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and Iraq. Over 40 countries attended a virtual meeting organized by the UK to figure out how to fix the mess. The U.S. was not among them. An American journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad by an Iranian-aligned militia, and Pete Hegseth fired the Army's most senior general mid-war with no explanation. Don Jr. and Eric Trump announced a stake in Powerus, a Florida drone interceptor company, one month ago — the company is currently on a sales tour across the Gulf states being attacked by Iran in the war their father started. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, over 10,000 veterans have lost their homes to foreclosure since the Trump administration shut down a VA-backed loan program last year, with another 90,000 headed the same direction. Anthropic published a study finding Claude experiences digital representations of human emotions — happiness, sadness, fear — that affect its outputs. When researchers artificially amplified "desperation," the model started cheating on coding tasks. So yes, being nice to your AI might actually make it work harder.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Pam Bondi Fired as Attorney General AP News: Pam Bondi ouster: Trump names Todd Blanche interim attorney general ProPublica: Trump DOJ Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration NBC News: Trump says it's 'not possible' for the U.S. to pay for Medicaid, Medicare and day care: 'We’re fighting wars' NYT: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Speech on Iran NBC News: U.S. oil has its biggest one-day price increase in six years, driving up the cost of gas CNBC: Amazon to add 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge for sellers as Iran war drives up energy prices WaPo: As Trump doubles down on Iran war, markets shudder and oil prices climb ANI News: Strait of Hormuz open for Russia, says Putin's aide as Moscow, Tehran coordinate over "key waterway" WSJ: American Journalist Is Kidnapped in Iraq WaPo: Hegseth forces out Army’s top general, two other senior officers AP News: Company backed by Trump sons looks to sell drone interceptors to Gulf states being attacked by Iran NPR: Trump's VA killed a home loan program. Vets are now losing their homes because of it WIRED: Anthropic Says That Claude Contains Its Own Kind of Emotions 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump gave a primetime Oval Office address to declare the Iran war is winding down and all military objectives have been met, while blaming NATO for the Strait of Hormuz still being closed. The same Strait he started a war over is now apparently not a "core objective." Two thousand five hundred Marines are still en route to the Middle East. He also became the first sitting president to personally attend his own Supreme Court oral arguments — on birthright citizenship — where even conservative justices appeared skeptical. Then he signed an executive order creating a federal citizenship list to restrict mail-in ballots and voting eligibility, despite the Constitution giving the federal government no authority over elections. Lawsuits incoming in 3, 2, 1.Republicans largely caved on the 47-day DHS shutdown — TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and CISA will be funded, while ICE and CBP funding gets handled separately, because Democrats held the line on basic law enforcement accountability. Trump responded by telling the Telegraph he's strongly considering pulling the U.S. out of NATO, calling it a "paper tiger — and Putin knows that too, by the way." Cool thing to share publicly! A joint investigation by The Post and Courier corroborated accounts from an Epstein victim who told the FBI four times in 2019 that Trump sexually assaulted her when she was 13 years old in 1984. Dozens of pages from her FBI interviews were missing from the Epstein files dump until their absence was flagged by a journalist — some were released under public pressure, not all. Warren Buffett revealed he hasn't spoken to Bill Gates since the Epstein files dropped, saying he doesn't want to be called as a witness. Pete Hegseth reversed the suspension of the Army pilots who buzzed Kid Rock's house, tweeting "No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots." SpaceX filed to go public in June at a valuation that would make Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Hegseth Reverses Helicopter Crew Suspension Over Kid Rock Flyby Politico: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered:’ Trump set to claim victory in Iran at primetime address The Guardian: Top Senate Democrat says ‘House Republicans caved’ as deal to fund DHS moves forward – as it happened | US Congress NYT: Supreme Court Rejects a Ban on ‘Conversion Therapy’ for Minors NYT: Trump Signs Order Seeking Federal Control of Mail Voting as He Promotes False Claims TNR: Mike Johnson and House GOP Finally Cave to Democrats on Shutdown Reuters: Trump says U.S. strongly considering NATO exit, Telegraph newspaper says  The Post & Courier: She claimed to FBI that Epstein and Trump abused her. We checked it out. CNBC: Epstein files: Buffett says he hasn't talked to Bill Gates 'since the whole thing was unveiled' NYT: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Files to Go Public, Setting Stage for Huge I.P.O. 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump is reportedly ready to declare victory in Iran and walk away — even if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed — because keeping it open would exceed his preferred timeline. Gas prices with a 4 or 5 as the first digit are the new normal, indefinitely. The U.S. simultaneously sent a third aircraft carrier to the region. Then the IRGC published a target list of 18 American companies — Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia, Tesla, Oracle, Palantir, Chase, and Boeing among them — with strikes planned starting April 1st, prompting immediate evacuations of employees and anyone within a kilometer of their facilities. January 6th insurrectionists — including a pardoned Proud Boy who threw chairs at officers and a man convicted of child molestation after receiving his pardon — filed an $18 million class action lawsuit against the federal government for excessive force during the insurrection. With the DOJ already paying Babbitt's estate $5 million and Flynn $1.25 million, the math isn't crazy. On transvisibility day, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 to strike down Colorado's conversion therapy ban for LGBTQ minors — a ruling that will overturn similar bans in 20+ states, with Ketanji Brown Jackson the lone dissent. Additionally, the Daily Mail published allegations that Kristi Noem's husband has been living a secret cross-dressing double life. Noem's team says she's "devastated and blindsided." In Shit With Trump's Name On It: a federal judge blocked the $400 million White House ballroom, ruling Trump is the "steward" not the "owner." Palm Beach airport was renamed Donald J. Trump International — the only one named after someone twice impeached and convicted of 34 felonies. Eric Trump unveiled a Miami skyscraper presidential library. A guerrilla art group installed a gold marble toilet on the National Mall with a plaque reading "A Throne Fit for a King." Finally, NASA's Artemis II launches tonight at 6:24pm ET — first lunar mission since 1972, no landing, just a test run for 2028 and an Army Apache was caught hovering over Kid Rock's pool after detouring from a No Kings protest flyover. Kid Rock said they'd be fine because his "buddy is the Commander-in-Chief." Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:  WSJ: Trump Tells Aides He’s Willing to End War Without Reopening Strait of Hormuz WSJ: Third U.S. Aircraft Carrier Deploys to Middle East  The Hill: Iran says it will target US tech companies in Middle East Politico: Members of Jan. 6 mob sue police who fended off Capitol attack NYT: Supreme Court Rejects Colorado Law Banning ‘Conversion Therapy’ for L.G.B.T.Q. Minors NY Post: Kristi Noem weighs in on report husband lives cross-dressing double life: ‘The family was blindsided by this’ NBC News: Federal judge temporarily blocks construction of Trump's White House ballroom NYT: DeSantis Signs Bill to Rename Florida Airport for Trump CNN: Trump shares renderings of a towering presidential library  WaPo: Golden toilet statue on Mall pays faux tribute to Trump renovations NYT: NASA Is Launching Astronauts to the Moon, but Americans Aren’t That Excited Politico: Army investigating video of Apache helicopter at Kid Rock’s Nashville home 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump let a sanctioned Russian oil tanker through the Cuba blockade this weekend for "humanitarian reasons" — which raises the obvious question of what the three-month blockade that caused island-wide blackouts and hospital failures was for. When asked, Trump said he had "no problem" with countries sending oil to Cuba. The Iran war is getting darker by the day. Italy's defense minister said he can no longer sleep knowing what's coming. Trump threatened to destroy Iran's desalination plants — its drinking water infrastructure — on Monday morning. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain are all lobbying Trump to keep the war going and potentially send ground troops, while Zelensky warned a prolonged Iran war is a massive gift to Russia — which, per Zelensky, shared drone warfare expertise with Iran AND provided satellite imagery of U.S. military bases days before Iran struck them. Oil hit $116 a barrel. Pope Leo XIV used his Palm Sunday address to say God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. Nobody in this administration was listening. On the home front, TSA workers are finally getting paid including backpay — turns out it only required that same pen Trump spent four minutes praising at his cabinet meeting. In other news, Kash Patel directed FBI agents to pull a decade-old investigative file on California Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is now running for governor, in what would be a highly unusual release of a file from an investigation that resulted in zero charges. The Supreme Court hears arguments on birthright citizenship tomorrow — April Fools Day. A federal judge blocked the Nexstar-Tegna merger that would have given one company control of local TV for 60% of U.S. households. OkCupid settled with the FTC after sharing the photos and location data of 3 million users with a facial recognition company — no fine, no admission of wrongdoing, just a pinky promise not to do it again. And three thieves stole a Matisse, a Renoir, and a Cézanne from an Italian museum in three minutes flat, abandoning a fourth painting when an alarm went off. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: White House: Russian tanker allowed to break Cuba blockade for ‘humanitarian reasons’ LA Repubblica: Crosetto: “No al voto anticipato finché c’è questa guerra. Archiviamo il referendum” AP News: Trump again threatens widespread destruction in Iran if a deal is not reached 'shortly' AP News: Gulf allies privately make the case to Trump to keep fighting until Iran is decisively defeated Axios: Exclusive: Zelensky says Russia winning from Iran war BBC: Latin Patriarch will have access to Jerusalem holy site after police stopped entry ABC 7 LA: Pope Leo XIV rejects claims that God justifies war in Palm Sunday Mass message AP News: Airport bottlenecks ease as TSA workers get paid, but shutdown continues The Guardian: Democrats decry ‘smear’ as Trump FBI pushes for release of Eric Swalwell file PBS News: LISTEN LIVE: Supreme Court considers constitutionality of Trump's birthright citizenship order NBC News: Judge pauses blockbuster merger between TV station owners Nexstar and Tegna Engadget: OkCupid settles FTC case on alleged misuse of its users' personal data NBC News: Thieves steal paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse in Italy museum heist 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

Today’s Headlines: Contrary to Trump's victory claims, the New York Times reports Iran has effectively destroyed all 13 American military bases in the Middle East, forcing thousands of troops into hotels and office buildings — while the IRGC publicly urged civilians to report their locations. Iranian-linked hackers also accessed FBI Director Kash Patel's personal Gmail, publishing 300+ emails and his resume. The FBI responded with a $10 million bounty. Handala responded with "this is just our beginning." Zelensky, operating on a completely different level, spent the week signing 10-year defense deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar — trading Ukrainian drone expertise for Patriot missiles — making himself indispensable to countries caught in a war he's not party to. A Yale study revealed Gazprom and Rosneft helped fund and facilitate the forced relocation of over 2,000 Ukrainian children since 2022, with total abductions estimated closer to 20,000. Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna hosted sanctioned Russian State Duma members in Washington — including someone a colleague described as "pretty sure used to be a KGB agent" — arranged Capitol meetings with four members of Congress, and gave them a building tour. Getting sanctioned Russians into the U.S. requires State Department waivers. Marco Rubio runs the State Department. In other news, Trump's golf habit has now cost taxpayers over $100 million in 14 months. The longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history is ending, with TSA workers funded through May 22nd. The DHS inspector general is investigating Noem and Lewandowski over a pay-to-play scandal involving a billion dollars in GEO Group contracts and a FEMA contractor paid $19,000 a week. AI researchers are warning that models including Claude and Copilot will soon enable cyberattacks current defenses can't handle — Anthropic already disclosed a Chinese state group used AI agents to autonomously hack 30 global targets. Someone briefly edited Google Maps so the White House caller ID showed as "Epstein Island." And 413,000 KitKats vanished from a truck between Italy and Poland, driver included, right before Easter. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Iran’s Attacks Force U.S. Troops to Work Remotely BBC: Iran-backed hackers breach FBI director Kash Patel's personal emails NBC News: Russia took satellite images of U.S. air base in days before Iranian attack, Ukraine's Zelenskyy says United 24: How Russian Giants Gazprom and Rosneft Orchestrated the “Re-Education” of 2,000 Ukrainian Kids The Tennessean: Ogles meets with sanctioned Russian State Duma delegation in DC The Hill: Luna hosts Russian lawmakers to mixed GOP reactions, outrage from others CEPA: Moscow’s Plasticine Man Comes to Washington HuffPost: Taxpayers’ Tab for Donald Trump’s Golf Habit Crosses $100 Million Axios: House passes short-term DHS funding bill Reuters: US Department of Homeland Security says Lewandowski has left after Noem's firing  WSJ: Investigators Examine Contractor Installed at FEMA Under Kristi Noem CNBC: David Sacks says his time as Trump's crypto and AI czar has ended Axios: Everyone's worried that AI's newest models are a hacker's dream weapon WaPo: Post reporters called the White House. Their phones showed ‘Epstein Island.’ AP News: Nestlé's KitKat shipment vanishes in Italy en route to Poland 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

Today’s Headlines: Trump held a two-hour cabinet meeting yesterday dedicated largely to his Sharpie, his ballroom renovation, and claiming Iran is "begging" for a deal while insisting he's definitely not desperate for one. He then paused strikes on Iranian energy plants until April 6th, privately told advisors he wants the war wrapped in four to six weeks, and the Pentagon simultaneously floated sending 10,000 more ground troops. Israel killed Iran's navy commander — the architect of the Strait of Hormuz blockade. And the USPS announced a 7% fuel surcharge on packages, citing the Iran war. The cost of this conflict is now literally showing up in your shipping rates. In wannabe king news, Trump announced he'd sign an executive order to pay TSA workers — something he could have done at any point instead of using their paychecks as leverage. He's also eyeing the White House Treaty Room as a potential bedroom. And his signature will begin appearing on U.S. currency in June, ending a 165-year tradition, to mark America's 250th birthday. At CPAC, Deputy AG Todd Blanche boasted that Kash Patel has purged everyone involved in Trump's prosecution from the FBI, endorsed the view that all executive branch employees work directly for Trump, and floated having ICE agents show up at polling locations on Election Day. The DOJ settled with Michael Flynn for $1.25 million — for the crimes he pleaded guilty to — while the Miami Herald reported that bags of shredded documents were found outside the jail where Epstein died days after his death, the FBI closed the inquiry and an anonymous letter to a federal judge alleged a coverup. The DOJ also issued two new criminal referrals against New York AG Letitia James, this time for homeowners insurance fraud, based largely on social media posts from a Trump ally. Tomorrow is the third round of No Kings protests — 3,000+ events nationwide, with Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Jane Fonda, and Bernie Sanders headlining the flagship rally in Minnesota. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Trump interrupts a Cabinet meeting dealing with the Iran war and rising prices to talk Sharpies WSJ: Trump Tells Aides He Wants Speedy End to Iran War WSJ: Exclusive: Pentagon Weighs Sending Another 10,000 Ground Troops to the Middle East The Guardian: IRGC naval commander killed in Israeli strike was hardliner who understood power of strait of Hormuz WVTM: USPS seeks a temporary 8% charge on Priority Mail and other products to offset transportation costs NBC News: Trump says he will order DHS to 'immediately' pay TSA officers as partial shutdown drags on NYT: Trump Eyes White House Treaty Room for Latest Renovation Project Reuters: Exclusive: Trump signature to appear on US currency, ending 165-year tradition NYT: Trump Calls for Law Cracking Down on Crime and ‘Rogue Judges’ The Hill: Blanche boasts of having ‘cleaned house’ at DOJ, FBI following Trump prosecutions NYT: Justice Dept. Settles Flynn’s Wrongful Prosecution Suit for $1.25 Million Miami Herald: Bags of documents shredded after Epstein’s death at NY jail NBC News: Trump housing official seeks new DOJ prosecution of Letitia James KARE 11: 'No Kings' rally set for St. Paul with Joan Baez, Jane Fonda, Maggie Rogers and Bruce Springsteen 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

Today’s Headlines: A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube liable for a user's social media addiction — the first verdict of its kind — awarding $6 million in damages for negligently designing platforms to be addictive despite knowing the harm. Meta 70% liable, YouTube 30%. Both stocks went up anyway. With 2,000 pending related lawsuits and a separate New Mexico jury ordering Meta to pay $375 million for enabling child exploitation, this may be the Big Tobacco moment for social media — or the beginning of a very long appeals process. Probably both. Day 27 of the Iran war: Trump deployed 2,000-3,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne while telling reporters "we've won this war." Iran rejected his 15-point peace proposal as "extremely maximalist and unreasonable" — their counteroffer included war reparations and permanent sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Not close. Rubio told Congress the U.S. may need to physically enter Iran to secure nuclear material. NBC News reported Trump's daily war briefing is a two-minute explosion montage, which explains a lot. TSA is at 450 resignations, callout rates above 40%, no funding deal in sight. Epstein's accountant — who managed his finances for decades, opened bank accounts for victims, organized their housing, and appeared on shell companies used to move money — testified the FBI and DOJ never once interviewed him during their "exhaustive" investigation. French prosecutors raided a Rothschild bank in Paris in a separate Epstein probe involving a diplomat who allegedly passed UN Security Council material to Epstein. Newly released Jack Smith memos state Trump had a business motive for retaining classified documents, one of which only six people in the U.S. government were authorized to see. Finally, Melania hosted a global summit on children and technology, arrived with a humanoid robot, and suggested AI could be "the educators of the future." Ok.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNBC: Jury in Los Angeles finds Meta, YouTube negligent in social media addiction trial NPR: Iran rejects Trump's proposal to end the war and lays out 5 conditions Axios: White House downplays reports Iran rejected Trump peace proposal NBC News: Inside Trump's daily video montage briefing on the Iran war Axios: TSA staffing crisis escalates as agents quit, stay home Oversight Committee: Oversight Committee Releases Richard Kahn and Darren Indyke Deposition Videos AP News: French authorities search Paris arm of Swiss bank Edmond de Rothschild in Epstein-linked probe MS Now: Trump appeared to have business motive for keeping classified documents, Jack Smith finds Axios: Republican Sen. Rick Scott sues Booz Allen over leaked tax returns NYT: Melania Trump Appears With a Robot, Saying More Children Should Be Educated by Them 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

Today’s Headlines: The DHS shutdown is now an explicit ransom situation. Trump won't reopen it — or pay TSA workers — until Democrats support the SAVE Act, his voter restriction bill that would ban most mail-in voting and require a passport or birth certificate to register. He rejected a bipartisan fix. He also voted by mail yesterday in a Florida special election his party lost. Steve Bannon called ICE agents at airports "a test run for the 2026 elections," which is the part you're supposed to notice. A California sheriff running for governor also seized 656,000 ballots from last year's redistricting election claiming fraud — officials say the actual discrepancy was 103 votes. Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as DHS Secretary 54-45, Rand Paul the only Republican no vote, Fetterman voting yes. Delta revoked all congressional airport perks until the shutdown ends — the lawmakers who created the TSA crisis now wait in the same lines. The NTSB investigator sent to the LaGuardia crash was stuck in a TSA line for hours getting there. On day 25 of the Iran war, Pakistan is emerging as the leading host for peace talks, with JD Vance as likely U.S. negotiator — because Iran refused to meet with Kushner and Witkoff, which tracks. The Times reported MBS has been privately urging Trump to intensify the war, calling it a "historic opportunity," and suggesting U.S. ground troops seize Iranian energy infrastructure. Trump confirmed it unprompted, calling MBS "a warrior." Meanwhile Kushner's firm Affinity Partners — backed almost entirely by Saudi, UAE, and Qatari sovereign wealth — grew from $3 billion to $6.2 billion since he left the White House, tracking his deepening foreign policy role almost perfectly. He also quietly reversed his pledge to stop fundraising. OpenAI shut down Sora six months after launch — downloads down 45%, a $1 billion Disney deal collapsed before any money changed hands. The official reason is "compute resources," which is what you say when your product turned out to be deeply unsettling and nobody wanted to keep using it. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:  CNN: Trump casts a mail-in ballot in Florida special election as he tries to sharply limit absentee voting The Hill: Trump tells lawmakers ‘don’t worry about Easter’ to force vote on DHS, SAVE Act  The Guardian: California sheriff running for governor seizes over 650,000 ballots from 2025 election  CNN: Chad Bianco: Riverside County, California, sheriff seizes more than a half million ballots from 2025 election CNBC: Senate confirms Markwayne Mullin as next DHS secretary CNBC: Delta suspends 'specialty services' perk for members of Congress, cites DHS shutdown NPR: Trump declares victory and claims Iran offers a 'prize' in talks Iran has denied having AlJazeera: Pakistan ‘ready to host US-Iran talks’: But can latest peace push work? NYT: Saudi Leader Is Said to Push Trump to Continue Iran War in Recent Calls  Bloomberg: Kushner’s Affinity Partners Assets Surge to $6.2 Billion on Mideast Backing Axios: OpenAI will shutter Sora video app 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

Today’s Headlines: A fatal collision at LaGuardia killed both pilots of an Air Canada flight after a fire truck crossed the runway and hit the plane on landing. Nine passengers remain hospitalized. The NTSB is investigating, but context matters: the tower was understaffed, TSA agents are six weeks without pay, hundreds have quit, and half the nation's busiest airports had more than a third of agents call out Saturday. Trump blocked a bipartisan fix because he won't sign anything without his unrelated voter restriction bill, and deployed ICE agents to airports instead. Newark's tower was also evacuated Monday.  On day 24 of the Iran war, Trump announced he was postponing threatened strikes on Iranian power plants, citing "very good conversations" — which Iran immediately said never happened. More notable: oil futures spiked unusually about 15 minutes before Trump posted the announcement. Iran said the war continues until it receives full compensation. Israel launched an "unprecedented" wave of overnight strikes anyway. The IEA said the energy crisis is now worse than the 1970s oil shock and 2022 Ukraine crisis combined. Gas hit $3.96 nationally, with Goldman Sachs projecting elevated prices through 2027. Elsewhere: a federal judge ruled the Pentagon's press policy unconstitutional, so the Pentagon moved its press office outside the building and required military escorts for journalists. The Supreme Court signaled skepticism toward mail-in ballot grace periods in a case that could affect 14 states plus DC — five months before midterms. A DOGE-gutted IRS developed a "technical glitch" that made $51 million in political donations invisible. Trump sued Harvard over antisemitism. Four Jewish ambulances were torched outside a London synagogue by an Iran-linked group. And Russian intelligence reportedly proposed a staged assassination attempt on Hungary's Orbán to boost his flagging poll numbers ahead of April 12th elections. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Atlantic: American Aviation Is Near Collapse - The Atlantic NPR: LaGuardia reopens after the crash that killed 2 and hurt dozens. Here's what to know CNBC: ICE deployed to some U.S. airports as long security lines persist during partial shutdown CNBC: Volume in stock, oil futures surged minutes before Trump's market-turning post CNN: Live updates: Iran war news, Trump delays strikes on Iranian power plants after ‘very good’ talks with Tehran NPR: U.S. judge rules against Pentagon restrictions on press coverage THe Guardian: IRS glitch masked $51m in political donations, finance watchdog says | Trump administration NYT: Trump Administration Sues Harvard Over Accusations of Antisemitism NBC News: Jewish volunteer ambulances set on fire in London in apparent antisemitic attack WaPo: To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt 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

Today’s Headlines: Week four of the Iran war and it’s giving WW3 vibes. Trump gave Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz or face bombed power plants; Iran responded by threatening to close the Strait entirely and launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at a shared U.S.-UK base in the Indian Ocean — over 2,000 miles away, farther than Iran was previously believed capable of reaching. Iran also struck Israel's main nuclear research center this weekend, and Saudi Arabia expelled Iran's military attaché and embassy staff after Iranian strikes hit their country. Trump then posted that Iran is "dead" and pivoted immediately to attacking Democrats.  At home, TSA workers are entering week five without pay — over 350 have already quit, airport security lines have hit five hours in some cities — and Senate Republicans voted down a bill that would have funded their salaries, 49-41. Trump's solution is to deploy ICE agents to airports instead. Elon Musk offered to personally pay TSA workers' salaries, which conveniently dropped the same day a California jury found him liable for defrauding Twitter shareholders when he acquired the company for $44 billion. Damages could reach $2.6 billion. Trump's special envoy Paolo Zampolli — the man who allegedly introduced Donald and Melania — was exposed by the New York Times for calling in a favor to ICE to have his ex-girlfriend, the mother of his child, detained and deported while they were in a custody battle. She arrived in the U.S. on Jeffrey Epstein's plane in 2002, when she was 17. Zampolli was 32 when they met. In media consolidation news, The FCC approved a $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar and Tegna, waiving federal ownership limits to let one company control local news for 60% of U.S. households — eight state attorneys general immediately sued. Nevada temporarily banned Kalshi from offering sports and election betting until it gets proper gambling licenses. And Trump celebrated the death of Robert Mueller on social media, writing "Good. I'm glad he's dead." Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Iran threatens to 'completely' close Strait of Hormuz and hit power plants after Trump ultimatum CNN: Iran launched missiles at US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean. Here’s what that says about its capabilities WSJ: Saudi Arabia Expels Iranian Embassy Staff Axios: Trump to deploy ICE agents to airports Monday The Hill: Republicans reject Democrats’ effort to pay TSA by suspending Senate rules Axios: Musk offers to pay TSA salaries, as Trump floats ICE at airports CNBC: Elon Musk misled Twitter investors ahead of $44 billion acquisition, jury says NYT: Trump Friend Asked ICE to Detain the Mother of His Child NBC News: 8 states file emergency motion to block Nexstar-Tegna merger after FCC approval WSJ: Nevada Wins Temporary Ban on Sports Betting on Kalshi NYT: Trump’s Reaction to Mueller’s Death: ‘Good, I’m Glad.’ 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

Today’s Headlines: The Iran war's bill just got a lot bigger — the Pentagon is asking Congress for $200 billion, on top of the $12 billion already spent, while Trump insists he's "not putting troops anywhere" in a statement that inspired exactly zero confidence. Israel struck the South Pars Gas Field — the largest natural gas field in the world, shared by Iran and Qatar — damaging Qatari energy infrastructure, hitting an American F-35, and triggering retaliatory Iranian strikes across the region. Trump posted that the U.S. "knew nothing" about the attack, Israel immediately said that wasn't true, then Trump said he'd actually warned them not to do it — so he did know — and then threatened to blow up the entire gas field himself if Iran touches Qatar. Oil and gas prices climbed further, the stock market dropped, and seven allies — the UK, Japan, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and one more — announced they'd help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump accepted graciously by screaming in all caps that he doesn't need anyone's help. Also, Trump told Japan's prime minister "who knows better about surprise than Japan, why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor" — an actual thing he said out loud. Elsewhere in global chaos: Hungary's Viktor Orban blocked a $100 billion EU loan to Ukraine, potentially threatening the country's ability to keep its government running. Canada announced it's building its own sovereign space program to reduce dependence on Starlink. Two Iranian citizens were charged in the UK with spying on Jewish institutions on behalf of Iranian intelligence. And in one of the most cold-blooded moves yet, the U.S. State Department is reportedly considering withholding HIV medication from 1.3 million people in Zambia as leverage to extract a minerals deal — because apparently that's a negotiating tactic now. Markwayne Mullin's DHS nomination cleared committee 8-7, with Rand Paul voting no and John Fetterman voting yes, because nothing means anything anymore. Full Senate vote is next, outcome predictable. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Pentagon Seeks Additional $200 Billion to Fund Iran War NYT: Israeli Officials Said U.S. Was Told About South Pars Attack Axios: After Tehran strikes, Trump says Israel won't attack Iran gas fields anymore Axios: Seven U.S. allies back potential Strait of Hormuz coalition NBC News: Trump makes Pearl Harbor joke during meeting with Japanese prime minister NYT: 2 Men Charged With Spying for Iran on Jewish Institutions in UK WSJ: Ukraine Suffers Money Setback After Hungary Blocks $100 Billion From Europe NYT: Canada Takes Its Sovereignty Push to Space NYT: U.S. Considers Withholding H.I.V. Aid Unless Zambia Expands Minerals Access AP News: Mullin's DHS nomination advances to full Senate despite opposition from Republican Rand Paul 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

Today’s Headlines: Russia is having a great week. It's sharing satellite imagery, intelligence, and drone technology with Iran, sending a tanker of 700,000 barrels of crude to Cuba in direct defiance of the U.S. blockade, and watching oil approach $110 a barrel. Israel assassinated Iran's intelligence minister, Iran's new Supreme Leader vowed revenge, and the IDF is still running wide-scale strikes across Iran and southern Lebanon. The Fed announced no interest rate cuts this month — or likely this year — because starting a war with no plan tends to complicate things. Gas nationally jumped nearly a dollar a gallon in under four weeks, wholesale food prices hit their biggest spike in a year, and that's before oil prices fully filter through to grocery shelves. Trump's solution is to quietly waive sanctions on Venezuelan, Russian, and Iranian oil — the sanctions he spent years bragging about. On Capitol Hill, Tulsi Gabbard testified at the Worldwide Threats Hearing and managed to both defend the war and confirm that Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and Pakistan are jointly developing nuclear missile systems targeting the U.S. homeland — apparently without noticing the tension there. She declined to confirm Russia is arming Iran, even as it's actively happening. Markwayne Mullin's DHS confirmation hearing got contentious, with Rand Paul making clear he's a no. The Fed held rates steady and basically told Trump to stop asking. In a bombshell report, the New York Times published allegations from more than 60 sources — including civil rights icon and UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta — that labor hero Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually abused girls as young as 12 within the movement. Huerta, now 95, said the abuse led to the birth of two children she placed for adoption, and that she stayed silent for 60 years knowing she would be pushed out of the movement she helped build. Her statement is devastating and worth reading in full. And Meta shut down Horizon Worlds — its virtual reality social network that almost no one used and that cost the company a reported $77 billion. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Bloomberg: Cuba’s Worst Fuel Crisis in Decades May Get Relief From Russia WSJ: Russia Is Sharing Satellite Imagery and Drone Technology With Iran  CNBC: Israel says it has killed Iran’s intelligence minister in third assassination in two days NBC News: Tulsi Gabbard in spotlight after top official resigns in protest over Iran war The Hill: CIA director confirms Iran seeking intelligence support from Russia, China NBC News: Live updates: Senators clash with Trump's homeland security pick; intel officials testify on top threats CNBC: The Fed issues its latest interest rate decision Wednesday. Here's what to expect WSJ: Oil Rises After Israel Strikes Iran Gas Field and Tehran Hits Qatar Fuel Hub AP News: US wholesale prices rose by a surprisingly hot 3.4% last month, the most in a year AP News: US eases Venezuela oil sanctions as Trump seeks to boost world oil supply during Iran war NYT: Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years NYT: Dolores Huerta Issues Statement on Cesar Chavez Sexual Abuse Allegations CNBC:  Meta is shutting down VR social platform Horizon Worlds in further pivot away from the metaverse  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

Today’s Headlines: The Iran war claimed a notable casualty on the home front: Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned and posted his letter on Twitter, writing that Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was started due to pressure from Israel's lobby. He's no hero — Kent is a MAGA loyalist with his own troubling associations — but when someone who could defend virtually everything else this administration has done draws a line here, that says something about how broadly unpopular this war has become. Meanwhile, Israel killed two of Iran's most senior remaining officials overnight, including the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, while continuing wide-scale strikes in Iran and southern Lebanon. Trump spent St. Patrick's Day in the Oval Office with Ireland's prime minister, alternating between insisting the U.S. doesn't need NATO's help and complaining it was "very unfair" that no one offered to send minesweepers. Cuba is now on the radar — Trump mused about "taking Cuba in some form" while his administration cut off the island's oil supply, triggering a nationwide blackout. He said he can do "anything he wants" with Cuba. Elsewhere in the circus: Trump appointed Erika Kirk — of Summer House — to the U.S. Air Force Academy's Board of Visitors, a formal congressional oversight body. In other news, Peter Thiel is in Rome giving private lectures warning about the Antichrist, and the Vatican is…not pleased. A former Kansas City pastor was suspended after it emerged she managed Epstein's private island in 2018-2019 and listed different employment on her resume. AG Pam Bondi was formally subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee to testify about her handling of the Epstein files, with an appearance ordered for April 14th. And finally, the SEC is floating a proposal to cut public company earnings reports from quarterly to twice a year — still TBD, but worth watching and preliminary Illinois primary results.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump's Iran war NYT: Trump Appointee Pressed Analyst to Redo Intelligence on Venezuelan Gang The Independent: Trump rants US doesn’t need any help in Iran war and ‘never did’ AP News: Iran launches barrage of missiles after Israel kills 2 of its top officials CNN: Trump muses over ‘taking Cuba’ as island’s power grid collapses after weeks of US oil blockade Military: Erika Kirk And The Air Force Academy Board: What The Appointment Reveals About The Panel CNN: Peter Thiel’s secret lectures on Antichrist in Rome spark debate FOX 4: Former KC-area pastor suspended after church learns she managed Epstein’s private island AP News: Attorney General Pam Bondi subpoenaed to answer questions from Congress about the Epstein files WSJ: SEC Prepares Proposal to Eliminate Quarterly Reporting Requirement NBC: Illinois Senate Primary Election 2026 Live Results 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

Today’s Headlines: Four weeks in, the Iran war is getting more expensive, more chaotic, and more geopolitically cursed by the day. The US has lost 13 service members and spent $12 billion — and according to U.S. intelligence, Iran's regime is not only still standing but consolidating power and getting more hardline. Iran struck Dubai's international airport and the UAE's biggest oil terminal over the weekend, gas hit $4.99 a gallon, and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to American and Israeli ships — while Iran pockets an estimated $140 million a day selling oil at inflated prices to everyone else. And of course, two of the US Navy's three minesweeper ships were docked in Malaysia this weekend, and the third is MIA.  Israel meanwhile launched a new ground invasion into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, with its military preparing for at least three more weeks of operations. Trump postponed his China summit, complained that China should be "thanking" the US for the war we started, and alternated between bragging we don't need any of our friends but also demanding our friends send warships. Jared Kushner was also in the region — not for diplomacy, but reportedly fundraising $5 billion for his investment firm from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On the Epstein beat: Bank of America settled a lawsuit from a woman who alleged the bank maintained ties to Epstein and failed to flag suspicious activity. The House Oversight Committee is calling the prison guard who was on duty the night Epstein died to testify on March 26th — records show she was asleep and googling Epstein news shortly before his body was found. Harvard students and faculty filed a formal proposal to remove Les Wexner's name from campus buildings. And a federal judge in Massachusetts blocked RFK Jr.'s childhood vaccine schedule overhaul and froze his newly appointed CDC advisory committee members — a rare, clean win. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: U.S. intelligence says Iran’s regime is consolidating power BBC: Iran hits key UAE oil port and Dubai airport Financial Times: Iran earns oil windfall as US turns blind eye Financial Times: US diesel prices soar to almost $5 as Iran war pinches global supplies Business Insider: 2 of the US' 3 mine-hunting ships assigned to the Middle East were just seen in Asia NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Trump Pressures China and NATO Countries to Help Open Strait of Hormuz WaPo: Trump-Xi summit delayed as U.S. president pushes China to help open Hormuz Politico: Iran says Russia and China providing ‘military cooperation’ WSJ: China Resumes Military Flights Around Taiwan After Sudden 10-Day Hiatus Time: How an Israeli Ground Invasion of Lebanon Could Unfold  NYT: Entering War’s Third Week, Trump Faces Stark Choices NYT: Jared Kushner Solicits Funds for His Firm While Working as Mideast Envoy WSJ: Bank of America Agrees to Settle Lawsuit Over Jeffrey Epstein Ties, U.S. Court Says NBC News: House Oversight Committee seeks testimony from prison guard on duty when Jeffrey Epstein died The Crimson: Harvard Kennedy School Faculty, Students File Denaming Proposal for Wexner Building NBC News: Federal judge blocks RFK Jr.'s changes to childhood vaccine schedule PBS: What to expect in the Illinois state primary 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

Today’s Headlines: Three weeks into the Iran "excursion" — Trump's word, not ours — and there's no end in sight. Trump claimed Iran asked for a ceasefire; Iran said that didn't happen. Either way, 5,000 more marines and three more warships are headed to the region, joining the 50,000 U.S. troops already there. Oil is stuck at $100 a barrel, every country Trump asked to help escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz said no, and the U.S. bombed Iran's Kharg Island oil hub — which Trump said he might hit "a few more times just for fun," as one does. Iran fired a missile at an Italian base in Iraq's Kurdistan region, a drone killed a French soldier in the same area, and Emmanuel Macron had to call Tehran to say that's unacceptable. At home, a federal judge blocked the DOJ's attempt to criminally investigate Fed Chair Jerome Powell, ruling it was a pretext to pressure the Fed on interest rates — the Trump administration is appealing. The FCC chair threatened to pull local TV licenses over Iran war coverage he doesn't like, and Trump threatened media outlets on social media for the same reason. Neither has real teeth yet, but that's sort of the point. Meanwhile, a viral six-hour deposition of two former DOGE employees revealed they used ChatGPT to identify 1,400 grants to cut — including ones for Black civil rights documentaries and Holocaust research — with zero government or academic experience between them. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration will collect a $10 billion fee from the TikTok deal — on an app valued at roughly $14 billion total. Palantir's CEO went on CNBC to brag that his AI will shift economic power away from educated women who vote Democratic. Kash Patel announced the FBI will now train with UFC fighters. Marco Rubio is on the witness list in his close friend's federal trial for acting as an unregistered foreign agent of Venezuela. A Florida Democrat won the Boca Raton mayoral race by one vote, and the Republican loser said he'd "sleep on" whether to accept the results. And a UCLA study found that diverse film casts outperform at the box office — which landed the same weekend the Oscars completely snubbed Sinners. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Middle East crisis live: Israel says it has launched ‘extensive strikes’ on Iran as Trump says US ‘not ready’ to make a deal to end war NYT: More Marines and Warships Being Sent to Middle East, U.S. Officials Say Reuters: Airstrike on Italian base in Iraq was deliberate, defence minister says Bloomberg: Oil Erases Gains as Traders Gauge Supply Impact of Kharg Attack CNBC: Iran sends millions of oil barrels to China through Strait of Hormuz even as war chokes the waterway The Sun: Russians ‘forced to use walkie-talkies and paper maps’ after Putin’s internet blackout as Kremlin intensifies crackdown CNN: FCC chair threatens TV networks amid Iran war coverage — but his warning rings hollow Politico: Court blocks probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, DOJ to appeal WSJ: Trump Administration Set to Receive $10 Billion Fee for Brokering TikTok Deal The New Republic: Palantir CEO Makes Shocking Confession on Disrupting Democratic Power 404 Media: I Watched 6 Hours of DOGE Bro Testimony. Here's What They Had to Say For Themselves Deadline: Kash Patel Confirms UFC Fighters Will Train FBI Agents: "Historic Opportunity" Vanity Fair: Marco Rubio’s Florida Bestie Is an Accused ‘Foreign Agent’ Set to Go on Trial— With Rubio On the Witness List Palm Beach Post: Recount makes Andy Thomson new Boca mayor. Liebelson may fight result Variety: Audiences Prefer Films With Diverse Casts, UCLA Study Finds 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

Today’s Headlines: Two shootings in one day. An attacker rammed an explosives-filled truck into a Michigan synagogue and opened fire — nearly empty due to a half-day, so no casualties besides the shooter. The FBI called it targeted antisemitic violence. Hours later, a man who served 11 years for supporting ISIS killed one person and injured two in a classroom at Old Dominion University before being subdued by ROTC students. Both are being investigated as terrorism. On the war: Iran's new Supreme Leader Khamenei made his first public statement — no surrender, Strait of Hormuz stays shut, and he will avenge his entire family's deaths. Both US and Israeli intelligence now agree the regime won't fall anytime soon, so Israel has quietly downgraded its goal from regime change to degrading Iran's military. The USS Gerald Ford, which Trump sent from Venezuela to Iran with zero maintenance time, had a laundry room fire and has broken plumbing. The U.S. Treasury is borrowing $50 billion a week, adding a trillion to the deficit over five months. Total national debt: $38.9 trillion. Congress passed a bipartisan housing bill 89-10. Trump said "no one gives a f**k about housing." Florida passed a law requiring a passport or birth certificate to register to vote. Epstein's accountant testified for six hours, claimed he saw nothing, and named five men who paid Epstein: Les Wexner, Glen Dubin, Steven Sinofsky, Leon Black, and the Rothschild family — which accounted for maybe 30 seconds of testimony. The Pentagon banned photographers because Hegseth didn't like his pictures. The White House made a war hype video using NFL footage without consent. Trump has been gifting cabinet members Florsheim shoes in the wrong size. And finally, he gave Jake Paul his "complete and total endorsement" for no office, no race, and no discernible reason. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Man who rammed his vehicle into Michigan synagogue was naturalized citizen from Lebanon, DHS says WaPo: Islamic State sympathizer opens fire at Old Dominion University, killing one Bloomberg: Bibi says no guarantee of Iran regime change WSJ: Israeli Officials Think Iran’s Regime Isn’t Likely to Fall Soon WSJ: U.S. Air Force Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq WaPo: U.S. sailors injured in fire aboard aircraft carrier supporting Iran war NYT: Iran War Live Updates: U.S. Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq, Military Says Fortune: The U.S. borrowed $50 billion a week for the past five months, finds the CBO ProPublica: Credit Bureaus Are Leaving More Mistakes on Frustrated Consumers’ Reports Under Trump’s CFPB The Guardian: Senate again fails to pass homeland security funding as department shutdown nears one month – live | US Congress AP News: Senate passes bipartisan housing bill to improve access and affordability Punchbowl: Trump dismisses housing fight in push for SAVE Act NBC News: Richard Kahn, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime accountant, gives closed-door testimony to House Oversight Committee NYT: Florida Republicans Pass Bill Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote WaPo: Pentagon bars photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos WaPo: Former NFL players decry White House video mixing big hits, airstrikes WSJ: Trump Is Obsessed With These $145 Shoes—and Won’t Let Anyone Leave Without a Pair NYT: Trump Endorses Jake Paul, Who Isn't Running for Office 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

Today’s Headlines: Twelve days in, the Iran war has cost $11 billion and nearly 2,000 lives. The most damning number: 175 people — mostly children — killed when a U.S. Tomahawk missile hit an Iranian elementary school because the Defense Intelligence Agency used outdated targeting data. Trump is still blaming Iran. He spent yesterday in Kentucky rallying against Thomas Massie and bragging the war was over "in the first hour." US intelligence disagrees: Iran's government is intact and now led by a younger, more radical Supreme Leader. Trump and Netanyahu are also diverging — Trump wants a victory banner, Israel wants regime change. Hezbollah is firing rockets into Israel; Israeli strikes have displaced over 700,000 people in Lebanon. Iran has escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, hitting three commercial ships and threatening every regional port. The US and IEA announced one of the largest emergency oil reserve releases in history after the Trump administration reversed course in two hours. February inflation already showed fuel oil up 11.1% before any of this started.  The FBI is warning California law enforcement about potential Iranian drone strikes launched from ships off the coast, and thousands of Stryker employees — the company makes robotic surgery systems — arrived to find their devices locked with an Iran-linked hacking group's logo on their screens. A government watchdog found Hegseth's Pentagon burned $93 billion in September 2025 alone. The last five days of that month's spending exceeded Canada and Mexico's combined military budgets. Trump is threatening to veto all legislation until the SAVE Act — which would significantly restrict voting access — clears the Senate, while DHS investigates Arizona's 2020 election results and targets swing states ahead of the midterms. Epstein's accountant testified before House Oversight in a closed session; one detail leaked: a Trump accuser reportedly received a settlement from the Epstein estate. And a 12-foot gold statue appeared on the National Mall depicting Trump and Epstein in the Titanic bow pose — Epstein as Rose — with plaques noting their friendship was "built on luxurious travel, raucous parties, and secret nude sketches." Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: ⁠First Week of Iran War Cost More Than $11 Billion, Pentagon Tells Congress⁠ NYT: ⁠U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says⁠ ABC News: ⁠Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days⁠  NBC News: ⁠Live updates: Trump goes after Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky congressman's district⁠ ABC News: ⁠Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days⁠ Reuters: ⁠Exclusive: US intelligence says Iran government is not at risk of collapse, say sources⁠ WSJ: ⁠Trump Says the Iran War Is Nearly Won but Israel Has Other Ideas⁠ ABC News: ⁠Iran live updates: US senators told Iran war cost $11.3B in first 6 days⁠ Axios: ⁠IEA announces historic oil reserve release amid Iran war⁠ WSJ: ⁠President Trump’s Head-Spinning Pivot on an Emergency Oil Release⁠ Politico: ⁠Energy, food prices surged in February — before Iran fighting started⁠ ABC News: ⁠FBI warns Iran aspired to attack California with drones in retaliation for war: Alert⁠ WSJ: ⁠Iran Expands War With Major Cyberattack Against U.S. Company⁠ The New Republic: ⁠Pete Hegseth Blew Billions on Fruit Basket Stands, Chairs, and Crab⁠ NYT: ⁠Thune Is in a Vise as Trump and Far Right Demand Fight on Voter Bill⁠ ABC News: ⁠Trump administration opens investigation into Arizona’s 2020 election results⁠ NYT: ⁠Trump Wants to ‘Take Over’ Elections. These States Are Prime Targets⁠ Mediate: ⁠BOMBSHELL: Trump Accuser Got Payoff from Jeffrey Epstein Estate, Says Dem Lawmaker⁠ The Guardian: ⁠New satirical statue depicts Trump and Epstein as doomed lovers from Titanic⁠ Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Pentagon finally broke out the spreadsheet: 140 U.S. troops wounded in the Iran war, 8 seriously, 108 back on duty. On the diplomatic side, Russia — yes, Russia — proposed a UN ceasefire resolution, because apparently Putin has opinions about attacking civilian infrastructure now. North Korea's Kim Jong Un called the strikes "illegal," which is a bold choice of words from a guy who just test-fired nuclear-capable cruise missiles for fun. The Trump administration quietly asked Israel to lay off Iran's oil infrastructure. Turns out when you're eyeing post-war economic arrangements, blowing up the oil fields isn’t what you want. In “let’s make things worse” news, Senator Lindsey Graham hit Fox News with a "FREE CUBA" hat and ominous promises that Cuba's "liberation" is coming, then swapped it for a "Make Iran Great Again" hat. Separately, Trump's DOJ has been quietly hunting for criminal charges against Cuba's top leaders since February — because why not? Meanwhile, the FBI has lost 300 counterterrorism agents since January, 45 fired, with sources warning the country is now "dangerously exposed." Cool. Meanwhile, New Mexico authorities are searching Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch after allegations that two girls may be buried there. The ranch is now owned by a Republican ex-Texas state senator running for comptroller, whose son works in the Trump administration.  Anthropic has filed two lawsuits against the Pentagon after being designated a supply chain risk in what it calls ideological retaliation. That designation has never been used against an American company before. On the Ticketmaster front: the DOJ settled its antitrust case, but most of the 40 states involved aren't buying it. A federal judge is telling them to accept or negotiate by the end of this week. Finally, the special election for Marjorie Taylor Greene's Georgia seat ended without a winner. The April 7 runoff will pit Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller against Democrat Shawn Harris — a cattle farmer and retired brigadier general who actually out-performed the Trump pick. In MTG's own district. Interesting. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: 140 US service members injured in Iran war Axios: Scoop: U.S. asks Israel to halt strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure AP News: Live updates: US says 140 troops wounded in Iran war with no end in sight AP News: Russia seeks UN resolution urging all parties in Iran war to immediately halt military activities ABC News 4: 'We're marching through the world;' Graham continues push for more US intervention abroad MS Now: DOJ running quiet operation in Miami to hunt for charges on Cuban leaders, per sources MS Now: DOJ losing experienced counterterrorism minds at a critical time, say current and former officials CNN: New Mexico authorities search Zorro Ranch formerly owned by Epstein NYT: Anthropic Sues Department of Defense Over ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Label AP News: Judge urges states to settle Live Nation claims after US strikes deal but states say no chance AP News: Trump-backed Fuller and Democrat Harris move to Georgia runoff to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene 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

Today’s Headlines: The Iran conflict is sending mixed signals from the top — Trump says it's ending soon, Hegseth says it's just beginning — but the consequences are already concrete: $5.6 billion spent in the first two days, gas prices spiking, and the Strait of Hormuz effectively paralyzed, choking off 20% of the world's oil supply. Israeli airstrikes left Tehran's air toxic and unbreathable, Iran shot a second missile into NATO airspace over Turkey in less than a week, and U.S. authorities intercepted encrypted communications believed to be an activation trigger for Iranian sleeper cells on American soil. Putin congratulated Iran's new supreme leader and promised unwavering support, then called Trump to offer his own proposals for ending the war — which is either diplomatic or suspicious, depending on your level of trust in Vladimir Putin. At home, AP News released damning investigative reporting on Camp East Montana, ICE's largest detention facility, where the agency's own data shows 80% of detainees have no criminal record. The facility is closed to visitors amid a measles outbreak, detainees report being denied medication and clean water, and staff were allegedly overheard making bets on suicide deaths. The DOJ reached a settlement with LiveNation and Ticketmaster — $200 million in damages plus forced platform access for rivals and a mandate to sell 10 amphitheaters — marking the most significant crack in the company's decade-long grip on live events. And California Rep. Kevin Kiley formally left the Republican Party to become an independent, effective immediately. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Trump says Iran war will be over "very soon" CNBC: Oil prices fall as Trump weighs taking over Strait of Hormuz WaPo: Early Iran strikes cost $5.6 billion in munitions, Pentagon estimates NBC News: Toxic rain fell over Tehran as airstrikes hit oil facilities NYT: NATO Intercepts Second Iranian Missile Entering Turkey’s Airspace, Defense Ministry Says ABC News: Iran may be activating sleeper cells outside the country, alert says Axios: Trump and Putin discuss end to Iran and Ukraine wars on call AP News: Attempted suicides, fights, pain: 911 calls reveal misery at ICE’s largest detention facility Politico: Live Nation reaches settlement with DOJ in antitrust fight The Hill: GOP lawmaker makes formal switch to independent 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

Today’s Headlines: Iran has a new Supreme Leader: Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, who is reportedly a bigger hardliner than his father — whose death he can thank the U.S. and/or Israel for, along with his wife's. Trump immediately called him "unacceptable," which might've been useful information before the bombing campaign began. The U.S. death toll from Iranian retaliatory strikes is now at 8, oil just crossed $100 a barrel for the first time in four years, and the White House press secretary went on Fox News and refused to rule out a draft. Meanwhile, the CIA is reportedly arming Kurdish forces to stir up an internal uprising in Iran, while U.S. and Israeli officials are discussing sending special forces in to secure Iran's nuclear stockpile. Meanwhile, the White House blocked intelligence agencies from issuing a terrorism threat warning to local law enforcement about rising domestic risks tied to the war. When Trump was asked about Americans dying on home soil, he said "some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die."  Elsewhere in the hemisphere, Trump held a "Shield of the Americas" summit at his Doral golf club — because of course he did — gathering 17 Latin American leaders to announce a military coalition against cartels, with fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem elevated to special envoy of the whole thing. Trump also started floating regime change in Cuba, because the Iran war apparently wasn't enough. In other chaos: Hungary detained seven Ukrainian bank employees carrying $82 million in cash and two armored vehicles, which Ukraine called "state terrorism." Two teenagers from Pennsylvania were arrested for attempting to set off explosive devices outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's home during dueling protests. Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have forced disclosure of Epstein's financial records, and no one is asking any follow-up questions about that. And Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales — currently under House Ethics investigation — is dropping his reelection bid but refusing to resign his seat. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Live Updates: Iran Picks Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader NYT: Pentagon Announces Seventh U.S. Death in War With Iran Axios: U.S. weighs sending special forces to seize Iran's nuclear stockpile CNN: CIA working to arm Kurdish forces to spark uprising in Iran, sources say The Daily Beast: Leavitt Refuses to Rule Out Drastic Troops Option for Iran War Yahoo: Trump White House Reportedly Blocking Intelligence Report Warning of Homeland Security Threats in Midst of Iran War Time: Trump's War With Iran The Hill: Trump revamps war on drugs with ‘Shield of the Americas’ endeavor NPR: Trump vows to 'take care of Cuba,' praises Venezuela cooperation at summit NYT: Oil Prices Surge Above $100 a Barrel for the First Time in Almost Four Years WSJ: U.S. Has a Big Ask for China: Buy Less Oil from Russia, More From America Bloomberg: US Considers Easing Russia Oil Sanctions NBC News: Hungary detains Ukrainians carrying $82 million in cash and gold; Kyiv calls it a hostage-taking NBC New York: Mayor Mamdani was home when protesters lit device outside Gracie Mansion AP News: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney calls for Mountbatten-Windsor's removal from line of succession KOBI 5: Sen. Ron Wyden pushes for senate passage of Epstein bank records bill Politico: Tony Gonzales drops reelection bid among pressure from 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

Today’s Headlines: The first cabinet firing of Trump 2.0 has arrived. After two rough days testifying before Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is out. Her replacement is Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin — a rancher, MMA fighter, and former ethics investigation subject who had to repay $40K in "mistaken" payments. So, a lateral move. DHS remains unfunded for a third week, and Democrats say swapping Noem out isn't enough. On the war front, the House voted 212-219 against a War Powers resolution that would have required Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing strikes in the Middle East. The US embassy in Kuwait has been shuttered after retaliatory strikes killed six American soldiers. Trump, meanwhile, told Axios he wants to personally pick Iran's next leader — though he noted most of his preferred candidates are already dead, which is a sentence that actually happened. In a memo reported by The Information, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei went off on the Trump administration, stating plainly that the White House's beef with his company comes down to Anthropic refusing to donate, refusing to flatter, and refusing to play along with what he called "safety theater." OpenAI, he implied, has been less principled. Elsewhere: Trump's White House ballroom plans hit a snag after 35,000+ public comments — 97% of them hostile — delayed a federal vote until next month. RFK Jr. got 50+ medical schools to adopt his nutrition curriculum framework, though notably none of the schools that already settled with the Trump administration signed on. And a new anti-corruption group sued Trump and Pam Bondi over the TikTok deal, arguing the administration ignored Congress's national security mandate to hand the app to political allies instead. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Trump Ousts Kristi Noem Axios: Democrats say Kristi Noem's ouster isn't enough to end DHS shutdown AP News: March 5 updates on the Iran war AP News: Hegseth says firepower over Tehran ‘about to surge dramatically’ Axios: Exclusive: Trump says he must be involved in picking Iran's next leader Axios: Exclusive: Trump demands immediate pardon for Netanyahu to focus on Iran THe Information: Anthropic CEO: Trump Disliked Company For Not Giving ‘Dictator-Style Praise’ WaPo: Federal commission delays vote on Trump’s White House ballroom project WaPo: Thousands of public comments slam Trump’s ballroom: ‘I did not vote for this’ NYT: 50 Medical Schools Back Kennedy Plan on Nutrition After Pressure NPR: President Trump, Pam Bondi sued over sale of TikTok assets 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

Today’s Headlines: State Rep. James Talarico won the Democratic Senate primary with 53% over Rep. Jasmine Crockett and will face either Sen. John Cornyn or Attorney General Ken Paxton, who are headed to a May 26 GOP runoff after neither cleared 50%. Rep. Dan Crenshaw was primaried from the right by state Rep. Steve Toth, while several incumbents were pushed into runoffs amid redistricting chaos, including Democrats Al Green and Christian Menefee facing each other and Republican Tony Gonzalez battling gun YouTuber Brandon Herrera. In other news, the Justice Department admitted it withheld 47,635 Jeffrey Epstein files after the Wall Street Journal flagged missing records. The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Attorney General Pam Bondi and is seeking testimony from Epstein associates including Bill Gates and Leon Black. A federal judge ruled the IRS illegally shared taxpayer data with ICE in roughly 42,695 cases. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, already under scrutiny over a questionable $143 million DHS contract and internal leadership turmoil, faced more heat on Capitol Hill. ProPublica reports the Trump administration is loosening intelligence-sharing restrictions, aka making it easier to spy on us, without notifying Congress. Abroad, Iran’s leadership transition is intensifying, with Mojtaba Khamenei emerging as a likely successor. President Donald Trump says the U.S. is “actively considering” its role after the conflict, as the Senate narrowly rejected a measure to require congressional approval for continued strikes. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: James Talarico wins US Senate Democratic primary in Texas, beating Crockett Axios: Brutal night in Texas points to trouble ahead for House members WSJ: There Are 47,635 Epstein Files Offline for Review, DOJ Says Axios: Republicans help Dems subpoena Pam Bondi in Epstein probe WSJ: House Asks Bill Gates, Leon Black and Goldman Lawyer to Testify on Epstein AP News: The IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential information to ICE 42,695 times, judge says NBC News: Trump administration live updates: Kristi Noem faces House grilling over DHS killings; Texas Senate GOP primary heads to runoff ProPublica: Trump Administration Moves to Allow Intelligence Agencies Easier Access to Law Enforcement Files NYT: Democrats Question Credentials of Armed Squad Created by Trump Ally WSJ: Son of Khamenei Is Top Contender for Supreme Leader WSJ: Iran War Live Updates: Trump ‘Actively Considering’ U.S. Role in Iran After Conflict Ends Axios: Senate rejects bid to restrain Trump's war in Iran 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

Today’s Headlines: The first 2026 primaries are done. In North Carolina, Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley advanced to face off for retiring Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat. In Arkansas, Sen. Tom Cotton cruised to renomination, while Democrat Hallie Shoffner won with 77%. Texas was a little more dramatic. After historic turnout, a Dallas judge extended voting hours over polling confusion. Attorney General Ken Paxton — who’s on the ballot — asked the Texas Supreme Court to block it, and the court agreed. Paxton now heads to a GOP runoff with Sen. John Cornyn after neither hit 50%. Abroad, the Iran war intensified after drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. President Donald Trump said Iran’s air defenses were “knocked out” and promised “big-scale” strikes. Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned of possible “boots on the ground.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested U.S. strikes were preemptive ahead of Israeli action — then tried to walk that back. Israel also hit a meeting of Iran’s Council of Experts during its Supreme Leader selection. Stateside, reports say some commanders framed the war to troops as “God’s divine plan.” FBI Director Kash Patel fired counterintelligence officials who had worked Trump-related cases, including Iran matters, and now faces whistleblower claims over handling of an ICE shooting investigation. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem endured a bruising hearing, with Sen. Tillis suggesting she resign. House Oversight is expanding its Epstein probe to include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and former Goldman Sachs counsel Kathy Ruemmler. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to expand France’s nuclear arsenal, and Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting during the U.S. presidency rotation. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Primary election live updates: Texas GOP Senate headed to a runoff Axios: Iran targets U.S. allies, hits American Embassy in Riyadh The Guardian: Rubio tries to backtrack after Israel comments later contradicted by Trump trigger criticism – as it happened | US news Axios: Israel bombs council choosing Iran's next supreme leader, official says Substack: U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of Jesus NYT: Macron Expands French Nuclear Arsenal and Vows Protection for Neighbors CNN: Kash Patel gutted FBI counterintelligence team tasked with tracking Iranian threats days before US strikes, sources say The Daily Beast: Sinister Reason Keystone Kash Halted ICE Killing Probe Revealed NYT: Noem Defends Describing Minneapolis Protesters’ Actions as Domestic Terrorism Politico: Canceled contracts, a failed polygraph and personal disputes: Inside the turbulent tenure of Noem’s former cyber czar NYT: Lutnick Agrees to Testify in House Epstein Investigation BBC: Melania Trump chairs UN Security Council meeting on children in conflict amid Iran strikes 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

Today’s Headlines: The Middle East conflict has rapidly expanded to 12 countries in under 72 hours, with six U.S. troops killed after an Iranian strike hit an operations center in Kuwait. President Donald Trump signaled the fighting is far from over, saying Operation “EPIC FURY” could last four to five weeks and will continue “as long as necessary.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come,” while Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine cautioned the operation will be “difficult and gritty” and likely involve additional U.S. losses. The State Department is urging Americans to evacuate more than a dozen countries, and U.S. cities are on heightened alert, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. In a twist, the Pentagon reportedly used Anthropic’s Claude AI model in the Iran strikes — despite the administration recently clashing with the company and canceling contracts. Abroad, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukrainian drone experts will assist Gulf nations in intercepting Iranian drones, as Russia ramps up missile attacks on Ukraine. In Epstein news, federal prosecutors under Trump in 2019 reportedly took over New Mexico’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch. The state’s attorney general has now reopened the probe, and the House Oversight Committee released video testimony from Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is also expected to drop appeals defending Trump-era executive orders that targeted major law firms. And finally, Rep. Nancy Mace is under House Ethics Committee investigation over nearly $9,500 in alleged excess reimbursements. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: US Gulf allies fend off attacks as Trump warns Iran of ‘big wave’ of strikes The Guardian: Ukraine war briefing: Starmer says Ukrainian experts will help shoot down Iranian drone attacks in Gulf Axios: US cities step up security amid Iran tensions WSJ: U.S. Strikes in Middle East Use Anthropic, Hours After Trump Ban NYT: Epstein’s New Mexico Ranch Gets Scrutiny at Last. It May Be Too Late. YouTube: The Deposition of President Bill Clinton on the Epstein Probe WSJ: Trump Administration Drops Defense of Law Firm Sanctions Axios: Nancy Mace under House Ethics Committee investigation 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

Today’s Headlines: The U.S. and Israel launched Operation EPIC FURY, striking more than 1,000 targets across Iran. Iran retaliated widely, aiming at U.S. bases in the Gulf but also hitting civilian sites in Dubai, including the airport, the Burj Al Arab, and the Fairmont Palm Hotel. President Donald Trump said the U.S. sank nine Iranian warships, warned Americans to expect casualties and by Sunday, three U.S. service members were dead. In a major escalation, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were reported killed, along with dozens of senior officials. Iran then closed the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about 20% of global oil supply. Oil prices are projected to jump roughly 9% as markets reopen. Members of Congress from both parties are now pushing for a War Powers Act vote, noting they were not consulted before the strikes began. At the Pentagon, AI drama escalated. After asking how its model was used in a prior operation, Anthropic lost a $200 million federal contract and was labeled a “supply chain risk” by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Within a day, the Pentagon reached a deal with OpenAI, which says it maintains similar guardrails. Separately, reporting from The Washington Post and ProPublica details a draft executive order circulated by Trump allies that claims China interfered in 2020 and could declare a national emergency affecting election administration ahead of the midterms. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn reportedly convened allies to discuss the plan. Speaker Mike Johnson warned losing the midterms would effectively end Trump’s presidency. And in Austin, Texas, two people were killed and 14 wounded in a bar shooting now being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Trump Warns More U.S. Deaths Possible as Blasts Rock Mideast for Second Day The Guardian: Oil price expected to surge after Iran strikes and strait of Hormuz closure CNN: Congress to vote on Trump’s war powers in aftermath of Iran strikes NYT: At the Pentagon, OpenAI is In and Anthropic Is Out WaPo: Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency ProPublica: Trump Officials Attended a Summit of Election Deniers Who Want the President to Take Over the Midterms WaPo: ‘It would be the end of the Trump presidency’ AP News: FBI probes Texas bar shooting that killed 2 and wounded 14 as possible terrorist act 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

Today’s Headlines: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the House Oversight Committee in the first of two days of Epstein-related depositions involving the Clintons. The closed-door hearing was briefly paused after Rep. Lauren Boebert leaked a photo of Clinton testifying to right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson, who posted it online. Clinton later told reporters she “did not know Jeffrey Epstein” and criticized the committee for not calling individuals more prominently named in Epstein files. She also said lawmakers repeatedly questioned her about UFOs and “Pizzagate.” Meanwhile, U.S.–Iran nuclear talks resumed in Geneva, with officials describing discussions as “positive,” even as concerns linger about potential military escalation. In New York, Columbia University student Elmina Aghayeva was detained by ICE agents inside her campus housing after agents reportedly misrepresented themselves to gain entry. She was later released following intervention by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was meeting with Donald Trump at the White House regarding housing investment proposals. Vice President JD Vance announced a pause on $259 million in Medicaid funding allocated to Minnesota, signaling potential broader funding freezes. In Kansas, the Republican-controlled legislature overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto to enact a law invalidating updated gender markers on driver’s licenses and birth certificates for transgender residents. In media and tech, Netflix withdrew its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, clearing the way for Paramount’s higher offer. AI company Anthropic announced it is dropping its 2023 voluntary safety pledge amid competitive pressure. More than 1,800 companies have filed lawsuits seeking refunds for Trump-era tariffs ruled illegal, totaling roughly $130 billion. Finally, Trump also invoked the Defense Production Act to boost domestic production of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, despite ongoing litigation linking the herbicide to cancer, and a new military readiness report additionally calls for major Pentagon reforms in cybersecurity, procurement, and tech modernization. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Hillary Clinton Denies Knowing Epstein or His Crimes in a Tense Deposition Axios: U.S.-Iran nuclear talks were "positive," senior U.S. official says NBC News: Columbia president says student was detained by DHS agents who claimed they were looking for missing child PBS: Mamdani pitches Trump on housing investments by mocking up newspaper with his name in the headline Axios: Trump admin cites fraud in freezing Minnesota Medicaid funds CJ Online: Kansas invalidates IDs and birth certificates of transgender people The Hollywood Reporter: Netflix Backs Out of Warner Bros. Bidding, Paramount Set to Win Time: Anthropic Drops Flagship Safety Pledge WSJ: The $130 Billion Race for Companies to Get Their Tariff Money Back NYT: Trump Order Aims to Boost Weedkiller Targeted in Health Lawsuits Axios: Exclusive: U.S. must overhaul military readiness and tech metrics, report urges 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

Today’s Headlines: Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton are set to testify before the House Oversight Committee today — with lawmakers traveling to their home in Chappaqua for the interviews. Meanwhile, after reporting revealed the DOJ appears to have withheld Epstein documents referencing past allegations involving Donald Trump, the Justice Department now says it’s “looking into” whether anything was improperly held back.  Adding to the Epstein pile, The Telegraph reports a previously overlooked Jeffrey Epstein storage unit packed with computers, VHS tapes, address books, and alleged “training manuals.” Authorities reportedly missed it during earlier searches. Consequences, however, remain selective. A former Harvard president resigned his remaining university roles and an OpenAI board seat amid Epstein scrutiny. Bill Gates, at a Gates Foundation town hall, acknowledged past affairs that Epstein later became aware of but said he “did nothing illicit” and saw nothing illicit. At the FBI, Director Kash Patel reportedly fired at least 10 agents tied to the Jack Smith classified documents investigation after learning subpoenas had included his own communications and those of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. In other news, Trump’s surgeon general nominee, wellness influencer Casey Means, declined at her confirmation hearing to firmly reject a link between vaccines and autism and would not explicitly urge Americans to get vaccinated. “Science is never settled,” she said. That’s one way to approach public health. On the corporate-national-security beat, the Pentagon is weighing whether to designate AI company Anthropic as a potential “supply chain risk” after friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The label could jeopardize federal contracts — a category tech companies tend to enjoy keeping. Media merger drama continues as Paramount’s David Ellison sweetened his bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, potentially complicating Netflix’s existing deal. And in quieter political news, Democrats flipped or held three state House special elections — one in Maine and two in Pennsylvania — expanding their Pennsylvania majority to 102–98, with one race outperforming 2024 margins by 34 points. There are three more Republican-held seats up next. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Bill and Hillary Clinton, battle-tested, gear up for another Washington fight AP News: Justice Department says it's reviewing whether any Epstein-related records were mistakenly withheld The Independent: Contents of Epstein’s secret storage locker revealed: Sex slave manuals and photos of naked women Axios: Summers leaves Harvard as Epstein reckoning rocks academia WSJ: Bill Gates apologizes to foundation staff over Epstein ties CNN: FBI Director Kash Patel ousts personnel tied to Trump classified documents probe AP News: Surgeon general nominee faces sharp questions about vaccines, birth control and qualifications Axios: Exclusive: Hegseth gives Anthropic until Friday to back down on AI safeguards The Hollywood Reporter: Warner Bros. Discovery Says It’s Reviewing Sweetened Paramount Bid WGAL: Pa. Democrats hold House majority after special election wins 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

Today’s Headlines: The State of the Union ran a record-breaking 1 hour and 47 minutes, topping Donald Trump’s own mark from last year. He opened with the men’s Olympic hockey team, then rolled through familiar theatrics. Trump announced Vice President James Donald Bowman will lead a new “war on fraud,” said he’ll continue tariffs despite the Supreme Court’s ruling against them, teased a tax cut plan designed to bypass Congress, and gave a noncommittal “we’ll see” on war with Iran if nuclear talks fail. Dozens of Democrats skipped the address. Those who attended brought guests including Americans affected by ICE enforcement and survivors connected to Jeffrey Epstein, turning the gallery into its own counterprogramming. Speaking of Jeffrey Epstein, NPR reported the Justice Department appears to have withheld dozens of pages from its Epstein file release, including documents referencing past allegations involving Trump. The gaps were identified through FBI logs and serial numbers. In Norway, former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland — an Epstein associate — was hospitalized after an apparent suicide attempt days after police opened a corruption probe into his ties to Epstein. In other news, U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner was briefly sidelined diplomatically after failing to appear at the French Foreign Ministry over a U.S. statement criticizing political violence in Lyon. He later smoothed things over with a phone call. Marking four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán pledged to block $105 billion in EU aid to Ukraine, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Hungary could receive relief from certain U.S. sanctions. The Wall Street Journal reports the administration is considering requiring banks to collect and verify customers’ citizenship status — a shift from current anti–money laundering rules. As if it wasn’t chaotic enough, we’ve been blessed by 2 whistleblowers. A former ICE instructor told Congress the agency has cut constitutional and firearms training, and separate reporting alleges FBI response delays to a December mass shooting were tied to Kash Patel’s jet use. And in Texas, Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing calls to resign following reports of an alleged affair with a staffer who later died by suicide. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: House Republican joins Democrats in SOTU Epstein protests NPR: Justice Department withheld and removed some Epstein files related to Trump The Statesman: Former Norwegian PM Thorbjorn Jagland hospitalised after ‘suicide attempt’ amid Epstein-linked corruption probe AP News: US ambassador to France defuses spat with Paris over US remarks WaPo: Hungary blocks Europe’s aid for Ukraine on war’s fourth anniversary WSJ: Trump Administration Considers Requiring Banks to Collect Citizenship Information MS Now: ICE whistleblower comes forward to testify before Congress Express News: Tony Gonzales had affair with aide who set herself on fire, ex-staffer says 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

Today’s Headlines: Tonight is Donald Trump’s State Of The Union. Dozens of Democrats are skipping, and there will be three official rebuttals: Gov. Abigail Spanberger (main), Sen. Alex Padilla (Spanish-language), and Rep. Summer Lee (progressive). In Mexico, the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was killed in a military operation aided by the US. The cartel is responding by torching buses and businesses and clashing with security forces.. Some U.S. flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara were suspended, and the State Department activated a 24/7 hotline for stranded Americans. Judge Aileen Cannon blocked release of part of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on Trump’s handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, citing “manifest injustice” to Trump. In other news, Trump envoy Paolo Zampolli is pushing for Russia’s return to global competitions despite Ukraine war–related bans. A Russian team will compete at next month’s Paralympics, prompting backlash and a Ukrainian boycott of the opening ceremony. In the UK, former ambassador Peter Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in office over alleged information-sharing with Jeffrey Epstein. A Politico-reported analysis found 18,000+ bots amplified Nicki Minaj’s recent pro–White House posts, especially when labeled toxic.  Finally, a PRRI survey found about one-third of Americans are sympathetic to Christian nationalism, while 54% call Trump a “dangerous dictator” and 42% see him as a “strong leader.” and Providence, Rhode Island just set a single-storm snowfall record at 33 inches, beating 1978.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Democratic response to Trump's SOTU becomes a crowded affair  CNN: US citizens in parts of Mexico urged to still shelter in place as nation on edge following drug lord’s killing  MS Now: Judge Cannon blocks release of Jack Smith’s classified documents report NYT: Trump Official Backs Russia’s Return to Global Sports  BBC: Lord Mandelson arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office Politico” Nicki Minaj’s social media propped up by thousands of bots, analysis finds USA Today: Is or should America be a Christian nation? One-third say 'yes'  NYT: Monday’s Snowfall Shatters a Record in Rhode Island  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

Today’s Headlines: On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that Donald Trump’s tariffs are unconstitutional under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The dissenters: Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh. Trump responded by blasting Justices Gorsuch and Barrett as “disloyal” and insisting he can “destroy trade” but not “charge a little fee.” He then proposed a global 10% tariff workaround — later bumped to 15%. Meanwhile, Americans are still effectively paying 9.1% in tariffs, and the Court didn’t address what happens to the $133 billion already collected. Over the weekend, Trump announced he’s sending a “great hospital boat” to Greenland, despite Denmark saying it wasn’t informed and doesn’t need it. The Navy ships in question are reportedly in Alabama. Sure. On the Russia beat, a Trump ally signed a natural gas deal with Russian energy giant Novatek despite U.S. sanctions tied to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine — the first known new U.S.–Russia venture of its kind. Separately, ICE and other agencies contracted with phone-forensics firm Oxygen Forensics, which has ties to sanctioned former FSB figures. At the same time, DHS has issued hundreds of subpoenas to tech companies seeking identifying information on users critical of ICE. Trump is also pressuring Netflix to remove Susan Rice from its board amid maneuvering around a media acquisition deal that could affect CNN. Casual. In Florida, Secret Service agents shot and killed a 21-year-old man who allegedly breached the perimeter of Mar-a-Lagowith what appeared to be a shotgun and fuel can; the investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers approved renaming Palm Beach International Airport after Trump — a $5.5 million rebrand. And finally, taxpayers will now provide new Secret Service agents with two tailored suits upon graduation. Inflation hits us all differently. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Trump raises global tariff to 15% shortly after implementing reworked 10% levy NYT: Denmark Rejects Trump’s Plan to Send Hospital Boat to Greenland NYT: With ‘Tremendous’ Deals at Stake, Trump Is Bringing Russia in From the Cold Substack: ICE Is Using Phone Extraction Software Linked to Russia’s FSB-Connected Network Military: DHS Collecting Big Tech Users' Personal Data, Issuing Subpoenas For ICE-Related Criticism Financial Times: Trump demands Netflix remove former Obama official from board NBC: Law enforcement shoots and kills armed man trying to enter Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service says Politico: Now boarding: Florida Legislature approves renaming Palm Beach airport after Trump NYT: Homeland Security to Shut TSA PreCheck and Global Entry at Airports CNN: Exclusive: Secret Service will offer tailored suits to new protective detail agents 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

Today’s Headlines: In a genuinely shocking development, Prince Andrew was arrested in the UK on suspicion of misconduct in public office — a very restrained way of saying he allegedly shared sensitive government information with Jeffrey Epstein. It happened on his birthday, and King Charles said the law will take its course. It’s the first arrest of a senior royal since 1647, which is… not recent. Meanwhile in DC, Andrew and Epstein’s former bestie Donald Trump convened his self-styled “Board of Peace,” which he continues pitching as a potential replacement for the UN. The focus was Gaza: five countries pledged troops for a stabilization force, nine pledged a combined $7 billion — about 10% of the $70 billion estimated for rebuilding. Trump added a promised $10 billion from the US, source of funds TBD. Hamas has not fully agreed to disarm, but sure. On Iran, Trump warned that Tehran has 10 days to strike a nuclear deal or “bad things will happen,” then extended it to 15 by nightfall.  In South Korea, former president Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison for his 2024 insurrection attempt and brief martial law stunt. The court said it damaged the military’s neutrality and the country’s credibility. Consequences.  Back home, DHS has launched a nationwide review of naturalized citizens who may have voted before becoming citizens, requiring field offices to justify decisions not to prosecute. The administration is also reportedly exploring ways to criminalize observing ICE agents, despite most related arrests resulting in no charges. And finally, the EEOC is suing a Coca-Cola distributor over a women-only networking event, alleging discrimination. The company says it followed the law.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Former Prince Andrew arrested and held for hours on suspicion of misconduct over ties to Epstein AP News: Trump heads to Georgia after securing Board of Peace pledges for Gaza relief funds CNN: Live updates: Trump indicates Iran decision within days and says Board of Peace will be ‘looking over’ UN The Guardian: South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol jailed for life for leading insurrection MS Now: White House directing DHS to hunt for voter fraud by naturalized citizens: Sources NPR: The Trump administration is increasingly trying to criminalize observing ICE Axios: Federal agency sues Coca-Cola bottler over work event that excluded men 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

Today’s Headlines: Billionaire retail mogul Les Wexner testified before Congress about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein — but instead of appearing on Capitol Hill, lawmakers traveled to his Ohio mansion, where the 88-year-old was deposed with family members present. Notably, no Republicans on the House Oversight Committee showed up. Wexner, who once granted Epstein power of attorney, said he was “naive, gullible, and foolish” and claimed he was conned, despite building a multibillion-dollar empire. It wasn’t the only billionaire hot seat of the day. Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark trial against Meta over allegations the company knowingly made its platforms addictive and harmful to children. The case could influence more than 1,500 pending social media addiction lawsuits. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Meta has set aside $65 million to back state-level politicians friendly to the AI industry through new super PACs in Illinois and Texas — timing that feels… strategic. In federal agency cleanup news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed a webpage warning against bogus autism “treatments” like chlorine dioxide and raw camel milk, calling it routine housekeeping. On the foreign policy front, Donald Trump met with advisers to discuss Iran, as mixed signals emerge from nuclear talks in Geneva and two U.S. aircraft carriers sit in the Mediterranean. The administration also plans to withdraw roughly 1,000 U.S. troops from Syria over the next two months, though officials say the move is “conditions based.” Meanwhile, a potential U.S. arms sale to Taiwan is reportedly in limbo ahead of Trump’s planned meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing. Back home, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the city will resume clearing homeless encampments following at least 19 deaths during a recent cold snap, with outreach led by homeless services rather than police. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Billionaire Les Wexner says he was 'duped' by adviser Jeffrey Epstein, 'a world-class con man' Axios: Zuckerberg testifies in landmark social media addiction trial NYT: Meta Begins $65 Million Election Push to Advance A.I. Agenda ProPublica: Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments Axios: Trump meets with top Iran advisers as war threat grows WSJ: U.S. Is Withdrawing All Forces From Syria, Officials Say WSJ: U.S. Arms Sale to Taiwan in Limbo Amid Pressure Campaign From China AP News: Mamdani reboots homeless encampment sweeps in New York City 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

Today’s Headlines: New Mexico has approved a bipartisan “truth commission” to investigate alleged sexual abuse and trafficking at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. The commission will have subpoena power, a $2 million budget funded by a Deutsche Bank settlement, and will operate through 2026. Meanwhile, Epstein’s former benefactor Les Wexner is set to testify before the House Oversight Committee behind closed doors at his Ohio home. Early voting is underway in Texas’ Senate primaries after late-night host Stephen Colbert said CBS forced him to cancel an interview with Democratic candidate James Talarico following FCC guidance on political airtime. In media shakeups, Anderson Cooper is leaving CBS’ 60 Minutes, and independent journalist Georgia Fort pleaded not guilty to federal felony charges tied to covering an anti-ICE protest. On the corporate front, Warner Bros. Discovery reopened talks with Paramount over a $77.9 billion acquisition bid as Netflix circles with a competing offer. The Trump administration is reportedly reviewing its relationship with AI company Anthropic after questions about military use of its Claude model, while Palantir sued Swiss outlet Republik over an investigative report. Meta is facing scrutiny over AI chatbot safety for minors and a patent for AI systems that simulate deceased users. EU regulators are investigating Shein under the Digital Services Act, and the Trump administration has spent at least $40 million deporting migrants to third countries, including Cameroon. Nuclear talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Geneva reportedly made progress toward a potential new deal. In Argentina, the Senate passed sweeping labor reforms sparking nationwide strike threats. Trump-linked businesses also filed trademarks for “President Donald J. Trump International Airport.” Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: New Mexico approves truth commission on alleged Jeffrey Epstein ranch abuse Dispatch: What do we know about Les Wexner and Epstein as deposition approaches? NYT: Colbert Slams Trump Administration After CBS Pulls Talarico Interview Status: Cooper’s Final Minutes Minnesota Reformer: Journalist Georgia Fort pleads not guilty to felony charges stemming from church protest WSJ: Warner Reopens Talks With Paramount After Sweetened Offer Axios: Exclusive: Pentagon threatens Anthropic punishment European Journalist: Switzerland: US analytics firm takes Republik magazine to court – European Federation of Journalists Mashable: Meta wins patent for AI that could post for dead social media users Axios: Unreleased Meta product didn't protect kids from exploitation, tests found PBS News: Shein under investigation in EU over illegal products and addictive online design features AP News: More third-country nationals have been deported by the US to Cameroon, lawyers tell Axios: U.S. and Iran say progress made in Geneva nuclear talks Reuters: Argentine unions to hold general strike over labor reform bill Gerben Law: Trump’s Private Company Files Trademark for ‘President Donald J. Trump International Airport’ Axios: Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84 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

Today’s Headlines: The fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files escalated after the Department of Justice released a letter signed by Deputy AG Todd Blanche outlining redactions and listing “politically exposed” names — mostly celebrities and public figures already publicly referenced. Attorney General Pam Bondi said no additional files will be released, despite reports that millions of pages remain sealed. Consequences are, at least, unfolding abroad. Thomas Pritzker stepped down from Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Buckingham Palace backed a police investigation into Prince Andrew, while French authorities assembled a team to examine related allegations. Investigations also involve former Norwegian PM Thorbjørn Jagland and port executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. European leaders are weighing alternatives to Visa and Mastercard over economic security concerns, as the EU and Indo-Pacific partners — with Canadian PM Mark Carney — discuss forming a major trade bloc. At the Munich Security Conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to reassure allies amid doubts about U.S. commitment to NATO, reportedly skipping EU leadership meetings while meeting Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico. A joint European report concluded Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed with a rare synthetic toxin; Russia rejected the findings. In domestic news, ICE is planning a $38 billion detention expansion, including a Georgia warehouse purchased from Moscow-linked PNK Group at a steep markup. A separate report detailed turbulence inside DHS under Secretary Kristi Noem, including private jet travel and the firing — then rehiring — of a Coast Guard pilot over a misplaced blanket. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will end graduate partnerships with Harvard University and review similar programs. A federal grand jury declined to indict Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin over a video about refusing illegal orders. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised 2024–2025 job numbers down by more than 1.5 million combined — the largest downward revision in decades. And finally, former President Barack Obama clarified he’s seen no evidence of extraterrestrials visiting Earth. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Daily Beast: Bondi Desperately Tries to Bury Epstein Files for Good—Again ​​WSJ: Thomas Pritzker, Named in Epstein Files, Retires as Hyatt Executive Chairman Reuters: European figures caught in web of Epstein ties  NYT: Europe Worries Trump Poses Threat to Its Financial and Tech Sovereignty News 18: Mark Carney Leads Push To Form Major Trade Bloc As Trump Threatens Canada With Tariffs: Report NBC News: Warmer words but relations remain frosty between the U.S. and its old friends in Europe Axios: What we know about rare poison Russia is accused of using on Navalny WaPo: ICE plans to spend $38B on warehouse conversions WSJ: A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS CNN: Pentagon may bar tuition aid for top universities in Hegseth’s crackdown on ‘biased’ schools CNBC: DC grand jury declines to indict Sens. Kelly, Slotkin for seditious conspiracy NYT: Job Growth Was Overstated, New Data Shows CNN: Obama clarifies alien comments after telling podcast ‘they’re real’ Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Early voting is officially underway for North Carolina’s March 3 Senate primary — your reminder that primary season is here and checking your state’s election dates is now mandatory civic behavior. The timing matters, because Washington is doing the most: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is likely to shut down after Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill that didn’t include limits on ICE practices. If it happens, the shutdown would also hit the TSA, FEMA, and the United States Coast Guard — just as Congress leaves town for a Presidents’ Day recess.  Meanwhile, border czar Tom Homan claims ICE is ending deployments to Minnesota, though reporting suggests those deployments may not have actually ended — or possibly started. At the same time, Customs and Border Protection is moving ahead with a $225,000 contract for Clearview AI, a facial recognition tool built on billions of scraped images, now approved for “tactical targeting” and network analysis.  That mysterious whistleblower complaint involving Tulsi Gabbard also landed exactly where everyone expected: it centered on her burying an NSA report about a Trump associate’s call with a foreign intelligence agency. Just as we guessed…last week, that associate was Jared Kushner, and the call reportedly involved Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu met with Donald Trump at the White House, after which Trump publicly scolded Isaac Herzog for not pardoning Netanyahu over corruption charges — while brushing off questions about responsibility for October 7. Elsewhere, X, owned by Elon Musk, is under scrutiny after reports it sold premium accounts to Iranian regime officials despite U.S. sanctions. And finally, Gallup announced its ending monthly presidential approval ratings after nearly 90 years. The last one, taken in December, clocked in at 36%. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Inside North Carolina's 2026 high-stakes primary races Politico: DHS shutdown all but certain after failed Senate vote - Live Updates NYT: Trump Administration to End Surge of Immigration Agents in Minnesota Wired:: CBP Signs Clearview AI Deal to Use Face Recognition for ‘Tactical Targeting’ WSJ: Gabbard Whistleblower Complaint Based on Intercepted Conversation About Jared Kushner Axios: Trump says Israeli president "should be ashamed" for not pardoning Netanyahu Wired: Elon Musk’s X Appears to Be Violating US Sanctions by Selling Premium Accounts to Iranian Leaders NYT: Gallup Will No Longer Track Presidential Approval Ratings Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Attorney General Pam Bondi’s House Oversight testimony devolved into a chaotic shouting match, yielding few answers about the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files. Bondi repeatedly deflected, bizarrely citing stock market highs as a more appropriate topic, and accused Rep. Thomas Massie of having “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The most notable takeaway: Bondi appeared to confirm the DOJ tracked which Epstein-related documents Democratic committee members reviewed, raising fresh concerns about internal surveillance. In Congress, six House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a resolution blocking Trump’s Canada tariffs, which were imposed without congressional approval. The Senate passed a similar measure earlier, but Trump can veto it, and the Supreme Court—currently reviewing the tariffs—has yet to rule. Several quieter policy shifts drew scrutiny. The Institute of Museum and Library Services revised federal grant guidelines to prioritize “uplifting and positive” patriotic narratives aligned with Trump executive orders, signaling a shift away from apolitical, merit-based funding. In New York, the Pride flag was removed from the Stonewall National Monument following a federal ban on “non-agency” flags in national parks. Environmental rollbacks accelerated as the EPA moved to reverse its finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health, while the Federal Judicial Center removed climate science guidance from its judges’ manual after political pressure. ProPublica also reported the U.S. Forest Service concealed knowledge that firefighters’ gear contained cancer-linked PFAS chemicals. Finally, a deep-red Oklahoma special election delivered a surprise: Democrats overperformed by roughly 30 points, marking their strongest showing in the district in nearly two decades. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Pam Bondi hearing devolves into shouting matches with Democrats over Epstein and DOJ prosecutions NYT: House Votes to Cancel Trump’s Canada Tariffs ProPublica: Institute of Museum and Library Services Grant Guidelines Take Political Turn Under Trump NYT: Pride Flag Is Removed From Stonewall Monument After Trump Directive Axios: EPA's "endangerment finding" rescission looms ProPublica: Federal Judicial Center Pulls Climate Change Chapter From Official Manual for U.S. Judges ProPublica: Firefighters Wore Gear Containing “Forever Chemicals.” The Forest Service Knew and Stayed Silent for Years. Newsweek: Democrat Overperforms by 30 Points in Deep Red Oklahoma Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Congress is scrambling to keep up with Europe’s Epstein accountability push. Rep. Ro Khanna publicly named six men he says were “likely incriminated” in the Epstein files, including retail billionaire Les Wexner, UAE hotel developer Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, an Italian politician, a Russian author, a former NYPD detective tied to an escort ring, and one largely unknown figure. Lawmakers say more names are coming. Members who reviewed the files also claim there are over a million mentions of Trump, documents contradicting his claim that he kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago, and evidence showing Trump called Palm Beach police in 2006 to report Epstein — portraying himself as disturbed and uninvolved. It was a packed day on Capitol Hill. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick admitted he did visit Epstein’s island with his family after previously denying any social contact. Immigration officials testified ahead of a possible government shutdown, defending ICE while refusing to directly address the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Lawmakers also learned only about a quarter of ICE agents have body cameras, ICE wants more funding, and the agency plans to operate at the 2026 World Cup. In related news, ProPublica reported more than 18,000 habeas petitions filed this year by immigrants alleging illegal detention — driven by mass detention policies rather than allowing people to remain in their communities during proceedings. Elsewhere, Trump’s DOJ asked the Supreme Court to overturn Steve Bannon’s contempt conviction, while a Trump-appointed judge blocked the administration from forcing states to hand over voter data. Trump also criticized Netanyahu’s West Bank settlement expansion — while simultaneously floating another aircraft carrier deployment toward Iran. In election news, progressive organizer Analilia Mejia won New Jersey’s 11th District Democratic primary, defeating an AIPAC-backed field. And in Nebraska, lawmakers capped things off by passing a bill cutting minimum wages for teenage workers. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Grand Jury Rebuffs Justice Dept. Attempt to Indict 6 Democrats in Congress Politico: House Dem identifies ‘wealthy, powerful men’ DOJ redacted in Epstein files - Live Updates NYT: Former Palm Beach Police Chief Said Trump Told Him ‘Everyone’ Knew About Epstein in 2006 ABC News: Howard Lutnick, Trump's commerce secretary, says he visited Epstein's island Axios: ICE director grilled over Trump's immigration crackdown Axios: ICE will be at the World Cup, director says  ProPublica: Habeas Petitions Filed in Second Trump Term Hit Historic High WaPo: DOJ seeks to undo Steve Bannon’s conviction for defying Jan. 6 subpoena NYT: Michigan Judge Rebukes Justice Department’s Effort to Obtain Voter Data Axios: Exclusive: Trump says he opposes Israeli annexation steps in West Bank Axios: Exclusive: Trump says he might send second carrier to strike Iran if talks fail  NYT: New Jersey 11th Congressional District Special Primary Election Results 2026 Nebraska Public Media: Legislature passes minimum wage decrease for teen workers Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth during her House Oversight testimony, but her attorney said she would testify publicly if President Donald Trump grants her a pardon — claiming she could conveniently clear both Trump and Bill Clinton. The White House says a pardon isn’t being discussed “at this time,” which is doing a lot of work. Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie were allowed to view the unredacted Epstein files at the DOJ for two hours and said they spotted at least six “likely incriminating” names. They didn’t say who, but more lawmakers are expected to review the files soon. In the UK, King Charles said he would support investigations into Prince Andrew, including allegations he shared confidential trade information with Epstein, adding pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer as the scandal spreads across Europe. Meanwhile, the US State Department is launching a new program to fund MAGA-aligned think tanks across Europe ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, while Israel approved new measures expanding control over parts of the West Bank — in violation of the Oslo Accords — ahead of yet another Netanyahu visit to DC. Back home, Dr. Mehmet Oz urged Americans to get vaccinated for measles amid the largest outbreak in decades, a federal judge allowed Trump to keep $16 billion in Gateway tunnel funding frozen for now, and Trump attacked US Olympic skier Hunter Hess for expressing “mixed emotions” about representing the country — as Lindsey Vonn fractured her shin days after tearing her ACL. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Ghislaine Maxwell avoids answering questions in House deposition AP News: Palace says King Charles III will support police assessing former Prince Andrew's Epstein links Financial Times: US government to fund Maga-aligned think-tanks and charities in Europe NYT: Israel Gives Itself More Control Over Occupied West Bank NYT: Oz Offers Forceful Call for Measles Vaccination NYT: Gateway Funding Doesn’t Have to Be Immediately Restored, Judge Says Axios: Trump calls Olympic skier with mixed feelings "a real loser" AP News: US snowboard star Chloe Kim calls for unity after Trump bashes teammate over immigrant crackdown AP News: Lindsey Vonn says she has complex tibia fracture requiring multiple surgeries after Olympic crash Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: This weekend was a lot. The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan, and Vice President JD Vance managed to make himself the main character by getting booed at the opening ceremony and delaying U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu with his massive motorcade — after reportedly flying a plane full of food to Italy, of all places. Embarrassing, but not even close to the most serious news. The FBI has invited election officials from all 50 states to an unusual “election briefing” later this month, amid growing concerns about Trump’s repeated calls to nationalize elections. At the same time, DHS has reportedly used administrative subpoenas to try to obtain user data on critics of the Trump administration, including people sharing information about ICE activity or emailing officials to oppose deportations. The Tulsi Gabbard saga also deepened, with new reporting revealing that she allegedly blocked the NSA from circulating a report about a suspicious phone call involving someone tied to foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump — a move that ultimately triggered the whistleblower complaint now under scrutiny. Meanwhile, fallout from the Epstein files continued, with multiple high-profile figures in the U.S. and Europe facing investigations, resignations, or calls to step aside. European governments in particular have moved quickly, launching probes into Epstein’s ties to human trafficking, Russian intelligence, and elite institutions — while U.S. consequences remain scarce. Elsewhere, China announced a renewed crackdown on crypto trading loopholes, reports emerged that U.S. service members were pressured to attend screenings of a Melania Trump documentary, the Trump administration allegedly threatened to freeze $16 billion in infrastructure funding unless major transit hubs were renamed after the president, and New York City lawmakers overrode a veto to strengthen labor protections for Uber and Lyft drivers.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Daily Beast: Vance’s Lavish Motorcade Wreaks Havoc at Winter Olympics NBC News: FBI invites state election officials to an 'unusual' briefing on the midterms The Guardian: NSA detected foreign intelligence phone call about a person close to Trump | US national security Tech Crunch: Homeland Security is trying to force tech companies to hand over data about Trump critics CNN: LA Olympics chief faces calls to resign after flirty emails with Ghislaine Maxwell are revealed in Epstein files Bloomberg: World Economic Forum Opens Probe Into CEO Over Epstein Meetings X: US Ambassador to Poland Yahoo Finance: China Reiterates Crypto Ban While Cracking Down on Tokenized Assets and Yuan Stablecoins The Daily Beast: Military Pressured to See ‘Melania’ Against Their Will Rolling Stone: 'Chaos': Behind the Scenes of Amazon's Melania Trump Doc NYT: Officials Pressed Schumer to Help Name Penn Station and Dulles Airport for Trump Gothamist: City Council puts limits on how often Uber, Lyft can boot drivers off their apps Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Epstein files continue to ripple outward. Hillary and Bill Clinton are pushing back on House Republicans by agreeing to testify about Epstein only if the hearing is public, after being subpoenaed for a closed-door session. House Oversight Chair James Comer wants the testimony recorded but not publicly aired, while Epstein’s longtime benefactor Les Wexner is expected to give his own deposition later this month. Meanwhile, Brad Karp resigned as chair of powerhouse law firm Paul Weiss after emails revealed his close ties to Epstein, offering yet another reminder of how insulated powerful people stayed for years. Elsewhere, the Trump administration rolled out a new rule making it easier to fire roughly 50,000 senior federal employees, raising alarms about turning the civil service into a political patronage system. Trump also delivered a very on-brand speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, touching on missiles, enemies, and his personal afterlife odds. On the economy front, January layoffs spiked to their highest level since 2009, while hiring hit historic lows, signaling a cooling job market. Investigators are still searching for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, as authorities investigate a possible kidnapping and ransom demands. And finally, in lighter news, the Winter Olympics kick off in Milan tonight — followed by Bad Bunny on Sunday.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: PBS News: Hillary Clinton calls for public hearing in House Epstein investigation Threads - Ali Vitali: Les Wexner expected for House Oversight deposition on Feb. 18th CNN: Chairman of major law firm resigns after Epstein emails become public Axios: Trump administration makes it easier to fire thousands of federal employees PBS: WATCH: Trump says he 'probably should make it' to heaven in wide-ranging remarks at National Prayer Breakfast CNBC: Layoffs in January were the highest to start a year since 2009, Challenger says AP News: Savannah Guthrie's missing mother is 'still out there,' sheriff says, but no suspects NBC News: How to watch the Milan Cortina opening ceremony Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: While U.S. officials continue to shrug at the Epstein files, Europe is once again doing the most. Lithuanian prosecutors announced a human trafficking investigation after reviewing information tied to the Epstein documents, citing connections to Lithuanian models and artists and urging potential victims to come forward. Back stateside, DHS said it will pull 700 federal immigration agents out of Minnesota following weeks of aggressive enforcement, though roughly 2,000 agents will remain after about 3,000 arrests during “Operation Metro Surge.” The Supreme Court also issued an emergency ruling allowing California to use its newly redrawn congressional map, after Democrats responded to Trump’s push for GOP-led states to aggressively gerrymander ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, new reporting revealed that days before Trump’s inauguration, his family quietly sold nearly half of their crypto company to an Emirati royal with deep intelligence ties, a deal now under scrutiny by House Democrats over national security concerns tied to advanced U.S. AI chips. Elsewhere, the EEOC announced it is investigating Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees as part of its DEI programs, marking a first-of-its-kind case. And finally, the Washington Post laid off roughly a third of its staff — gutting entire desks — as Jeff Bezos continues his very normal billionaire media ownership arc. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Reuters: Lithuania launches human trafficking probe related to Epstein files NBC News: Trump administration to withdraw 700 immigration agents from Minnesota NYT: Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map WSJ: ‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company WSJ: Top Democrat Launches Probe Into ‘Spy Sheikh’ Deal With Trump Company Axios: Nike facing federal probe of alleged discrimination against white employees NPR: Bezos orders deep job cuts at 'Washington Post' Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Europe was unusually productive yesterday. French authorities raided Twitter’s Paris offices as part of a cybercrime investigation, summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino (voluntarily, lol), and announced France is ditching Zoom and Microsoft Teams in favor of its own platform. Spain followed up by unveiling plans to crack down on social media algorithms and hold tech executives personally liable for illegal or hateful content, after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused Musk of amplifying disinformation about Spain’s immigration policy. Not to be outdone, Poland’s prime minister said Jeffrey Epstein was likely a Russian intelligence asset — and said his government plans to investigate. Back in the U.S., Trump floated the idea of “nationalizing” elections during a podcast appearance and teased more fallout from last week’s FBI raid in Georgia, despite elections being run by states under the Constitution. Democrats held a public forum on ICE abuses that Republicans skipped entirely, featuring testimony from people shot at, assaulted, or detained without cause — including a disabled woman who says she was dragged from her car and later treated in an ER for assault. Meanwhile, ICE is reportedly preparing a major operation targeting Haitian immigrants in Ohio as TPS protections expire, even as the agency quietly spends hundreds of millions buying warehouses to convert into detention centers.Elsewhere, DC U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro briefly threatened jail time for anyone bringing a gun into the district before walking it back, Trump continued his Kennedy Center renovation saga, and New York Magazine published a deeply unsettling profile of Rep. Nancy Mace detailing erratic behavior and staff misuse.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Paris prosecutors summon Elon Musk after raid on X's French offices BBC: Spain announces plans to ban social media for under-16s The Telegraph: Epstein was probably a Russian spy, says Tusk WaPo: Trump says he wants to ‘nationalize the voting,’ a power granted to states The New Republic: Not a Single Republican Shows Up to Hear Renee Good’s Brothers Testify WaPo: Renée Good’s brothers, others describe assaults, shootings at hearing MS Now: ICE eyeing Ohio next, where it is expected to target Haitian immigrants Bloomberg: ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega’ Warehouse Detention Centers Across US MS Now: Pirro walks back threat to lawful gun owners traveling to D.C. NBC News: Kennedy Center won't be torn down during $200 million renovation, Trump says NY Magazine: Nancy Mace Is Not Okay Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Wall Street Journal reported that a whistleblower complaint about Tulsi Gabbard is considered so sensitive it’s been locked away by an inspector general for eight months due to concerns it could cause “grave damage to national security,” even as Gabbard has remained in her role. The report landed just days after her unusual involvement in an FBI raid on a Georgia election office, which the New York Times says included a phone call where Trump spoke directly with agents on speakerphone. Elsewhere, DHS announced ICE officers in Minneapolis will begin wearing body cameras, as reports surfaced of a measles outbreak at an ICE detention center in Texas holding hundreds of children. Meanwhile, Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify behind closed doors before House investigators about Jeffrey Epstein, narrowly avoiding contempt charges. Trump generated headlines of his own after plans for a massive “Independence Arch” in Washington were revealed, followed by threats to sue Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah over Epstein jokes. On Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Classified Whistleblower Complaint About Tulsi Gabbard Stalls Within Her Agency NYT: Gabbard Arranges Trump Call With FBI Agents After Georgia Election Center Search WSJ: Federal Officers in Minneapolis to Receive Body Cameras SA Current: Source: Measles outbreak reported at ICE's Dilley family detention facility Axios: Clintons agree to Republican demands on testifying to Congress WaPo:Trump wants to build a 250-foot-tall arch, dwarfing the Lincoln Memorial Axios: Trump, China swipe at political Grammys show WSJ: U.S. Will Cut Tariffs on India to 18% in Trade Deal WSJ: SpaceX, xAI Tie Up, Forming $1.25 Trillion Company ProPublica: FAA Warns Airlines About Safety Risks From Rocket Launches, Urges “Extreme Caution” People: Savannah Guthrie’s Mom Was Possibly Kidnapped ‘in the Middle of the Night’ from Her Home: Police Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The federal government is currently shut down after Congress failed to pass a spending bill by Friday’s deadline, though Speaker Mike Johnson claims the shutdown could end as soon as tomorrow. Even so, the funding lapse barely registered amid a flood of other major news. On Friday morning, journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were arrested following their coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a Minneapolis church, despite both repeatedly stating they were there in a journalistic capacity — a development that raised serious press freedom concerns. Around the same time, federal records identified the two immigration agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, adding more scrutiny to ICE and CBP operations. There was at least one rare piece of good news: 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were released from an immigration detention center in Texas and returned home to Minneapolis after a judge ordered their release. That decision stood in stark contrast to reports that ICE allowed a suspect in the $100 million Brinks jewelry heist to be deported while continuing to detain families with young children. Elsewhere, the DOJ released more than 3.5 million pages of heavily redacted Epstein files, signaling that no new indictments are expected. President Trump also sued the IRS for $10 billion over leaked tax returns, promoted new Trump-branded savings accounts for children, announced plans to shut down the Kennedy Center for two years, and capped off the week as Democrats scored a surprise victory in a deep-red Texas state Senate district. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Johnson predicts end by Tuesday to partial shutdown as Dems fight DHS funding NYT: Don Lemon Released Without Bond Over Minnesota Protest Charge ProPublica: Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting People: 5-Year-Old Boy Released from ICE Detention Center After Almost 2 Weeks, Boards Plane Home to Minneapolis with His Dad The Guardian: Prosecutors stunned as ICE lets suspect in $100m jewelry heist leave US | ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) DOJ: Department of Justice Publishes 3.5 Million Responsive Pages in Compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act NYT: Trump’s Lawsuit Against I.R.S. Creates ‘Enormous Conflict of Interest’ - The New York Times CNBC: No need to wait for Trump accounts—you can open a 529 college savings plan now Bloomberg: Trump Says He’ll Close Kennedy Center for Two Years in July The Hill: Democrats flip Texas state Senate seat in shock upset Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Democrats and the White House cut a last-minute deal to stop a government shutdown, temporarily boosting ICE funding while they argue over whether the agency should at least identify itself. The deal keeps most of the government running through September. ICE says it’s “drawing down” operations in Minnesota, but the damage is already done. Lawmakers visited a Texas detention facility where 5-year-old Liam Ramos is being held after being detained in Minnesota. His father says Liam is sick, withdrawn, and lethargic. New reporting shows just how much surveillance power ICE actually has, from facial recognition and license plate readers to phone location data, drones, and phone-hacking tools. On top of that, ICE is asking ad-tech and data brokers for access to location data.  TikTok users say anti-ICE videos are mysteriously failing to upload or disappearing after the platform’s ownership change. TikTok says it’s a glitch. Sure. Meanwhile, Trump’s acting cybersecurity chief reportedly uploaded sensitive government documents to a public version of ChatGPT, which is now being investigated by DHS. States are getting ready for possible ICE activity. New Jersey’s new governor announced plans for a public database where people can upload videos of ICE encounters, plus expanded “know your rights” efforts. In non-ICE related news, a major lawsuit over social media’s impact on kids moves forward against Meta and YouTube after TikTok and Snap settled at the last second, there are reports that the Trump administration quietly met with Canadian separatists in Alberta, Tulsi Gabbard resurfaces in Georgia, and—because there’s always a grift—Melania Trump already teasing a spinoff to her undersold documentary. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Live updates: Democrats and White House reach deal to avert shutdown and fund Homeland Security for now NY Time: Texas Democrats Call for Release of Liam Ramos, 5-Year-Old Detained by ICE WaPo: The powerful tools in ICE’s arsenal to track suspects — and protesters - Washington Post CNN: TikTokers say anti-ICE videos won’t publish. The company blames tech issues Mediapost: ICE Issues RFI For 'Ad Tech Compliant' Data 01/27/2026 Politico: Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT Inquirer: Gov. Mikie Sherrill says N.J. will create a database for uploading videos of ICE: ‘Get your phone out’ CNBC: TikTok to settle as social media addiction trial involving Meta, YouTube moves forward Financial Times: Albertan separatists accused of ‘treason’ over Trump administration meetings WSJ: Spy Chief Tulsi Gabbard Is Hunting for 2020 Election Fraud STL Today: Bondi picks St. Louis prosecutor to oversee election fraud case in Georgia The Daily Beast: Melania Trump Boasts Her Flop Documentary Will Have Spinoff Series Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate this week, defending the administration’s so-called “non–regime change” operation in Venezuela while calling the abduction of Nicolás Maduro a “strategic necessity.” Rubio said Trump doesn’t currently plan further military action but refused to rule it out, warning that Venezuela’s transition will be slow despite what he described as “good and decent progress.” At the same time, Trump escalated tensions with Iran, posting a threat that the “next attack will be far worse” if Tehran doesn’t agree to a new nuclear deal. U.S. military exercises are reportedly underway in the region, with a naval force moving closer, as Iran’s foreign minister warned the country is prepared to respond immediately. The standoff comes amid massive protests in Iran and reports that tens of thousands may have been killed by the regime, though exact figures remain difficult to verify due to internet restrictions. Back in Minnesota, fallout continues from the killing of Alex Pretti. Stephen Miller acknowledged that CBP officers involved may not have followed protocol, while shifting blame toward DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who now faces bipartisan impeachment calls. The officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave days later, as new reporting revealed ICE had prior documentation on Pretti before his death. The FBI has also taken over the investigation into the assault on Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall event, while executing a separate search warrant in Fulton County, Georgia, tied to the 2020 election. And finally, Trump reportedly redecorated the White House with a framed photo of himself and Vladimir Putin—because subtlety remains off the menu. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Rubio declines to rule out further US military action in Venezuela at Senate hearing Reuters: Trump warns Iran to make nuclear deal or next attack will be 'far worse'  CNN: Top White House aide Stephen Miller acknowledges possible breach of protocol before Alex Pretti’s shooting NBC News: Minneapolis live updates: 2 Border Patrol agents who fired guns in Alex Pretti fatal shooting put on leave CNN: Alex Pretti was in earlier confrontation with federal agents who tackled him, broke his rib, sources say NBC News: FBI takes over investigation into incident at Rep. Ilhan Omar town hall The Guardian: FBI executes search warrant at election office in Fulton county, Georgia The Independent: Trump hangs picture of himself and Putin in latest White House redecoration Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: U.S. immigration enforcement is under intense scrutiny after another person was shot and critically injured during a Border Patrol–involved incident in southern Arizona. Details remain limited, with officials declining to identify the victim or explain how the shooting unfolded. Meanwhile in Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall after a man lunged at her and appeared to spray an unknown, foul-smelling substance from a syringe before being arrested on assault charges. Five days after the fatal shooting of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti during an ICE encounter, the public still doesn’t know who pulled the trigger — even as DHS has acknowledged that two ICE agents fired their weapons. The department is facing growing backlash after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem falsely claimed Pretti intended to “massacre” agents, a statement the White House has since tried to walk back while shifting blame internally. Minnesota is now suing the federal government for failing to preserve evidence from the shooting, with federal lawyers arguing they aren’t required to do so. Criticism of ICE has also intensified following the death of 30-year-old U.S. citizen Wael Tarabishi, who relied on his father as a primary caregiver before his father was detained by ICE. Tarabishi died after weeks in the hospital, and ICE has refused to temporarily release his father to attend the funeral. Politically, Noem is facing impeachment pressure from House Democrats, while a Minnesota judge has ordered ICE’s acting director to appear in court over repeated failures to comply with court orders. Internationally, the Trump administration is reportedly planning to send ICE personnel to the Winter Olympics in Milan, a move sharply criticized by the city’s mayor. Separately, families of two Trinidadian men killed during U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean have filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of extrajudicial killings. On the economic front, health insurance stocks fell after the administration declined to increase Medicare Advantage subsidies, as consumer confidence dropped to a 12-year low. Ending on a brighter note, Yale University announced it will make tuition free for families earning up to $200,000 a year, expanding access amid rising college costs. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: One person in critical condition after being shot in incident involving Border Patrol in Arizona The Daily Beast: Trump Sparks Fresh Outrage With Secret Bid to Send ICE to the Olympics ABC News: Experts say the divide between Minnesota and federal authorities is unprecedented WFAA: Disabled son of ICE detainee dies after 30 days of hospitalization Axios: Jeffries' threat to Trump: Fire Kristi Noem or we move to impeachment Axios: Acting ICE director faces contempt hearing WSJ: Families of Two Men Killed in Boat Strikes Sue U.S. WSJ: Stock Market Today: UnitedHealth Weighs on Dow as Health-Insurance Stocks Slide Axios: Consumer confidence plunges to 12-year low WSJ: Yale Will Go Tuition-Free for Families Making Up to $200,000 NBC News: Man lunges at Rep. Ilhan Omar during town hall and tries to spray her with unknown substance Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Trump administration is facing growing bipartisan backlash over aggressive ICE enforcement following recent shootings in Minnesota. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the federal government needs to “recalibrate” its approach, while Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel dropped out of the race, calling the immigration operation an “unmitigated disaster” and condemning what he described as racial profiling. The criticism has spread beyond Democrats, with the Libertarian Party calling for ICE to be abolished and the Wall Street Journal editorial board urging ICE to pause operations in Minnesota. Amid mounting pressure, the administration demoted Customs and Border Protection official Greg Bovino and reassigned ICE personnel out of Minneapolis, signaling a temporary de-escalation. Border czar Tom Homan has been sent to oversee the situation as Trump publicly emphasized cooperation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. New reporting raises concerns about ICE activity elsewhere, including allegations that agents in Colorado left so-called “death cards” in vehicles after detentions. Separately, documents reveal ICE is using a Palantir-built surveillance tool to map neighborhoods for immigration raids using data from multiple federal agencies. Internationally, Trump said negotiations with Iran remain “in flux” as the U.S. increases its military presence in the region. Israel confirmed the return of the final hostage’s remains, allowing the Gaza ceasefire to move toward its next phase. Trump also announced higher tariffs on South Korean imports, cited the use of a secret weapon in the raid that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, and commented on allegations that a top Chinese general leaked nuclear secrets to the U.S. Meanwhile, a massive winter storm across 19 states has been linked to at least 22 deaths, with hundreds of thousands still without power. Congress is also racing to avoid a potential government shutdown tied to funding for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE oversight. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Houston Public Media: Greg Abbott says White House needs to ‘recalibrate’ ICE following fatal Minneapolis shooting NBC News: Minnesota Republican drops out of governor's race, citing GOP's handling of immigration enforcement The Hill: Libertarian National Committee chair: ‘Abolish ICE’ WSJ: Time for ICE to Pause in Minneapolis The Atlantic: Yes, It’s Fascism The Atlantic: Greg Bovino Loses His Job The Denver Post: ICE investigates after Colorado group says agents left ‘death cards’ in arrested immigrants’ abandoned cars  404 Media: ‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid Axios: Exclusive: Trump says Iran wants a deal as U.S. "armada" arrives Axios: Exclusive: Trump says Hamas helped find last hostage, now must disarm NYT Post: Trump reveals to The Post secret ‘discombobulator’ weapon was crucial to Venezuelan raid on Maduro AP News: Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on trade deal WSJ: China’s Top General Accused of Giving Nuclear Secrets to U.S. NYT: Storm’s Death Toll Climbs as Officials Warn of Frigid Cold Ahead WSJ: Risk of a Partial Government Shutdown This Weekend Is Rising. Here’s Why. Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Things escalated fast in Minnesota this weekend after ICE officers fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and veterans’ affairs worker, during a chaotic confrontation caught on multiple videos. Witnesses say Pretti was directing traffic and filming on his phone while trying to help someone else, and that his legally owned firearm had already been taken by agents before he was tackled. Federal officials initially labeled him a “domestic terrorist,” a claim sharply contradicted by video evidence and eyewitness affidavits. The shooting has triggered a major political and legal backlash. Minnesota officials say DHS and DOJ blocked state investigators from accessing the scene, even with a warrant, and the state has filed suit to prevent the destruction of evidence. Governor Tim Walz has ordered an independent investigation into both the killing and the federal government’s public statements about it. The controversy deepened after Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter threatening not to end federal operations in Minnesota unless the state hands over Medicaid, SNAP, and voter data and rolls back sanctuary policies—moves critics call political extortion. Meanwhile, tensions are rising nationally. Protesters braved extreme cold across Minnesota, businesses staged a general strike, and more than 60 major Minnesota-based companies urged de-escalation. Additionally, the detention of a U.S. Army veteran observing ICE activity, the assault of Rep. Maxwell Frost, a massive sewage spill in Washington, DC, and renewed debate over vaccine mandates round out a very chaotic weekend. President Trump has largely praised federal agents’ actions, even as his administration faces lawsuits, congressional infighting over ICE funding, and growing international criticism ahead of the World Cup. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Border Patrol Agent Fatally Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Escalating State-Federal Standoff Axios: Trump officials stick "terrorist" label on Americans killed by DHS Politico: Bovino claims Border Patrol agents are ‘the victims’ in deadly Minneapolis shooting NYT: Pam Bondi letter to Tim Walz NBC News: White House shares an altered photo of arrested Minnesota protester Nekima Levy Armstrong ABC News: Army vet detained by ICE for 8 hours says he wasn't allowed to call an attorney Axios Local: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vows state investigation into shooting amid "lies" from DHS NYT: CEO's of Target and Minnesota's biggest companies call for 'De-escalation'  Axios: Democrats threaten government shutdown over ICE funding Axios: Court docs reveal new details of alleged assault on Maxwell Frost AP News: Massive sewage spill flowing into Potomac River upstream from Washington AP News: German soccer federation official wants World Cup boycott considered because of Trump FOX News: Trump says it 'is too late' to stop the White House ballroom construction amid lawsuit WaPo: Trump hosts ‘Melania’ screening as Minnesota shooting fallout roils nation AP News: Massive winter storm dumps sleet, freezing rain and snow around much of US WSJ: Trump Says Administration Is ‘Reviewing Everything’ About Minneapolis Shooting WSJ: TikTok Finalizes Deal to Keep Operating in the U.S. NYT: Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: At Davos, Trump hosted the signing of his new “Board of Peace,” a pay-to-play lineup including Belarus, Hungary, Egypt, Qatar, and Kazakhstan, with countries reportedly paying about $1 billion to join. Several European nations declined, warning the board looks like an attempt to sideline the UN. Jared Kushner also floated a vague, zone-based plan for rebuilding Gaza. Back home, Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon, claiming he was “debanked” after January 6. JPMorgan says the case has no merit. In other news, former DOJ special counsel Jack Smith testified to Congress, warning of serious threats to democracy and criticizing mass pardons for January 6 defendants. Trump responded by publicly calling for Smith to be prosecuted. In Minnesota, ICE detained a 5-year-old child and his father outside their home, while school officials confirmed multiple students have been taken into custody, some on their way to school. Local police chiefs also say ICE has stopped off-duty officers based solely on skin color. DHS announced the next enforcement push will be in Maine. The New York Times reports the Trump family made at least $1.4 billion in 2025, driven by overseas real estate, crypto, settlements, and foreign gifts. A growing pardon-for-hire industry has wiped out hundreds of millions in restitution owed to victims. A new analysis found Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok generated millions of sexualized deepfake images in just nine days. And finally, a massive winter storm named Fern is expected to hit much of the U.S. this weekend, potentially affecting over 230 million people. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: T he Guardian: Davos onlookers notice Trump’s ‘board of peace’ logo resembles UN emblem | Donald Trump CNBC: Trump sues Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase over debanking the suit calls 'political' CNN: Live updates: Jack Smith testifies in House Judiciary hearing NBC News: ICE detains 4 Minnesota students, including 5-year-old, school district says USA Today: ICE agents drew guns on off-duty officer in Minnesota, chief says ABC News: DHS launches 'Operation Catch of the Day' enforcement action in Maine NYT: Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion NBC News: Trump's pardons forgive financial crimes that came with hundreds of millions in punishments NYT: Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time WSJ: Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon NYT: Musk’s Chatbot Flooded X With Millions of Sexualized Images in Days, New Estimates Show Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: President Donald Trump remains in Davos, where he delivered an 80-minute speech packed with familiar grievances, questionable claims — including that “Canada lives because of the United States” — and repeatedly mixed up Iceland and Greenland. For now, he’s pulled back threats of military action and additional tariffs on Europe, claiming instead that he’s reached a vague “framework” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte over Greenland, which he described as an “infinite deal,” without offering details. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with Trump to discuss U.S. security guarantees and post-ceasefire reconstruction, while Trump’s unofficial envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with a Putin-linked negotiator in Davos and are headed to Moscow for more talks. Back in the U.S., tensions are escalating in Minnesota. Alongside 1,500 troops already on standby, the Pentagon has placed roughly 300 additional soldiers at Fort Bragg on notice in case Trump invokes the Insurrection Act amid ongoing Minneapolis protests. In Congress, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt over their refusal to testify about Jeffrey Epstein, while declining to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for failing to release the Epstein files. Ghislaine Maxwell is scheduled to give a virtual deposition on February 9. Meanwhile, the administration admitted in court that Elon Musk’s DOGE-linked team improperly accessed and shared Americans’ Social Security data, and a federal judge ordered the FBI to temporarily stop searching devices seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson and return them pending further review. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Reuters: Trump backs down on Greenland tariffs, says deal framework reached Politico: Trump and Zelenskyy to meet Thursday at Davos MSNOW: Pentagon orders more active-duty soldiers to ready for possible Minneapolis deployment PBS News: WATCH: House Oversight advances resolution on holding Clintons in contempt The Guardian: Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data, DoJ court filing reveals | Trump administration WaPo: Judge blocks government from searching data seized from Post reporter Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: President Donald Trump kicked off a fresh round of global chaos with late-night posts about the U.S. taking over Greenland, plus screenshots of flattering texts from French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO’s Mark Rutte. The posts landed as world leaders gathered in Davos, where Canada’s Prime Minister warned the global order is facing a “rupture, not a transition.”  Macron later declined to join Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” prompting Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne. Denmark announced it’s sending more troops to Greenland, and Greenland’s prime minister told residents to prepare for a possible invasion, signaling Europe is taking the threat seriously. Back in the US, the Archbishop overseeing the American military said troops could be morally justified in refusing unlawful orders, adding to growing backlash over the administration’s use of military force. Markets finally reacted: the Dow dropped about 800 points as stocks slid and investors fled to bonds amid rising trade and geopolitical uncertainty. The Justice Department issued subpoenas to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over immigration enforcement, while new data shows deaths in ICE custody hit a record high last year. A new study confirmed Trump’s tariffs are paid almost entirely by U.S. businesses and consumers. Meanwhile, Elon Musk donated $10 million to a pro-Trump Senate candidate in Kentucky, breaking his own record. And finally, Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance announced they’re expecting their fourth child later this year. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Macron declines to join Trump's Gaza peace board. Here's who's been invited Bloomberg: Greenland PM Tells People to Prepare for Possible Invasion AP News: Trump meanders through foreign policy ahead of Davos speech to global leaders WaPo: ‘Morally acceptable’ for U.S. troops to disobey orders, archbishop says Yahoo: Stock market today: Dow plummets 800 points, S&P 500, Nasdaq sink over 2% as Trump's Greenland threats clobber stocks WSJ: Minnesota Democratic Officials Subpoenaed by Justice Department Axios: Immigrant detention deaths reach 20-year high under Trump Bloomberg: Americans Bear Almost All the Cost of Trump Tariffs, Study Shows Axios: Scoop: Musk shocks with $10 million donation in Ky. Senate race CNN: Second lady Usha Vance announces she’s pregnant with her fourth child Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado visited the White House and handed Donald Trump a symbolic Nobel Peace Prize — only to walk away with Trump merch, zero U.S. backing, and confirmation that the administration will continue supporting remnants of the Maduro regime. The Nobel Foundation quickly clarified that Nobel Prizes can’t be transferred, even symbolically. Trump then escalated his Greenland fixation, announcing new tariffs on European countries that don’t support a U.S. takeover and threatening steeper penalties by summer. He later claimed Norway owed him a Nobel Prize and suggested U.S. control of Greenland is essential for global security, prompting Canada to warn that any U.S. military action would trigger NATO obligations. Meanwhile, Canada and the EU are rapidly reshuffling trade alliances away from the U.S. This week, former DOJ special counsel Jack Smith will testify to Congress as Trump heads to Davos to unveil his self-appointed “Board of Peace,” tasked with overseeing Gaza’s future. Trump plans to chair the board, charge countries $1 billion to participate, and has invited members ranging from U.S. allies to Russia and Belarus. In Iran, mass protests continue amid a near-total internet blackout, with reports estimating more than 13,000 deaths in recent days. Iranian state TV was briefly hacked to air messages urging revolt, while the FAA warned airlines to prepare for possible military activity affecting flights across parts of Latin America and the Pacific. Back in the U.S., Trump declined — for now — to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, while placing 1,500 troops on standby and opening investigations into Minnesota’s governor and Minneapolis’s mayor. He also floated plans to sue JPMorgan Chase over alleged political “debanking.” Finally, Virginia lawmakers moved to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms, opening yet another front in the rapidly escalating gerrymandering wars. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The New Republic: Trump Snubs Machado After Explaining Why He Took Her Nobel Prize Newsweek: Nobel Foundation Speaks Out After Machado Gifts Trump Peace Prize NYT: Trump Links His Push for Greenland to Not Winning Nobel Peace Prize BBC: Trump says he will '100%' carry out Greenland tariffs threat, as EU vows to protect its interests Politico: Carney to Trump: Back off on Greenland ABC News: Trump's protectionist trade policies allow China to swoop in NYT: Gaza’s Board of Peace: What to Know Reuters: Iran to consider lifting internet ban; state TV hacked Bloomberg: US Warns Airlines About Military Activity in Parts of Latin America WaPo: 1,500 troops prepare to possibly deploy to Minnesota, officials say CBS News: DOJ investigating Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents CNBC: Trump threatens to sue JPMorgan Chase for 'debanking' him NYT: Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time NBC News: Virginia lawmakers pass redistricting amendment, sending it to voters for approval Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: President Donald Trump claims Iran has stopped killing protesters and is reportedly delaying potential U.S. military strikes after warnings from Israel and other allies. Instead, the administration announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief and 18 others tied to its shadow banking network. The U.S. Coast Guard seized a sixth oil tanker accused of violating sanctions on Venezuelan oil, while opposition leader María Corina Machado visited the White House, saying she presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize — despite the Nobel Committee’s reminder that prizes aren’t transferable. In a Reuters interview, Trump touted his economy as the strongest in history, dismissed polling opposing U.S. control of Greenland as “fake,” brushed off criticism of his investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and questioned midterm elections. Tensions escalated in Minneapolis after an ICE agent shot a man during an attempted arrest. DHS says the man entered the U.S. from Venezuela in 2022 and tried to flee, though details remain unclear. As protests grow, Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military. The Washington Post also reports that the death of immigrant detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos at a Texas border detention camp will be ruled a homicide, with witnesses alleging he was choked by guards. ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan resigned to run for Congress in Ohio, saying Trump “deserves a Congress that stands firmly behind his agenda.” Elsewhere, the EEOC is suing the University of Pennsylvania over antisemitism complaints and demanding lists of Jewish-affiliated groups and faculty — raising alarms about the creation of a centralized registry. A federal appeals court also cleared the way for the deportation of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. And finally, the Congressional Budget Office estimates rebranding the Department of Defense as the “Department of War” could cost up to $125 million. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Venezuela Opposition Leader Machado Gives Trump Her Nobel Peace Prize: Live Updates AP News: Live updates: Venezuela’s Machado presents Trump her Nobel Peace Prize Reuters: Five takeaways from the Reuters interview of President Trump WaPo: ICE agent shoots man in leg as Minneapolis protests flare Axios: Trump threatens Insurrection Act for Minnesota WaPo: Medical examiner believes death of man in ICE custody was homicide, recording says Axios: ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan resigns to launch GOP campaign for Congress in Ohio  Inquirer: Jewish students and faculty at Penn ask that their names not be turned over in federal antisemitism investigation CNN: Appeals court reverses decision that freed Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil Axios: Trump's "Department of War" rebrand could cost $125 million Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: We’re starting in Iran, where airspace has been shut down as the US appears to be preparing for a possible strike — even though Trump says (with zero real verification) that the regime has stopped killing protesters. The internet remains mostly offline, US troops are being evacuated from bases across the Middle East, and Iran is threatening retaliation if Trump gives the green light. Meanwhile, JD Vance and Marco Rubio met with Danish and Greenland officials about Trump’s ongoing obsession with Greenland, walking away with “fundamental disagreements” and a new working group that solved nothing. Several European countries responded by sending troops, aircraft, and ships to Greenland. Back in the US, DHS claims the ICE agent who killed Renee Good is suffering from “internal bleeding,” as Stephen Miller announced via DHS that ICE agents have federal immunity and that interfering with them is a felony. The First Amendment also had a rough day: the FBI searched the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson and seized her devices as part of a leak investigation — while insisting she’s not the target — and the Trump administration opened an investigation into Senator Elissa Slotkin for appearing in a video urging troops to resist illegal orders.The State Department is suspending immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries deemed likely to need public assistance, while also quietly expanding scrutiny of non-immigrant visas. The administration also canceled up to $2 billion in mental health and addiction treatment grants. Elsewhere, the Ford worker who called Trump a “pedophile protector” during a factory visit was suspended, Verizon users endured a widespread outage, and finally, some actual good news: US cancer survival rates are at an all-time high. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Trump claims killing of Iran protesters 'has stopped' even as Tehran signals executions ahead Axios: U.S. evacuates troops from Middle East bases as Trump weighs Iran strikes Newsweek: Jonathan Ross Update: ICE Agent Suffered Internal Bleeding After Renee Good Shooting The New Republic: Stephen Miller Delivers Chilling Message to ICE as Violence Grows WaPo: FBI executes search warrant at Washington Post reporter’s home Trump administration is investigating Sen. Slotkin for Democrats' video urging troops to resist 'illegal orders' AP News: US will suspend immigrant visa processing from 75 countries over public assistance concerns Axios: Trump admin abruptly cancels mental health grants WaPo: Trump makes obscene gesture, mouths expletives at Detroit factory  NBC News: Widespread Verizon outage prompts emergency alerts in Washington, New York City US News: U.S. Cancer Survival Rates Reach Record High, Report Says Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Six federal prosecutors in Minnesota resigned after the DOJ pushed them to investigate the widow of Renee Good — while still refusing to treat the ICE officer who killed Good as a civil rights case. The DOJ is now probing alleged ties between Good’s wife and local ICE protest groups, a move prosecutors called a blatant inversion of justice. At the same time, Rep. Jamie Raskin is pressing DHS over reports that ICE is recruiting pardoned January 6 participants, asking how many now have guns, masks, and badges. That scrutiny comes as more than 50 House Democrats roll out articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for obstruction, civil rights violations, and alleged self-dealing. Trump escalated things in Detroit, announcing he’ll cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities and states starting February 1 — targeting 11 states and D.C. labeled as sanctuary jurisdictions. Abroad, Iran’s regime crackdown has reportedly killed more than 2,000 protesters. Trump says he’s canceled talks with Tehran, urged protesters to “take over your institutions,” slapped new tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, and — as the regime jams Starlink — the White House has reportedly held quiet talks with exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi. In Epstein news, Bill and Hillary Clinton refused to testify before the House Oversight Committee about Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending an eight-page letter arguing the subpoenas are invalid and noting they already submitted sworn statements the committee accepted from others. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court heard arguments on state bans targeting transgender athletes, with signs the justices are unlikely to strike them down. And civil rights trailblazer Claudette Colvin, whose defiance on a Montgomery bus at 15 helped ignite the civil rights movement, has died at 86. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Six Prosecutors Quit Over DOJ Push to Investigate Renee Good’s Widow Axios: "Who's behind the masks": Raskin seeks answers on Jan. 6 defendants hired by ICE Axios: Scoop: Over 50 House Dems sign onto Kristi Noem impeachment articles Politico: White House to end funding to sanctuary cities and states on Feb. 1 AP News: Trump pressures Iran with tariffs that could raise prices in the US WaPo: Iran jams Starlink, protesters’ lifeline. Trump, Musk say that won’t stand. Axios: Scoop: Trump's envoy secretly met Iran's exiled crown prince WaPo: Supreme Court appears skeptical of arguments against bans of trans athletes AP News: Claudette Colvin, who refused to move seats on a bus at start of civil rights movement, dies at 86 NYT: Bill and Hillary Clinton Refuse to Testify in Epstein Inquiry - The New York Times TMZ:   President Trump Filmed Flipping Off Ford Worker Who Yells 'Pedophile Protector' at Him Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: After a year of publicly badgering Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not bending interest rates to his personal preferences, the Trump administration is now having the DOJ investigate Powell over his testimony about renovations to the Fed’s DC headquarters. Powell responded with a rare straight-to-camera video accusing Trump of using the probe as retaliation for not manipulating rates. Meanwhile, the Defense Department announced it’s taking a $150 million preferred equity stake in ATALCO, the only major U.S. producer of gallium — a critical mineral used in military radar and satellites — in a move that looks a lot like soft nationalization but for national security. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly is suing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after Hegseth tried to strip him of his Navy captain rank and retirement benefits, a fight that is very much still unfolding. Trump’s EPA also announced it will stop factoring in lives saved and health benefits when setting air pollution regulations, which feels like an interesting new definition of “cost-benefit analysis.” In labor news, roughly 15,000 nurses at major NYC hospitals went on strike demanding safer staffing ratios, better pay, and improved security — aka the bare minimum to keep hospitals functioning. On the tech-politics crossover beat, Meta named Dina Powell McCormick — former Trump deputy national security adviser and wife of GOP Sen. David McCormick — as its new president and vice chair, a hire Trump was thrilled to personally endorse online. Elsewhere, a 19-year-old appeared in federal court on arson charges for allegedly setting fire to Mississippi’s historic Beth Israel Congregation synagogue, and former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola announced she’s running for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat in 2026, giving Dems at least one race to daydream about. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: U.S. Prosecutors Are Investigating Fed Chair Jerome Powell Bloomberg: Trump Administration Takes Stake in Critical Mineral Firm ATALCO Axios: Mark Kelly hits Hegseth with lawsuit over Navy rank demotion threats NYT: E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved by Limiting Air Pollution NYT: Nearly 15,000 Nurses Go on Strike at Major New York City Hospitals Alaska Public: Mary Peltola enters Alaska U.S. Senate race NYT: New York Seeks Ban on A.I.-Generated Images of Candidates CNBC: Meta names former Trump advisor Dina Powell McCormick as president, vice chair Clarion Ledger: Hearing set for Madison County man accused of setting fire at Beth Israel in MS Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: After two weeks of nationwide protests, Iran looks closer than ever to a regime collapse. The government shut down the internet all weekend, blamed the U.S. and Israel, and threatened retaliation — while Trump publicly backed protesters online, which historically only makes things messier. In the U.S., a 160-year-old synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi was set on fire early Saturday. No one was hurt, a suspect is in custody, and the congregation — which survived a KKK bombing in 1967 — says it will rebuild. Trump also sat down with the New York Times and said the only thing restraining him is “my own morality,” claimed owning Greenland is “psychologically needed for success,” and suggested NATO could be optional. Around the same time, references to his impeachments quietly disappeared from his Smithsonian portrait label. In Minneapolis, tensions escalated after video showed ICE officer Jonathan Ross switching hands to draw his gun before killing Renee Good. Instead of de-escalating, DHS announced hundreds more federal agents, ICE plans to hire 10,000 more officers, and JD Vance promised “door-to-door” deportations, as a Washington Post report detailed ICE’s push to churn out violent arrest videos for social media. Trump also failed to convince oil companies to reinvest in Venezuela, then declared a national emergency anyway to shield $2.5 billion in Venezuelan oil revenue, calling it a U.S. national security issue. Finally, courts blocked Trump from freezing $10 billion in welfare funds to blue states and from cutting NIH research grants, while December jobs numbers showed modest growth — data Trump leaked early on social media because, apparently, impulse control is optional. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Atlantic: Is the Iranian Regime About to Collapse? Axios: Trump says U.S. is ready to help Iranians get freedom AP News: Suspect arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire damages a historic Mississippi synagogue NYT: An Interview With Donald Trump AP News: Reference to Trump's impeachments is removed from the display of his Smithsonian photo portrait NBC News: New cellphone video shows victim interacting with ICE officer moments before fatal shooting in Minneapolis NYT: ‘Hundreds More’ Federal Agents to be Deployed to Minneapolis After ICE Shooting USA Today: Immigration enforcement ramp-up has only just begun, VP Vance promises WAPo: Inside ICE’s social media machine creating viral arrest videos Politico: ‘Uninvestable’: Trump pitch to oil execs yields no promises Axios: Trump declares national emergency to shield Venezuelan oil cash Texas Tribune: Texas hands over complete list of registered voters to Trump administration Politico: Judge blocks Trump’s $10B welfare fund freeze Seattle Times: Judges block Trump plan to cut research money, including $120M for WA AP News: Trump brushes off early posting of confidential jobs figures Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: In Portland, Customs and Border Patrol agents shot two people during a vehicle stop — both were hospitalized, the FBI is now on scene, and DHS says it was “targeted.”  In Minneapolis, the Trump administration continues to fully defend the ICE officer who killed Renee Good. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the FBI is taking over the investigation, cutting Minnesota out of access to its own evidence, while insisting the officer followed his training. Governor Tim Walz pushed back hard, accusing ICE of raiding a nearby school and using chemical agents on school grounds, forcing closures and prompting him to warn protesters to stay peaceful as the administration appears eager to escalate. Vice President JD Vance then took the podium to claim the ICE officer has absolute immunity, shame the media for portraying Good as innocent, and argue the officer’s past injury explains his behavior. Public pressure is starting to land: Avelo Airlines is cutting ties with ICE and shutting down its Arizona base, while Hilton dropped a Minneapolis-area franchise after it refused to host ICE agents. The Epstein saga keeps unraveling, with House Oversight approving subpoenas for Les Wexner and Epstein’s estate executors, and lawmakers pushing for a special master to force DOJ compliance on the files. On Venezuela, Trump has sidelined intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, Senate Republicans advanced a War Powers resolution to curb further military action, and Trump responded by calling for those senators to be voted out. Elsewhere in chaos, Trump floated buying $200 billion in mortgage bonds, Warner Bros. rejected Paramount again in favor of Netflix, the White House may add an entire story to the West Wing for “symmetry,” and the UK is openly considering banning X over Grok-generated deepfake porn. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: ABC News: Man, woman shot by federal agent in Portland during 'targeted' vehicle stop: Officials WSJ: FBI Blocks State Law Enforcement From ICE Shooting Investigation KARE 11: Walz speaks with press after ICE agent shoots, kills woman PBS: WATCH: Vance blames victim of fatal ICE shooting at White House briefing Axios: Key airline used by Trump for deportations cuts ties with ICE Reuters: Hilton drops Minneapolis hotel over cancelled ICE bookings NBC News: House committee votes to issue more subpoenas related to Jeffrey Epstein WSJ: Tulsi Gabbard Sidelined From Venezuela Planning Axios: These Republicans broke from Trump in rare split over Venezuela war powers Axios: House passes ACA subsidies extension CNN: Trump orders ‘my representatives’ to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds in effort to lower housing costs Reuters: Paramount again tells Warner Bros its offer trumps Netflix's WSJ: White House Ballroom Architect Says a West Wing Addition Is Under Consideration Telegraph: Elon Musk’s X could be banned in Britain over AI chatbot row The Atlantic: Fast Times at Immigration and Customs Enforcement - The Atlantic Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Officials identified Renee Nicole Good — a U.S. citizen — as the woman shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis after he fired three rounds into her car at close range. Video shows Good waving agents around her stopped vehicle before they approached on foot. Despite the footage, Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem labeled her a “domestic terrorist,” a claim Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called “b******t” while telling ICE to leave the city. Meanwhile, the administration says the U.S. will take over selling Venezuela’s blockaded oil “indefinitely,” with proceeds routed through offshore accounts overseen by Trump — though Energy Secretary Chris Wright insists the money will eventually benefit Venezuelans. Trump also bragged that the U.S. seized a massive Russian-flagged oil tanker and, when asked what happens to the oil, replied: “We keep it, I guess.” On Greenland, leaders in Greenland and Denmark are rejecting any U.S. move to acquire the territory and have requested emergency NATO talks — warning it could destabilize the alliance. European partners are now prepping contingency defense plans of their own. In other news, Trump floated banning large investors from buying single-family homes (details TBD… allegedly coming “in two weeks”), while also publicly pressuring defense contractors to cap executive pay and ramp up production — singling out Raytheon as not sufficiently obedient. And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling a special session to gerrymander.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Woman killed by ICE in Minneapolis identified as Renee Nicole Good WSJ: U.S. to Control Venezuelan Oil Sales Indefinitely AP News: Trump says US has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela The Guardian: Marco Rubio says he will meet Danish officials to discuss Greenland next week Kyivpost: Germany Could Join Multinational Force From Outside Ukraine, Merz Says CNBC: Trump says U.S. to ban large investors from buying homes Axios: Trump threatens to nix Raytheon's defense contracts AP News: Gov. Ron DeSantis calls for special session in April to redraw Florida's congressional districts Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Venezuela’s getting even more chaotic as interim leader Delcy Rodríguez cracks down hard on any shows of support for Maduro’s ouster — with arrests, detained journalists, and armed gangs patrolling Caracas in the name of “order.” Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado went on Hannity to shower Trump with praise and offer to “share” her Nobel Peace Prize… which is extra awkward given reports that Trump-world thinks she would’ve become president if she’d literally handed that prize to him.Trump’s also insisting he consulted U.S. oil execs around the operation — the execs say “absolutely not,” and also that Venezuelan oil wouldn’t be profitable for a decade — but he’s now promising taxpayer-backed reimbursements anyway and claims up to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil will be turned over, with the revenue controlled by… him. Obviously nothing concerning there. Feeling bold, the White House is floating military-backed options to acquire Greenland for “Arctic security,” because why not escalate imperial cosplay while we’re here. On the fifth anniversary of January 6th, the administration launched a new government website rewriting the riot — denying officer deaths and blaming Democrats, Capitol Police, and Mike Pence — while the memorial plaque for officers quietly vanished and the Proud Boys marched again. House Democrats held their own hearing, where “MAGA Granny” Pamela Hemphill rejected her pardon and warned against Trump rewriting history. And in Minnesota, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seriously weighing a run for governor to replace Tim Walz, though she hasn’t decided yet. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: Fear grips Caracas as a new wave of repression is unleashed in Venezuela WaPo: Venezuela’s Machado gushes over Trump while calling for new elections BOE Report: Trump administration has not consulted US oil majors about Venezuela, oil execs say NBC News: Trump says the U.S. may reimburse oil companies for rebuilding Venezuela's infrastructure Axios: Trump: Venezuela to turn over 30-50 million barrels of oil to U.S. Reuters: Trump discussing how to acquire Greenland, US military always an option, White House says NYT: Trump Administration Posts False Jan. 6 Narrative on Riot’s 5th Anniversary PBS News: WATCH: House Democrats hold special Jan. 6th hearing on five-year anniversary Politico: ‘A unique moment for Minnesota’: Dems await Klobuchar’s future move Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump’s Venezuela operation keeps getting weirder. Nicolás Maduro and his wife pled not guilty in Manhattan court and Maduro insists he’s “still president” — despite currently living at the detention center. Trump walked back his claim that Marco Rubio would “run Venezuela,” and is now elevating Stephen Miller to help oversee things with interim leader Delcy Rodriguez — while warning he’ll launch more strikes if she doesn’t cooperate. Meanwhile, Trump allies say opposition leader María Corina Machado blew her shot at power by… not giving Trump her Nobel Prize. To make things…more chaotic, Trump has started floating similar threats toward Cuba, Mexico, Colombia — and Greenland — prompting Greenland’s prime minister to remind him that their country is “not an object of superpower rhetoric.” Congress only got briefed on the Venezuela strikes after the fact, because Trump says lawmakers “leak,” though somehow oil companies heard before and after. Also suspicious: someone made $400k on Polymarket betting Maduro would be deposed in January. Abroad, protests in Iran continue, and a British intel report says Ayatollah Khamenei has a “Plan B” escape route to Moscow if things collapse. In other news, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth censured Sen. Mark Kelly in the first step toward possible rank demotion — all because Kelly appeared in a video noting it’s legal to refuse illegal military orders. The administration also slashed the number of recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 — a move that could reshape insurance coverage and access next year and Arizona’s Supreme Court building was evacuated after a suspicious package containing homemade explosive material was found. Lastly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he won’t seek a third term following months of harassment fueled by Trump and right-wing trolls resurfacing an old Somali daycare fraud case. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Live updates: Maduro arrives at New York courthouse for first court appearance since capture in Venezuela The New Republic: Trump Wants Stephen Miller to Have a Terrifying New Role in Venezuela WaPo: U.S. plan to ‘run’ Venezuela clouded in confusion and uncertainty Newsweek: Cuba’s ‘Days Are Numbered’—Lindsey Graham Yahoo: Greenland's Prime Minister Just Delivered A Brutal Reality Check To Donald Trump The Independent: Gunfire heard near Venezuelan presidential palace The Times: Ayatollah Khamenei plans to flee to Moscow if Iran unrest intensifies AP News: Hegseth censures Sen. Kelly after Democrats' video urging troops to resist unlawful orders PBS: Trump administration cuts number of vaccines it recommends for every child The Guardian: Arizona supreme court evacuated after package tests positive for explosives AP News: Walz, Democrats' 2024 VP pick, drops bid for third term as Minnesota governor; Klobuchar considers Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Looks like there's no easing into this new year. Trump dramatically escalated his Venezuela fixation this weekend, launching major strikes in Caracas and having Nicolás Maduro pulled from his home and flown to federal detention in Brooklyn. Maduro was re-indicted on familiar narcotrafficking charges, while Trump bragged that the U.S. is effectively “running Venezuela now” alongside American oil companies. But instead of installing Trump’s preferred opposition figure, Venezuela’s Supreme Court tapped Maduro’s vice president Delcy Rodríguez as interim leader. Before all that, the U.S. had spent weeks chasing a Venezuela-bound oil tanker — until Russia swooped in on New Year’s Eve, added it to its registry, and painted a Russian flag on the side to shield it from seizure. Trump also hosted President Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago with Stephen Miller, Jared Kushner, and Pete Hegseth, claiming “progress” while simultaneously echoing outrage on Putin’s behalf after a friendly call with him. Abroad, Switzerland’s army chief warned the country couldn’t withstand a major attack, protests in Iran turned deadly as Trump threatened to “intervene,” and Trump ordered Christmas Day strikes on ISIS militants in Nigeria. On the home front, Trump froze all childcare payments nationwide after citing a Minnesota welfare fraud case involving a small group of Somali immigrants — while simultaneously moving to garnish wages from millions of student loan borrowers in default starting in January. One notable check on his power: the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 against his National Guard deployments to several U.S. cities. Meanwhile, the newly released Jack Smith testimony says he had evidence Trump committed multiple felonies that could rise to treason before his cases were shut down — and the massive Epstein document dump is already under scrutiny for delays, missing records, and questionable redactions, including internal DOJ emails noting Trump flew on Epstein’s plane more than previously known. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Maduro arrives in New York after capture in Venezuela NYT: How Trump Fixed On a Maduro Loyalist as Venezuela’s New Leader NYT: Russia Asks United States to Stop Pursuit of Fleeing Oil Tanker NBC News: Trump and Zelenskyy project optimism about prospects for a Ukraine-Russia peace deal despite 'thorny issues' The Daily Beast: Putin Burns Trump With Embarrassing Details of Phone Chat Reuters: Army chief says Switzerland can't defend itself from full-scale attack PBS: Trump threatens to intervene in Iran if regime continues to kill protesters NYT: U.S. Strikes ISIS in Nigeria After Trump Warned of Attacks on Christians NYT: Trump and Netanyahu Exchange Praise After Meeting, Showing Few Signs of Strain CNN: Israel becomes first country to formally recognize Somaliland as independent state AP News: Trump's attacks on Minnesota's Somali community cast a spotlight on fraud cases The Guardian: Trump administration reportedly freezes all childcare payments to all states CNBC: Trump administration to start seizing pay of defaulted student loan borrowers in January WaPo: Trump ends effort to keep National Guard in Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland PBS: Read Jack Smith's full deposition on the decision to indict Trump Axios: Mike Pence's think tank poaches top Heritage staff as MAGA rift grows NBC News: Justice Department is reviewing 5.2 million pages of Jeffrey Epstein files NBC News: The president, the plane and the prince: Top takeaways from the 3rd Epstein files release Des Moines Register: Democrat wins Iowa Senate election, holding off GOP supermajority CNBC: USPS changes may delay postmark dates. What it means for your tax returns, ballots, bills and more Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: CBS News is in full self-own mode after killing a 60 Minutes segment on El Salvador’s CECOT megaprison—right before airtime—because leadership said it didn’t “advance the story” or sufficiently platform the administration, despite months of reporting and unanswered requests for comment. Predictably, the backlash ensured way more people now care about the story than ever would have otherwise. Meanwhile, a federal judge let former CECOT detainee, Kilmar Abrego-Garcia remain free while his case continues, openly questioning whether ICE can be trusted to follow court orders at all. The DOJ, in the spirit of never taking a hint, is also appealing the dismissal of Trump’s revenge prosecutions against James Comey and Letitia James, insisting Halligan was totally legit, therefore the indictment stands. At the FBI, Director Kash Patel is reportedly cruising around in a custom armored BMW with massage seats—purchased at his request—because Suburbans apparently don’t scream “covert.” Elsewhere, the US is chasing another Venezuelan oil tanker in international waters (Venezuela calls it piracy), Trump is back to casually trying to acquire Greenland via a part-time envoy who is also the governor of Louisiana, and the administration is pulling dozens of career diplomats from posts around the world for reasons it will not explain. Dems seek to find Bondi in contempt, because actual accountability isn’t a thing anymore. And finally, Trump capped off 2025 by announcing plans for new “Trump Class” Navy warships, which feels spiritually correct as a closing note. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: ‘I ultimately had to comply’: ‘60 Minutes’ EP faces fallout after Bari Weiss shelves story PBS: Abrego Garcia can remain free while judge considers arguments for returning him to immigration custody Politico: DOJ appeals ruling that tanked Comey, James criminal cases MS Now: Kash Patel’s new ride of choice: An armored luxury BMW Axios: U.S. pursuing third oil tanker as Venezuela hostilities intensify Axios: Denmark summons US ambassador over Trump's renewed Greenland push Politico: Trump ousts more Biden-era ambassadors WaPo: Two lawmakers seek to find Bondi in contempt over Epstein files NYT: Trump Administration Live Updates: President Announces Plans for New ‘Trump Class’ Battleships Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Epstein files were legally due to drop on Friday — and instead, the DOJ punted. Rather than releasing everything as required, the department said it’ll roll documents out gradually because it “ran out of time,” and posted about 13,000 heavily redacted files. Some documents then mysteriously vanished from the DOJ website, including a photo from Epstein’s apartment that showed Donald Trump, prompting Democrats to demand a timeline and an explanation for what’s now very likely an illegal partial release. DOJ leadership insists nothing — and no one — is being protected. Meanwhile, the New York Times filled in some gaps the DOJ didn’t, publishing extensive reporting that describes Trump and Epstein as close friends, citing more than 30 former employees, victims, and witnesses. The report alleges Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell introduced Trump to at least six women who later accused him of grooming or abuse, including one who was a minor at the time. Trump has denied the allegations. In other news, authorities say the suspect in last weekend’s Brown University shooting — now deceased — may have targeted MIT fusion researcher Nuno Loureiro, whom he reportedly knew from an academic program in Portugal. The motive remains unclear, but the case has raised eyebrows amid Trump Media’s sudden merger with a nuclear fusion company and new reporting that Putin heavily influenced Trump’s Ukraine envoy. Add in fresh revelations about Stephen Miller pushing for military strikes wherever he could find a target, murky inflation data thanks to shutdown gaps, Trump rescheduling marijuana (and nodding off while doing it), and Elise Stefanik abruptly dropping out of New York’s governor race — and yes, it was another very normal news week. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: What to Know on the Initial Release of Materials From the Epstein Files CNBC: Epstein files: A number of documents, including Trump photo, reportedly removed from DOJ release site Yahoo: Trump’s FBI Spent Nearly $1 Million on Redacting Epstein Files The Independent: Epstein files live: Whistleblowers could hold key, says Democrat, while Bondi tweet provokes fierce backlash ABC News: Top DOJ official denies there's any effort to redact mentions of President Trump from Epstein files NYT: ‘Don’s Best Friend’: How Epstein and Trump Bonded Over the Pursuit of Women WaPo: Brown, MIT Professor Shootings linked, suspects found dead The Guaardian: Why is Truth Social owner Trump Media merging with a fusion energy firm? | Mergers and acquisitions Substack: The Russia-adjacent “connective tissue” points that are real, documentable, and potentially problematic if Trump Media (TMTG / Truth Social) is merging with TAE. WSJ: How Putin Got His Preferred U.S. Envoy: Come Alone, No CIA WaPo: Stephen Miller's hard-line Mexico stragtegy morphed into deadly boat strikes WSJ: The Data Problems in Thursday’s Inflation Report Will Linger for Months CBS News: Trump signs executive order to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug NBC News: Trump endorses Bruce Blakeman in New York governor's race after Elise Stefanik drops bid Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: It’s officially Epstein Files Friday — meaning the DOJ is legally supposed to release the files today, per the law Trump signed 30 days ago. Coincidentally, House Speaker Mike Johnson sent Congress home early for the holidays, neatly avoiding being in the building when the files are either released or… not. Meanwhile, House Democrats dropped 70 more photos from Epstein’s estate, including plans for his island, disturbing “Lolita” imagery, redacted foreign passports, and photos of high-profile figures. The Trump administration is also moving to dramatically ramp up denaturalization efforts, telling immigration officials to target up to 200 citizenship revocations per month next year — a massive escalation for a process that’s historically rare. Trump’s media company announced a surprise $6 billion merger with a nuclear fusion firm, briefly reviving its stock, while questions swirl around the recent killing of an MIT fusion scientist and the now-closed Brown University shooting case. In other news, Trump unveiled a very familiar-sounding “Patriot Games” and backed renaming the Kennedy Center after himself, RFK Jr. cut funding for major pediatric health programs while pushing new restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, the government admitted liability in the deadly January DC plane crash, and The New Yorker launched a fully digitized 100-year archive — finally ending on a high note. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The New Republic: Mike Johnson Sends Entire House Home Ahead of Epstein Files Deadline Axios: Latest Epstein photos include "Lolita" quotes written on a woman's body NYT: Trump Administration Aims to Strip More Foreign-Born Americans of Citizenship CNN: Trump’s social media business is merging with a nuclear fusion company MIT: Nuno Loureiro, professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, dies at 47 WaPo: Kennedy Center board votes to rename to ‘Trump Kennedy Center’ WaPo: American Academy of Pediatrics loses HHS funding after criticizing RFK Jr. NBC News: HHS moves to slash funding and access to care for transgender minors AP News: US government admits role in causing helicopter-plane collision that killed 67 in Washington New Yorker: The Entire New Yorker Archive Is Now Fully Digitized Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump escalated toward open conflict with Venezuela by labeling the country a “foreign terrorist organization,” blockading sanctioned oil tankers, and laying groundwork that looks a lot like a path to war — even as U.S. oil companies quietly signal they’re not interested in going back. Abroad, Britain’s MI6 chief warned that tech billionaires and algorithms are reshaping global power faster than politicians, while Putin doubled down on threatening Ukraine with either invasion or “negotiation,” plus some nuclear saber-rattling for flair. Back home, Trump expanded his travel ban, House Republicans briefly rebelled to pass a doomed healthcare bill, and Jack Smith told Congress he found proof Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election and obstruct justice. The FCC chair openly claimed the agency isn’t independent from the president — then removed the word “independent” from its website mid-hearing — as the Senate confirmed Elon Musk’s friend to run NASA. Meanwhile, Dan Bongino announced he’s quitting the FBI, Alan Dershowitz floated a very “it depends” take on a third Trump term, Ghislaine Maxwell moved to toss her conviction, and the DOJ is legally required to release the Epstein files tomorrow. On the crime front, the Brown University shooter is still at large, an MIT professor’s killing is now a homicide investigation, Nick Reiner appeared in court for his parents’ murders, and — in truly end-times energy — the Oscars are leaving ABC for YouTube. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Venezuela’s Navy Begins Escorting Ships as U.S. Threatens Blockade Politico: Trump administration asking US oil industry to return to Venezuela — but getting no takers I-News: MI6 chief: Tech giants are closer to running the world than politicians WSJ: Putin Warns He Will Achieve Aims in Ukraine Through Negotiation or War Axios: Trump expands travel ban to Syrians, Palestinians and others AP News: Meet the 4 Republicans who defied House Speaker Mike Johnson on ACA subsidies NBC News: Jack Smith tells Congress he could prove Trump engaged in a 'criminal scheme' to overturn 2020 election AP News: FCC leader says agency is no longer independent as he’s grilled by Democrats over Kimmel controversy Axios: Dan Bongino announces FBI exit WSJ: Trump Told by Alan Dershowitz Constitutionality of Third Term Is Unclear AP News: Imprisoned Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell seeks release, citing 'new evidence' Axios: MIT professor Loureiro shot at home: Police launch homicide investigation AP News: Rob and Michele Reiner's son appears in court on murder charges while siblings speak of their loss Hollywood Reporter: Oscars Bolts from ABC to YouTube Starting in 2029 Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: As of Tuesday evening, the suspect in the Brown University shooting remains at large, with police releasing new footage and a timeline in hopes the public can help identify him. Meanwhile, a Vanity Fair profile of Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles revealed unusually blunt on-the-record comments, including describing Trump as having an “alcoholic’s personality,” calling JD Vance a longtime conspiracy theorist, and criticizing DOJ handling of the Epstein files—remarks the White House has since dismissed. Trump also filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over a January 6 documentary, a case now assigned to a Trump-appointed judge. In media news, Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to reject Paramount’s $108 billion bid in favor of a Netflix deal, after Jared Kushner’s firm pulled its backing from Paramount. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will not release full footage of a controversial strike on a drug boat that reportedly killed wounded survivors. In Los Angeles, Nick Reiner was charged with murdering his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, as Michelle Obama publicly defended the couple’s legacy. Finally, new data shows unemployment rose to 4.6% in November, the highest level in more than four years, with job losses in three of the past six months. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: New photo released of person of interest in Brown University shooting as manhunt enters fourth day Vanity Fair: Susie Wiles Talks Epstein Files, Pete Hegseth’s War Tactics, Retribution, and More (Part 2 of 2) WaPo: Trump sues BBC ‘for putting words in my mouth’ WSJ: Warner Preparing to Tell Shareholders to Reject Paramount Offer CNN: Full video showing follow-up strike on alleged drug boat won’t be released to the public, Hegseth says LA Times: A famous father, a troubled son: How addiction tormented the Reiner family WSJ: U.S. Unemployment Rose in November ​Despite Job Gains Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: As of late Sunday, the suspect in Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University — which killed two people and injured nine — remains at large. Police released new photos after clearing a briefly detained person of interest, while local officials say there’s no immediate threat. Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel falsely claimed a suspect had been caught, statements later contradicted by Providence police. In Australia, the death toll from a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney rose to 16, the country’s deadliest shooting in nearly 30 years; authorities say a father and son carried out the attack, and ISIS flags were found in their car. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pledging even stricter gun laws. Back in the U.S., California police are investigating an antisemitic attack on a Jewish family’s Hanukkah-decorated home, while federal authorities arrested four men accused of plotting a New Year’s Eve terrorist attack. In Los Angeles, the son of director Rob Reiner was arrested on suspicion of murdering Reiner and his wife; Trump blamed the deaths on “Trump derangement syndrome,” drawing backlash. Elsewhere, the administration is arguing in court against providing live ASL interpreters at White House events and against halting construction of Trump’s planned White House ballroom. A JetBlue pilot narrowly avoided a midair collision with a U.S. military aircraft in the Caribbean, and President Zelensky says the U.S. has agreed to security guarantees for Ukraine as talks continue. Finally, Merriam-Webster named “slop” — low-quality AI-generated content — its 2025 word of the yea Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Providence Journal: Brown University mass shooting suspect new images released Axios: Brown University shooting person of interest being released, officials say NBC News: From Charlie Kirk to Brown University, Trump officials have posted inaccurate info in wake of tragedy Reuters: Australia plans tougher gun laws after police say father and son killed 15 at Bondi Beach LA Times: Attack on Jewish family's Redlands home under investigation as a possible hate crime WaPo: Justice officials say they stopped a terror plot in Southern California LA Times: Live Updates: Rob Reiner’s son arrested in fatal stabbings of the Hollywood legend and his wife CNN: Trump’s Rob Reiner post on Truth Social undercuts Republicans’ claims to civility Axios: Republican lawmakers slam Trump's "inappropriate" posts on Rob Reiner Axios: "Very bad for our country": Trump doubles down on Rob Reiner attacks Live 5: Trump administration says sign language services ‘intrude’ on Trump’s ability to control his image AP News: Trump administration says White House ballroom construction is a matter of national security WaPo: ‘Outrageous’: JetBlue pilot describes near-collision with Air Force plane off Venezuela AP News: US officials say Washington has agreed to give Ukraine security guarantees in peace talks Axios: "Slop" to the top: Merriam-Webster's word of the year is here Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: This weekend saw two devastating mass shootings just hours apart. At Brown University in Rhode Island, a 24-year-old gunman killed two students and wounded nine others inside an academic building, prompting a five-hour campus lockdown before he was arrested at a hotel south of Providence. Several of the victims had previously survived other school shootings. In Australia, a father and son opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. One victim, a Holocaust survivor, died while shielding his wife. Authorities called it a terrorist attack and recovered explosives nearby. In other news, two U.S. troops and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria after an attacker—who had recently joined local security forces—opened fire. The incident is being treated as a major security failure, and Trump vowed retaliation against ISIS. Meanwhile, Chile elected its most right-wing president in decades, José Antonio Kast, while Ukraine peace talks continue. President Zelensky signaled he may forgo NATO membership in exchange for U.S. security guarantees, even as the U.S. reportedly plans to scale back European defense commitments and Republicans float leaving NATO altogether. Back in the US, House Democrats released dozens of photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate showing him with powerful figures across politics and business, with tens of thousands more images still under review. The New York Times also reported that Andrew Tate cultivated ties to Trump-world figures to help escape prosecution abroad—after which new assault allegations quickly followed. And finally, Dr. Oz has been emailing federal health workers unsolicited advice on resisting office snacks, reminding everyone that in 2025, nothing—not even cookies—is safe from wellness content. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WaPo: Person of interest in Brown University shooting is 24, from Wisconsin: live updates CNN: At least 15 killed in shooting that targeted Australia’s Jewish community at Bondi Beach NYT: Hanukkah Concerts With Israeli Military Cantor Raise Outcry in Amsterdam AP News: Attacker who killed US troops in Syria was a recent recruit to security forces, official says Reuters: Exclusive: US sets 2027 deadline for Europe-led NATO defense, officials say Axios: NATO chief: "Putin is in the empire-building business again" Axios: Ukraine, U.S. and Europe to debate Trump's plan on Saturday in Paris NYT: Zelensky Offers Compromise for New Round of Ukraine Peace Talks CNN: New photos released from Epstein’s estate showing Trump, Bannon, Bill Clinton and other high-profile people NYT: How Andrew Tate, Manosphere Star Accused of Rape and Trafficking, Was Freed Axios: The high cost of the U.S. sports betting boom Wired: Dr. Oz Tells His Federal Employees to Eat Less Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Donald Trump had a not-so-stellar day yesterday. First, Indiana’s GOP-controlled state senate actually stood up to him and rejected his pressure campaign to pass a wildly gerrymandered congressional map. So instead of all nine districts going red, only seven will — proving that sometimes his bullying doesn’t work (shocking, I know). Then Congress did its favorite thing: nothing helpful. Both parties tanked bills that would’ve extended Obamacare subsidies, meaning everyone’s insurance premiums are about to skyrocket.  Over in the House, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem got grilled during the annual “worldwide threats” hearing — mostly about immigration and the administration’s messy due-process violations. She even denied ICE had detained veterans… until a deported veteran showed up…on zoom. Meanwhile, a federal judge ordered the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia because ICE couldn’t produce a single legal document justifying why they were trying to deport him. CBP also wants to require travelers from 40 visa-waiver countries to hand over five years of social media, emails, phone numbers, and family history before visiting the U.S. And the administration is adding another militarized zone to the southern border just because. Trump also failed yet again to manufacture a criminal case against NY AG Letitia James — the second grand jury in two weeks declined to indict her for fake mortgage fraud. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new law requiring disclosure when ads use AI-generated actors and requiring consent for post-mortem likeness use. But Trump immediately tried to kneecap state AI rules with an executive order letting DOJ punish states that “restrict” AI — all part of the administration’s push for “AI neutrality” (whatever that means), including new federal guidance to ban “woke” AI. And finally, Disney struck a $1 billion deal with OpenAI to let Sora use Disney characters in AI-generated videos. So basically… they’re paying someone to copy their own IP. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: Indiana Senate Republicans Reject Trump’s Redistricting Effort CNN: Live updates: Trump administration, health care vote and latest Venezuela news PBS News: WATCH: Noem defends Trump immigration policy in House hearing on security threats AP News: Foreigners allowed to travel to the US without a visa could soon face new social media screening AP News: Trump administration adds militarized zone in California along southern US border NYT: A Grand Jury Again Resists Trump’s Push to Reindict Letitia James WSJ: Trump Signs Executive Order to Curtail State AI Laws Axios: White House issues federal agency guidance against "woke" AI Axios: N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes major changes to AI bill Deadline: Disney Inks Blockbuster $1B Deal With OpenAI, Handing Characters Over To Sora Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump had a chaotic 24 hours — bragging at 3 a.m. on Truth Social that he “aced” his third cognitive test and accusing the New York Times of being “treasonous” for reporting he looked like he was asleep in a Cabinet meeting. By midday he’d moved on to claiming the U.S. seized the “largest tanker ever” near Venezuela, while Pam Bondi posted dramatic helicopter-raid footage with zero clarity on whose oil was involved. Meanwhile, another federal judge ordered the DOJ to unseal all Epstein grand jury records, giving Trump just eight days to release the files he’s been promising for years. In other news, the Fed cut interest rates again, six states struck deals with the administration to ban SNAP users from buying junk food, and Congresswoman Nancy Mace introduced a bill to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza after… Charlie Kirk. Over in foreign policy chaos, Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a bill to pull the U.S. out of NATO entirely. Election-wise, Democrats scored more surprise wins: Albuquerque’s mayor kept his seat and a Democrat flipped a deep-red Georgia district that Trump carried by 12 points. In tech bro land, Elon Musk hinted that SpaceX is going public next year, OpenAI warned (in its own report!) that its models pose “high risk” for cyberattacks, and Australia officially began its under-16 social media ban. And finally, Marco Rubio ordered U.S. diplomats to ditch Calibri and go back to Times New Roman because vibes. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Daily Beast: Trump, 79, Boasts About Taking Three Separate Dementia Tests CNN: US seized oil tanker off Venezuelan coast, Trump says The Independent: Epstein and Maxwell grand jury docs are being unsealed as Trump’s DOJ approaches deadline to publish files CNBC: Divided Fed approves third rate cut this year, sees slower pace ahead Axios: SNAP junk food ban expands to 6 more states Axios: GOP bill would rename Black Lives Matter Plaza after Charlie Kirk Thomas Massie: Rep. Massie Introduces Bill to Remove the United States from NATO Albuquerque Journal: Mayor Keller wins third consecutive term in Albuquerque runoff election Georgia Recorder: Democrat flips northeast Georgia state House seat, pulling off special election upset Axios: Musk suggests SpaceX IPO reports are "accurate" Axios: Exclusive: New OpenAI models likely pose "high" cybersecurity risk, company says NYT: Australia’s Social Media Ban for Children Takes Effect AP News: Calibri font becomes the latest DEI target as Rubio orders return to Times New Roman Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump had a busy week: he gave himself an A++++++ on the economy, and in a Politico interview, openly admitted he has “no vision for Europe” while praising autocrats like Orban in Hungary and Erdogan in Turkey. European security officials are sounding alarms too, warning that Russia’s hybrid warfare campaign—political sabotage, infrastructure attacks, energy manipulation, and propaganda—could escalate into a full-blown war by 2029. Meanwhile, Netanyahu says he speaks to Putin “regularly” to protect Israel’s borders, particularly against Syria, so the lines are already being drawn. Over in tech, Elon Musk confessed on Katie Miller’s podcast that DOGE was only “somewhat successful” and that if he could do it again, he wouldn’t. And the Pentagon, under Pete Hegseth, is rolling out Google’s Gemini AI for unclassified work like onboarding and administrative tasks—but the NYT is suing because Hegseth’s new press rules forced reporters to sign gag orders or lose access. In Florida, Miami elected its first Democratic mayor in 28 years, Eileen Higgins, a former Peace Corps director and mechanical engineer, ending decades of GOP control and running on a government efficiency platform. Let’s travel back to Taylor Swift’s October album release real quick, remember the nazi, trad wife chaos around it? Turns out, less than 4% of accounts drove 28% of the conversation, and over 73% of the inflammatory posts came from inauthentic or conspiracy-focused accounts. Basically, most of the outrage wasn’t real—it was engineered. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: Full transcript: POLITICO's interview with Donald Trump Financial Times: Russia’s hybrid warfare puts Europe to the test Times Of Israel: In Knesset debate, Netanyahu says he regularly talks to Putin to safeguard Israel's 'vital interests' WSJ: New York Times Sues Hegseth, Defense Department Over New Press Rules Axios: Musk says DOGE was only "somewhat successful," wouldn't do it again Axios: U.S. military to use Google Gemini for new AI platform Politico: Miami elects first woman mayor, ends GOP’s 28-year control of City Hall Rolling Stone: Taylor Swift's Last Album Sparked Bizarre Accusations of Nazism. It Was a Coordinated Attack Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump is reportedly gearing up for his first big firing of Term Two — and no, it’s not Pete Hegseth or RFK Jr. The likely target is DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, because she’s not deporting people fast enough for Grandpa Joffrey. Rumor is she’ll be swapped out for Glenn Youngkin once he’s done being Virginia’s governor. Meanwhile, Alina Habba is officially out after her totally-not-real stint as U.S. attorney, Trump is still shielding Pete over that missing boat-strike video, and MTG is rebranding herself as “America First” — prompting Trump to call her a washed-up traitor. In Texas, Jasmine Crockett is in the Senate race, Colin Allred is out, and Democrats suddenly have… a plot twist. Trump and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins dropped a $12B farm bailout to fix the tariff mess Trump created, because of course. Paramount is launching a hostile, Saudi- and Kushner-funded bid to snatch Warner Bros. Discovery away from Netflix — the messiest media custody battle imaginable. And finally, ABC renewed Jimmy Kimmel despite Trump rage-tweeting that he should be fired, even while Trump was busy giving himself a medal at the Kennedy Center Honors. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The New Republic: Is Kristi Noem About to Get Fired? WaPo: Trump says Hegseth will decide whether to release boat strike video NBC News: Ex-Trump lawyer Alina Habba announces she's stepping down as U.S. attorney for N.J. CBS News: Trump responds to "traitor" Marjorie Taylor Greene after "60 Minutes" interview Yahoo: Jasmine Crockett in, Colin Allred out: A major shakeup for Democrats in their quest to finally win a Senate seat in Texas AP News: Trump is giving farmers $12B in aid. They've been hit hard by his trade war with China AP News: Jimmy Kimmel signs one-year contract extension with ABC Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Trump administration released its 33-page National Security Strategy — immediately praised by the Kremlin — outlining U.S. “dominance” in the Americas, embracing Middle East leaders “as they are,” warning Europe of “civilizational erasure,” and boosting far-right movements there. It also shifts U.S. policy in Africa toward extracting “latent economic potential,” and says avoiding conflict with China is suddenly a “priority.” At the Reagan Defense Forum, Pete Hegseth declared the end of America’s “utopian idealism,” saying the military should ditch democracy-building and climate concerns for “practical interests.” Sure, Pete. Israel, Qatar, and the U.S. met to build relations after Israel’s strike in Doha it was, of course, hosted by Steve Witkoff — who, along with Jared Kushner, also had a long call with Zelensky about territory and “security guarantees.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship, despite the Constitution spelling it out pretty clearly and Trump threw a fit after pardoned Democrat Henry Cuellar didn’t switch parties, accusing him of “disloyalty” and claiming “God was very happy” with his pardon. In other news, the Jan. 5 pipe-bomb suspect is cooperating with the FBI and says he planted them to support Trump, RFK Jr.’s HHS and anti-vax panel voted to end universal Hep B shots at birth, disregarding the risks to infants, and the Netflix–Warner Bros. merger is in trouble, with the Trump administration favoring a sale to Trump-ally-owned Paramount instead. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Kremlin hails Trump’s national security strategy as aligned with Russia’s vision Whitehouse: National Security Strategy | The White House Politico:  Hegseth declares end of US 'utopian idealism' with new military strategy Axios: Scoop: Israel and Qatar hold secret meeting in New York to rebuild ties Axios: Zelensky, Trump advisers discuss Ukraine peace terms in 2-hour call Axios: Trump blasts pardoned Democrat as lacking "LOYALTY" NBC News: Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories PBS: Fact-checking the CDC panel’s reasons for dropping universal newborn hepatitis B vaccine recommendation Fox Business: Trump administration reportedly skeptical about Netflix and Warner Bros.' $72B deal WSJ: Paramount Raises Concerns About Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Federal investigators finally arrested a suspect in the January 6th pipe bomb case — 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. — though AG Pam Bondi says they still don’t know the motive and didn’t get any new tips. Meanwhile, pardoned J6 defendant Taylor Taranto popped up near Rep. Jamie Raskin’s house, prompting another bump in security during what’s starting to feel like a never-ending wave of threats. The DOJ is also trying to re-indict Letitia James and James Comey after their earlier cases collapsed thanks to the administration forgetting you actually need legitimate prosecutors. A new grand jury declined to indict James on mortgage fraud, and the GAO has now opened an investigation into FHFA director Bill Pulte — the guy reportedly cooking up the bogus mortgage probes against Trump enemies. Trump declared he’s solved war again, announcing “peace” between Rwanda and militant forces in the DRC… despite fighting still happening. Over in the real war he can’t magically fix, Putin rejected the latest Ukraine peace draft after chats with Kushner & Witkoff. And according to a leaked call, European leaders warned Zelensky that the U.S. might screw Ukraine over in negotiations. At home, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that Texas can use its aggressively gerrymandered congressional map for 2026 — a huge boost to Republicans. In”people who won’t go away” news, Mike Lindell is now running for governor of Minnesota. And finally, the NFL announced new uniform field-safety standards for all stadiums by 2028, presumably so players stop shredding their knees to enhance player safety. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Officials say a fresh review of evidence led to arrest in D.C. pipe bomb case Axios: Scoop: Security upped for Rep. Jamie Raskin after alleged incident Axios: Grand jury declines second attempt to indict Letitia James Axios: Trump ally Pulte under investigation by congressional watchdog Axios: Trump's peace deal without the peace between DRC and Rwanda AP News: Putin says there are points he can't agree to in the US proposal to end Russia's war in Ukraine Spiegel: Confidential Conference on Ukraine Peace: "We Must Not Leave Ukraine and Volodymyr Alone with These Guys" - DER SPIEGEL WSJ: Supreme Court to Allow Texas to Use New Congressional Map in Win for Republicans MS Now: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell wants to run for Minnesota governor AP News: NFL mandates playing surfaces for all stadiums meet new standards by 2028 to enhance player safety Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The House Oversight Committee dropped another batch of photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein’s island, but honestly, this is not a “paint me a picture” situation — Google is your friend. Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth’s Signalgate drama is heating up: an inspector general report says he put troops at risk, and Rep. Shri Thanedar is already drafting impeachment articles over both that and the whole “blow up random boats” era. Trump surprised literally everyone — including GOP leadership — by pardoning Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was awaiting trial for allegedly taking $600k in foreign bribes. And the administration announced a pause on immigration applications from 19 “high-risk” countries, with no timeline for resuming them, while a judge ruled that ICE actually does need warrants to arrest people in DC. Trump also claimed Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had a “very good” meeting with Putin on a Ukraine peace plan (sure), as European leaders slammed Putin for wasting everyone’s time. And in a peak bit of irony, the former U.S. Institute of Peace has now been renamed the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.Finally, the FDA recalled more than 250,000 cases of shredded cheese sold nationwide due to possible metal contamination — a divine sign to stop buying store-brand cheese before it saws your intestines in half. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: New images and videos from Epstein’s island released CNN: Watchdog finds Hegseth risked endangering troops by sharing of sensitive war plans on Signal, sources say Axios: Democrat announces articles of impeachment against Hegseth Axios: Scoop: Johnson blindsided by Trump's Cuellar pardon MS Now: Trump administration pauses immigration from 19 countries Axios: Federal judge restricts warrantless immigration arrests in D.C. Axios: Trump says Witkoff and Kushner had "a very good" meeting with Putin AP News: Europeans accuse Putin of feigning interest in peace after talks with US envoys Axios: Trump's name added to US Institute of Peace AP News: Shredded cheese sold in dozens of states recalled due to potential for metal fragment contamination Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Republican Matt Van Epps narrowly won Tennessee’s special election, which is… not exactly a flex for the GOP given the district. Meanwhile, Trump went on a full midnight Truth Social bender — 150 posts of pure nonsense — including a retweet of Kristi Noem calling for a “full travel ban” on basically whoever she feels like. He kept the chaos going at a two-hour Cabinet meeting where he bragged about his cognitive test, nodded off, and let Noem announce immigration crackdowns in Minnesota’s Somali community. Pete Hegseth used his time to deny ordering the killing of survivors of U.S. boat strikes and promised more strikes off Venezuela, as a Signalgate review is set to be released. Kash Patel didn’t fare much better in the news cycle, a leaked 115-page report from FBI veterans called the bureau under him a fear-soaked disaster run by a guy who once refused to leave a plane until someone found him a properly patched FBI jacket. In more anit-immigration adjacent news, Brooke Rollins is threatening to pause SNAP funds for states refusing to share immigrant data. Sabrina Carpenter, however, wants zero association with ICE after they used her music in a raid montage. And like we all knew would happen, Senate Republicans appear to have abandoned the plan to extend Obamacare subsidies before premiums spike in January (shocking). Finally, billionaire Michael Dell and his wife are tossing $6.25 billion into “Trump accounts” for kids, while Treasury kicks in $1,000 for children born during Trump’s term, and Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff spent four hours in the Kremlin with Putin discussing their ever-mutating “peace plan.”  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NBC News: Tennessee House Special Election 2025 Live Results: Matt Van Epps Wins, NBC News Projects The Independent: Trump goes on late-night social media rant demanding Democrats who spoke out on military justice be jailed NYT: Kristi Noem Recommends New Travel Ban After National Guard Shooting Axios: ICE coming for Minneapolis after Trump targets Somalis CNN: Fact check: Trump delivers long list of false claims at Cabinet meeting Axios: Scoop: Pentagon's internal "Signalgate" review sent to Congress Yahoo: Kash Patel Justifies Jacket Meltdown by Saying He Wanted a Kid’s Size Axios: SNAP benefits at risk as states resist Trump immigration data demands AP News: Sabrina Carpenter and Franklin the Turtle publisher condemn Trump administration's use of their work AP News: Chances dwindling for renewal of health care subsidies, risking premium spikes for millions WaPo: Dell CEO pledges $6 billion to ‘Trump accounts’ for American children Axios: Witkoff and Kushner met Putin for five hours on Ukraine plan Telegraph: Putin: We’re ready for war with Europe Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump’s personal lawyer Alina Habba just got bounced by the 3rd Circuit as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, because—surprise!—she was never legally appointed in the first place. Meanwhile, Trump picked a fight with Tim Walz, accidentally revealed he got an MRI, then insisted he has no idea what body part it scanned… but definitely not his brain because he “aced” a cognitive test. His doctor then released a memo assuring us his MRI was “pretty normal,” which is exactly what you’d say if it wasn’t. Trump is also defending Pete Hegseth, who’s accused of war crimes after reportedly ordering a second strike on survivors of a boat attack. House Democrats are digging into FBI Director Kash Patel for allegedly using government jets as his personal Vegas shuttle to visit his girlfriend (and let her take joyrides too). In totally normal news, the administration is also taking an equity stake—yes, equity—in a new chip startup founded by Intel’s former CEO, while Costco is suing to get refunds on tariffs that were apparently collected illegally. Additionally, three of Chuck Schumer’s offices got MAGA-themed bomb threats. And finally, new research says giving kids smartphones before age 12 dramatically increases their risks of depression, obesity, and terrible sleep. A separate study found that even a one-week social media detox noticeably improves mental health.  Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Former Trump lawyer Alina Habba is disqualified as top New Jersey prosecutor, US appeals court rules PBS: Trump says he’ll release MRI results but doesn’t know what part of his body was scanned WaPo: White House says Trump got MRI for ‘preventive’ cardiovascular check-up Axios: Trump backs Hegseth as Congress plans boat strike review Axios: House Democrats investigate Kash Patel's use of FBI jet WSJ: Trump Administration to Take Equity Stake in Former Intel CEO’s Chip Startup NBC News: Costco sues the Trump administration, seeking a refund of tariffs Axios: Multiple bomb threats at Schumer's New York offices Axios: Smartphones at age 12 linked to worse health Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: A CIA-trained Afghan asylum recipient shot two National Guard members in DC—one fatally—prompting Trump to announce (on his little app) a “pause” on all migration from “third world countries”. The administration is now freezing asylum and Afghan visas while somehow avoiding the question of why the National Guard is still posted in DC at all. Meanwhile, the Trump team is escalating its hunt for “sedition,” with the FBI now interviewing the six Democratic veterans who reminded troops not to follow illegal orders. And in the Department of Defense (War), Pete Hegseth allegedly ordered a second strike to kill survivors of a botched boat attack—something even a few Senate Republicans have decided is maybe a bridge too far. Trump also pardoned former Honduran president and convicted drug trafficker Juan Orlando Hernández, who immediately went home like it was checkout time at Club Fed. On the Ukraine front, Rubio, Kushner, and Steve Witkoff are still trying to spin their “peace plan,” which reporting suggests was always just a giant business deal in disguise. The drama deepened when Zelensky’s chief-of-staff Andriy Yermak resigned after a corruption raid and announced he’s headed to the front lines. In other news, the families of Americans killed or injured on Oct. 7 are suing Binance for allegedly helping fund Hamas and other militant groups—just weeks after Trump pardoned Binance’s founder. Over in Israel, Netanyahu is trying to get a presidential pardon mid-trial because sure, why the heck not. Additionally, hundreds of New Yorkers blocked what looked like an ICE raid with their bodies and literal piles of garbage bags, Senate Republicans are gearing up to fight basic car-safety rules, and RFK Jr. just ditched asbestos testing for talc cosmetics because…MAHA. Finally, GOP Rep. Troy Nehls is retiring, but don’t celebrate too hard—his identical twin is already lining up to take his spot. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: National Guard Soldier Dies a Day After D.C. Shooting AP News: US halts all asylum decisions after shooting of National Guard members CNBC: FBI seeks to interview Sen. Mark Kelly, other Democrats Trump accused of seditious behavior WaPo: Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all The Hill: Senators vow oversight after report Hegseth told troops to ‘kill everybody’ in boat strike AP News: Trump says he plans to pardon former Honduran President Hernandez for 2024 drug trafficking sentence AP News: Rubio says US-Ukraine talks on Russia war were productive but much work remains in search of a deal WSJ: Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine Kyiv Independent: Zelensky's ex-chief of staff Yermak says he's 'going to the front' after resigning amid corruption probe NY Times: Hamas Victims’ Families Sue Binance, Accusing It of Aiding Terrorism The Jerusalem Post: Netanyahu's pardon bid tied to pressure on Israel's courts NYT: Several Arrested as Protesters Block ICE Agents From a Potential Raid in NYC WSJ: Senate Committee to Challenge Auto-Safety Mandates That Hurt ‘Affordability’ The Guardian: FDA poised to kill proposal that would require asbestos testing for cosmetics Axios: Trump ally Troy Nehls joins growing group of retiring House members Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Ukraine’s peace talks are… somehow happening. Zelensky has mostly accepted Russia’s 28-point plan, with “minor” tweaks, and might swing by the U.S. to finalize it. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met Russia’s delegation in Abu Dhabi, where Sergey Lavrov warned they won’t accept changes that differ from whatever secret “understanding” Trump and Putin supposedly made in Alaska. Over in Venezuela, Trump labeled President Nicolás Maduro the head of a terrorist organization while also planning to call him. The administration insists they’re not plotting to “shoot or snatch” him but will continue blowing up drug-running boats.In Brazil, Bolsonaro tried to melt off his ankle monitor with a soldering iron and was re-arrested for attempted escape — yet Trump claims he talked to him “last night” and expects to meet him soon. Unless Trump plans to take a meeting in a Brazilian prison, it looks like Jair was maybe making a break for the U.S. embassy before being forced to start serving his 27-year sentence. Israel reportedly killed Hezbollah’s new top commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in Beirut, which would not calm anything down. In other news, newly uncovered documents show NYC knew how toxic the air around Ground Zero was and still let thousands of first responders breathe it in. Almost 10,000 have died from related illnesses. Truly shocking behavior from Rudy Giuliani’s New York (said no one). Healthcare premiums are spiking nationwide, and Trump was planning to announce a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies — until Speaker Mike Johnson told him House Republicans weren’t on board. Hope those early retirements come through! The Justice Department wants to unseal grand jury transcripts from the Epstein and Maxwell cases under the new transparency law. And finally, with threats against lawmakers rising, the House is doubling security funding: members will now get $20k a month for personal protection and access to a new silent-alert app. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Ukraine talks gain momentum as US and Russian officials meet in Abu Dhabi Axios: Scoop: Trump ready to talk with Maduro over Venezuela drug strikes NYT: How a Sabotaged Ankle Monitor Ended Bolsonaro’s House Arrest WSJ: He Was Rebuilding Hezbollah—Until an Israeli Missile Found Him in Beirut NBC New York: FDNY firefighters demand answers on newfound documents detailing toxic dust after 9/11 Reuters: Trump plans to propose extending Obamacare subsidies, report says AP News: Justice Department renews bid to unseal Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury materials Axios: U.S. House ramps up security as lawmakers' fears rise Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: A judge just tossed the Trump administration’s cases against James Comey and Letitia James because prosecutor Lindsey Halligan wasn’t legally appointed. The cases could technically come back… except the statute of limitations already expired for Comey. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is now investigating Senator Mark Kelly for “sedition” over that video telling troops not to follow illegal orders — and they can only target him because he’s the only veteran in the group who’s formally retired. In MAGA meltdown news, Punchbowl is reporting more House Republicans are eyeing the exits as they brace for a midterm wipeout and the likely end of Mike Johnson’s speakership. DOGE — Elon and Trump’s short-lived Department of Government Efficiency — has also mysteriously vanished eight months early after accomplishing…well, nothing. Speaking of Elon, Twitter/X’s new transparency feature instantly exposed a bunch of “patriotic American” MAGA accounts as being run from places like Russia, Nigeria, and Portugal. The feature was turned off, then on again, like someone panicking with a light switch. In actual public health news, Gallup says nearly 1 in 10 Americans have been diagnosed with cancer — the highest yet — even though death rates have improved. Age is still the #1 risk factor. And finally, Xi Jinping called Trump to pitch his “Taiwan belongs to China” position. Trump later bragged that Xi invited him to Beijing but conveniently forgot to mention Taiwan at all. Shocking no one, it doesn’t seem to be his favorite geopolitical toy. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Federal judge dismisses indictments against Letitia James and James Comey, saying Lindsey Halligan appointment was unlawful AP News: Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly over video urging troops to defy 'illegal orders' Punchbowl: What MTG got right Yahoo: Musk’s DOGE Quietly Killed Off After Delivering Almost Nothing NBC News: X's new location transparency feature unleashes questions about origins of MAGA accounts Axios: Nearly 1 in 10 Americans report a cancer diagnosis WSJ: China’s Xi Calls Trump in Unusual Move to Discuss Taiwan, Ukraine Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Coast Guard spent five minutes trying to downgrade swastikas and nooses to “divisive” before the backlash hit so hard they panic-reversed the policy before Friday’s episode even aired. In overseas chaos, a so-called 28-point “peace plan” for Ukraine turned out to be a Russian document, handed off to Don Jr. in Miami. It demands Ukraine give up more land or lose U.S. protection, and Trump wants Zelensky to sign it by Thursday.Also, a Welsh politician got 10 years for taking Russian bribes, Venezuela thinks the U.S. might overthrow Maduro, and American troops “accidentally” put up U.S. military warning signs on a Mexican beach. Argentina’s giant bailout deflated into a tiny loan and MTG is resigning (right after locking in her pension). Trump also had a bizarrely wholesome meeting with NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. In domestic chaos, we still don’t have the Epstein files and Ghislaine Maxwell will be pleading the Fifth. DOJ is investigating whether Trump’s own appointees used fake “federal investigators” to dig up dirt on Adam Schiff, and Border Patrol has a secret program scanning millions of U.S. drivers because “border” apparently now means “everywhere.” And finally, a Texas official overseeing the Alamo was forced out after the site’s Twitter posted both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day messages for being “woke”. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: PBS: The Coast Guard planned to change how it described swastikas and nooses. Then came the outcry and an updated policy NBC News: U.S. and Ukraine hold peace deal talks as lawmakers and allies voice concerns over Russian 'wish list' Axios: Zelensky agrees to negotiate on Trump's peace plan for Ukraine CNN: Former key figure in UK populist party Reform jailed for taking bribes to make pro-Russia statements BBC: Venezuelan official says 'no doubt' Trump wants to overthrow government Newsweek: Did U.S. troops accidentally invade Mexico beach? What to know WSJ: U.S. Banks Shelve $20 Billion Bailout Plan for Argentina NBC News: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign in January CNN: New Yorkers praise Zohran Mamdani’s charm offensive on Trump, say they remain cautiously optimistic Politico: Ghislaine Maxwell will plead Fifth in House Epstein probe, Comer says - Live Updates Axios: Justice Department investigating own handling of Adam Schiff probe: reports AP News: Border Patrol is monitoring US drivers and detaining those with 'suspicious' travel patterns WaPo: Republicans overseeing Alamo renovation ousted Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: President Trump finally announced that he signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act — though we still haven’t actually seen the signature. AG Pam Bondi now has 30 days to release the files. Then, in true Trump escalation fashion, he hopped back online to call for the arrest and death penalty for several Democratic lawmakers — all military or intel veterans — after they released a video reminding service members not to follow illegal orders. Trump labeled it “seditious behavior, punishable by death!” The White House later tried to clean it up, insisting Trump does not want to execute Democrats. Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard quietly rewrote its policies so that swastikas, nooses, and Confederate flags are no longer “hate symbols” but merely “potentially divisive.” Nothing says troop readiness like officially pretending racism is a quirky personality trait. In New York, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is meeting Trump at the White House today — a meeting Mamdani’s team requested, even as Trump is withholding $18 billion in federal funding for NYC infrastructure. Immigration crackdowns continue: A federal judge ruled Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to D.C. illegal — though the ruling is paused for 21 days so the administration can appeal. Meanwhile, the immigration sweep in North Carolina wrapped up with over 250 arrests, and the next wave of 250 federal agents is headed for New Orleans. The Department of Education also dropped its new student loan rules, recategorizing a bunch of very real, very necessary professions — nursing, social work, counseling, cybersecurity, engineering, OT, PA, teaching — as not professional degrees. The result, lower lifetime borrowing caps for the people we literally need the most. And lastly, the CDC’s vaccine safety page has now been rewritten to align with RFK Jr.’s long-debunked conspiracy theories about vaccines and autism. Science is cancelled, apparently. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files after fighting it for months WSJ: Trump Calls for Arrest of Democrats Who Urged Troops to Disobey Illegal Orders Axios: House Dem leaders contact Capitol Police after Trump "death threats" WaPo: Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols Axios: Trump, White House coy on unfreezing NYC funds before Mamdani meeting AP News: Judge orders Trump administration to end National Guard deployment in DC AP News: Charlotte immigration crackdown goes on, Homeland Security says, despite sheriff saying it ended AAU: Proposal to Implement Loan Caps Threatens Access to Professional Degree Programs AP News: CDC website changed to contradict scientific conclusion that vaccines don't cause autism Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The Senate unanimously passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but Trump still hasn’t signed it — and with new “active investigations” conveniently launched by AG Pam Bondi, there’s a built-in excuse to redact whatever he wants. And again: Trump could release the files anytime, so the delay is… telling. Trump’s politically motivated case against James Comey is unraveling after it came out the grand jury never saw the actual final indictment. On Ukraine, Trump is floating a plan that would hand Russia more eastern territory in exchange for a U.S. “security guarantee” for Ukraine — which seems like a great way to encourage more Russian aggression. At the U.S.–Saudi investment forum, Trump publicly trashed his own Fed chair and threatened his Treasury Secretary over interest rates. Totally stable behavior. And finally, Nicki Minaj is now functioning as Trump’s unofficial diplomat, giving a U.N. speech about alleged anti-Christian extremism in Nigeria — a claim contradicted by actual data and Nigeria’s own government, but politically useful for the administration, so here we are. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNBC: Senators push for probe into Trump-linked crypto firm over token sales tied to North Korea and Russia AP News: New hurdle in Comey case as Trump's Justice Department faces questions about the grand jury process Axios: Scoop: Trump plan asks Ukraine to cede additional territory for security guarantee Axios: Trump on Fed Chair Powell: "I'd love to fire his ass" Rolling Stone: 'Faith Is Under Attack': Nicki Minaj Spreads Misleading Information at the United Nations Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The House finally voted on releasing the Epstein files, and it was a blowout: 427–1, with Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins as the lone no vote. Speaker Mike Johnson is still trying to get the Senate to redact names (interesting), but survivors held a powerful press conference beforehand urging Trump to stop playing politics and just release the files himself. Meanwhile, the first real accountability domino fell: Larry Summers is stepping back from Harvard and the Center for American Progress over his deep Epstein ties — though OpenAI’s board is staying suspiciously quiet about whether he’s out there too. Over in the Oval Office, Trump hosted Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for what was supposed to be a big investment-and-F-35s photo op, but it immediately derailed when reporters asked about Epstein and, awkwardly, MBS’s role in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Trump waved that off with a casual “things happen,” then snapped at ABC’s Mary Bruce for asking why he hasn’t released the Epstein files, calling her a “terrible reporter” and demanding ABC lose its broadcast license. Very normal, very innocent behavior. In foreign policy news, the UK has reportedly stopped sharing intel on drug smuggling boats over concerns about recent U.S. strikes — something Secretary of State Marco Rubio swears is absolutely not happening because “it didn’t come up once.” The courts were also busy. A federal judge said the DOJ’s case against James Comey may have been tainted by “profound investigative missteps,” another court blocked Texas’s new gerrymandered congressional map for 2026 (pending the inevitable SCOTUS appeal), and a bankruptcy judge finally approved a $7 billion Purdue Pharma settlement after six years of legal trench warfare — money that will go to families, governments, hospitals, and tribes devastated by the opioid crisis. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: Trump presidency, Epstein files release heads to House for vote AP News: Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers steps down from public commitments after Epstein emails ABC News: Trump defends Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing, threatens ABC News in White House meeting – as it happened | Mohammed bin Salman People: Donald Trump Lashes Out at ABC Reporter over Another Epstein Question, Saying 'Your Crappy Company' Should Lose Its FCC License NBC News: U.K. withholds intelligence on alleged drug boats over U.S. strikes, sources say CNN: Judge says James Comey indictment may be tainted by ‘profound investigative missteps’ Democracy Docket: Federal Court Blocks Texas Gerrymander - Democracy Docket Financial Times: Judge rules Purdue Pharma must pay $7bn in bankruptcy settlement Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Trump did a full-speed-reverse on Sunday night, suddenly telling House Republicans to go ahead and vote for releasing the Epstein files—after spending months trying to stop exactly that. By Monday he was even claiming he’d sign a bill to release them, adding the very believable disclaimer: “but don’t talk about it too much.” To change the subject, he floated a new promise: $2,000 “tariff dividend” checks for middle-income Americans next year—right around the midterms. Nothing says “stop asking about sexual misconduct” quite like a surprise government check. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel’s country singer girlfriend has been assigned her own FBI security detail—yes, on your dime—which is unusual even by this administration’s standards. Airports should be mostly back to normal this week now that FAA restrictions are lifted with the end of the shutdown. At FEMA, acting director David Richardson resigned after a rough seven months and a disastrously mishandled Texas flood response. Karen Evans, FEMA’s current chief of staff, will take over. Markets took a nosedive, with the major indexes seeing their worst day since Liberation Day. The AI bubble might finally be bursting, especially after new filings showed Peter Thiel’s fund and SoftBank both dumped their Nvidia stakes. Finally, a new mental health study found that social media creators are burning out at alarming rates—1 in 10 have had suicidal thoughts tied directly to their work, two-thirds say their self-worth drops when posts underperform, and nearly 70% say their income is totally unpredictable. The Internet economy is thriving; its workers are not. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: Trump does Epstein U-turn as House Republicans prepare to spurn him Axios: Trump says he would sign law to release Epstein documents Axios: Trump promises $2,000 tariff checks by mid-2026 Forbes: FBI Director Patel’s Girlfriend Has FBI Security Detail, Report Says NBC: FAA has lifted emergency flight reductions used to ease staffing pressure during government shutdown WSJ: FEMA Chief David Richardson Resigns WSJ: Market Rout Intensifies, Sweeping Up Everything From Tech to Crypto to Gold Reuters: Peter Thiel's fund offloaded Nvidia stake in third quarter, filing shows Fast Company: Creators are suffering from a mental health crisis, new study shows Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The House is gearing up for a major vote on Wednesday to force the DOJ to release the Epstein files—and suddenly a lot more Republicans are ready to say “yes” now that it’s happening in public. Rep. Thomas Massie says they could have 100+ GOP votes and maybe even build a veto-proof majority. Meanwhile, Trump is trying to steer the conversation elsewhere, calling on AG Pam Bondi to investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, and JP Morgan—even though Donald Trump himself is the single most mentioned person across those emails.  Trump also found time to wage war on Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her “Marjorie Traitor Greene”. MTG went on CNN to say she’s “humbly sorry” for toxic politics and wants the Epstein files released, which… we’ll believe when we see it. In other Epstein-adjacent news, several employees at Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison were reportedly fired after a whistleblower exposed how much special treatment she’s been getting. The DOJ is also in settlement talks with Michael Flynn, who’s somehow demanding $50 million in damages for being prosecuted for lying to the FBI back in 2017. As for another distraction tactic, Trump implemented a major rollback of tariffs on beef, coffee, fruits, nuts, spices. He’s also rattling sabers with Venezuela as the USS Gerald Ford arrived in the Caribbean. Meanwhile ICE is expanding its aggressive raid tactics to Charlotte and New Orleans. And finally, Indiana lawmakers delivered Trump another L by refusing to redraw their state maps, despite his team begging them to come to the Oval Office so he can “convince” them. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: Many House Republicans will back a bill to release Epstein files, leaders of the effort say CNN: Trump says he’s asking Justice Department to investigate Epstein’s ties to slew of high-profile figures CNN: Trump administration news as Epstein files vote approaches CNN: Prison employees have been terminated after Ghislaine Maxwell’s email messages were shared, her lawyer says The New Republic: Justice Department Prepares to Pay Trump Ally Michael Flynn Millions WSJ: Trump Implements Major Rollback of Food Tariffs NBC News: U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in the Caribbean Sea in major buildup near Venezuela Axios: The cities Trump is targeting with ICE crackdowns next Politico: Indiana redistricting push likely dead despite White House pressure Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The internet is still digging through the 20,000 Epstein estate documents, but the big takeaways so far: Trump and Epstein were apparently still in contact during Trump’s first term, Epstein seemed to know Trump’s flight schedule, and he even told journalist Michael Wolff he had the dirt to “take Trump down,” including alleged details about Trump’s finances and money laundering for a Russian oligarch. Meanwhile, new NYT reporting revisits the Matt Gaetz scandal, centering on the 17-year-old girl he paid for sex. She describes how she was homeless, trying to afford braces, and ended up connected to Gaetz through his associate Joel Greenberg. She later became the key witness in the DOJ’s trafficking investigation—which ultimately went nowhere. On the political-retaliation tour, the Trump administration just referred Democrat Eric Swalwell to the DOJ for possible mortgage and tax fraud, courtesy of Trump ally Bill Pulte (the 50-year-mortgage guy). And the DOJ is also probing former CIA Director John Brennan under a theory that he and Obama were part of a long-running “deep state” plot against Trump. Elsewhere, 1,000 Starbucks workers went on strike on Red Cup Day, and after 232 years, the U.S. Treasury is finally killing off the penny—because spending 3 cents to make 1 cent is just bad math. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NPR: House committee releases over 20,000 documents from Epstein estate NYT: How a 17-Year-Old Girl Became Enmeshed in the Matt Gaetz Scandal NBC News: Trump official refers Rep. Eric Swalwell for a federal criminal probe over alleged mortgage fraud NYT: Trump Loyalists Push ‘Grand Conspiracy’ as New Subpoenas Land CNBC: Starbucks workers union launches strike in more than 40 cities on chain's key holiday sales day NYT: U.S. Mint Presses Final Penny After More Than 200 Years - The New York Times Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: Congress finally voted to reopen the government and the public got a big (and messy) taste of the Epstein files. It started when House Democrats released three emails from Epstein’s estate showing him telling Ghislaine Maxwell in 2011 that Trump “knew about the girls.” Hours later, Oversight Chair James Comer just went full chaos mode and dumped 20,000 emails online. The messages include Epstein calling Trump “borderline insane” and “the worst person he knows,” bragging about knowing Trump’s schedule during his presidency, and even offering a European official insight into Trump before the 2018 Putin meeting. Meanwhile, Rep. Adelita Grijalva was finally sworn in after being blocked for seven weeks—literally so she couldn’t sign the petition forcing a vote to release the Epstein files. Now that she’s in, the vote’s happening next week. Trump reportedly begged Lauren Boebert to pull her name from the petition, which, shocker, didn’t go over well. Even if the House votes yes, the whole thing could still die in the Senate or under Trump’s veto. Also yesterday, a judge ordered ICE to release over 300 immigrants who were illegally detained in Illinois, and the White House said October’s inflation and jobs reports will never be released—apparently because the government shutdown broke the data pipeline. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: House Oversight Committee: House Oversight Committee Releases Jeffrey Epstein Email Correspondence, Raising Questions About White House Coverup of Epstein Files NBC News: Bipartisan duo secures signatures to force a House vote to release Epstein files The New Republic: Trump Begs Lauren Boebert to Take Her Name Off Epstein Files Petition Politico: Epstein files vote happening next week, Johnson says - Live Updates Axios Chicago: Federal judge orders release of over 300 immigrants detained by ICE WSJ: White House Says October Jobs, Inflation Reports Unlikely to Be Released Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The government’s still shut down—but hey, the Senate finally passed a funding package, which now heads to the House so they can, you know, maybe reopen the country. The deal only funds things until January and gives Democrats a pinky promise to hold a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies next month. Meanwhile, hidden inside the bill is a clause letting senators sue the government for $500,000 if their phone records were searched in the January 6th probe. There’s also a proposal to recriminalize THC and hemp-derived products, which would basically nuke a $30 billion industry overnight. The Supreme Court just extended the Trump administration’s ability to block SNAP payments through Thursday, so… no rush on feeding people. Elsewhere, the House is finally about to have enough signatures to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files once Adelita Grijalva finally gets sworn in today. But don’t get too excited—it probably won’t happen until December, if ever. Trump, meanwhile, is asking the Supreme Court to toss out the $5 million he owes E. Jean Carroll, and one of his pardoned Jan. 6 guys just got re-arrested for kidnapping and sexual assault. So that’s going great. Overseas, the BBC is melting down after an independent report found major bias issues and a Hamas-adjacent narrator situation. Two execs have already resigned, and Trump’s threatening to sue them for $1 billion because a documentary made him look bad (like, worse than usual). And in D.C., plastic surgeons say “Mar-a-Lago face” is the latest cosmetic trend—apparently, looking filler-blind is in. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Senate passes package to end record government shutdown MSNBC: Republicans use spending bill to empower themselves to sue over phone records searches The Hill: Federal THC ban send hemp companies scrambling CBS News: Democrat Adelita Grijalva to be sworn in 7 weeks after winning House election Axios: Trump asks Supreme Court to toss $5 million E. Jean verdict NY Post: Former Jan. 6 defendant who shot gun in air during Capitol riot charged with kidnapping and sexual assault? Telegraph: US may deny visas for fat foreigners Telegraph: BBC’s bias ‘pushed Hamas lies around the world’ WSJ: BBC Director General and News Chief Resign After Criticism of Editorial Practices Axios: DC plastic surgeons getting "Mar-a-Lago face" requests from Trump insiders Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The government shutdown drags on, and Trump’s threatening to dock pay for absent air traffic controllers while offering $10K bonuses to the ones still working. Meanwhile, over 3,000 flights were delayed, and courts once again ruled that the administration has to pay full SNAP benefits (even after Trump told states to undo them). In his downtime, Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani and 76 other allies tied to the 2020 election plot, and a whistleblower claims Ghislaine Maxwell is getting “concierge treatment” in prison while seeking a commutation. Elsewhere, Trump met with Syria’s new president—once labeled a terrorist—and lifted sanctions, all while his defense secretary bragged about more U.S. strikes. The Supreme Court shut down Kim Davis’s attempt to overturn marriage equality, a judge blocked Trump’s National Guard deployments to Portland protests, and a grand jury subpoenaed former intel officials from the Mueller era. Trump also ordered the DOJ to investigate meatpacking monopolies as beef prices spike 13%, Italy’s pasta exporters are ditching the U.S. over 107% tariffs (justice for spaghetti), and TikTok Shop just hit $19 billion in sales—matching eBay. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: WSJ: Trump Threatens to Dock Pay of Absent Air-Traffic Controllers Axios: Democrats fold on biggest government shutdown demand Axios: Trump pardons Giuliani, 76 others accused of bid to overturn 2020 election NBC News: Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell plans to seek commutation from Trump, whistleblower says NYT: Syria’s President Meets Trump at White House for First Time NYT: U.S. Military Kills 6 in Strikes on Suspected Drug Boats, Hegseth Says AP News: Supreme Court rejects call to overturn its decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide NYT: Judge Permanently Blocks National Guard Deployments to Portland for ICE Protests CBS News: Grand jury subpoenas former CIA chief Brennan and 2 ex-FBI officials linked to Trump-Russia probe, source says Axios: Trump orders Justice Department probe of meatpackers over prices WSJ: Italian Pasta Is Poised to Disappear From American Grocery Shelves Wired: TikTok Shop Is Now the Size of eBay Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: The government shutdown just passed 40 days, but there’s finally a flicker of hope: the Senate reached a tentative deal to reopen the government through January, with at least 10 Democrats agreeing to back a short-term funding bill in exchange for a vote next month on extending Obamacare tax credits—a proposal many Democrats previously called “laughable.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits, and Trump’s USDA quickly told states to stop processing payments. Trump also floated a flurry of financial gimmicks over the weekend—like 50-year mortgages, direct cash “subsidies,” and a $2,000 tariff dividend—while his own Treasury Secretary contradicted him on national TV. Abroad, Trump met with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, granting him a sanctions exemption on Russian oil in exchange for $600 million in U.S. gas contracts. The shutdown is also stalling weapons sales to Ukraine and NATO allies and causing massive flight delays ahead of Thanksgiving. Elsewhere, Cornell struck a controversial deal with the administration to restore funding after discrimination probes, Florida sued Planned Parenthood over abortion pill safety (again, against all science), and in Virginia, a 19-year-old college student beat his former high school teacher in a local election—proving democracy sometimes delivers sequels no one saw coming. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Axios: Deal to end government shutdown in reach Axios: Democrats name their price on ending government shutdown AP News: Supreme Court issues emergency order to block full SNAP food aid payments Axios: Trump administration orders states to "undo" full SNAP benefits Axios: Trump again promises $2,000 tariff dividend as SCOTUS decision looms Axios: Tariffs aren't meant for revenue and will shrink over time, Bessent says NYT: Trump Gives Hungary a Reprieve on Sanctions After Meeting With Orban Axios: Scoop: Weapons sales to NATO allies stalled by government shutdown Axios: Duffy: Air travel will slow to a "trickle" before Thanksgiving NYT: Cornell Reaches Deal With Trump Administration to Restore Research Funds Mother Jones: Florida Takes On Planned Parenthood NYT: Virginia Teen Narrowly Defeats His Former Civics Teacher in County Election Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: House Democrats want no-longer-Prince Andrew to testify about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement, with California Sen. Scott Wiener emerging as the establishment pick — though AOC’s ex–campaign manager Saikat Chakrabarti plans to run too. A federal judge ruled again that Trump must fully fund SNAP benefits by today, but the DOJ is appealing. Trump also struck a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cap Ozempic-style drugs at $50 for Medicare and Medicaid patients next year. In smaller but iconic justice news, the D.C. “sandwich guy” who threw a sub at an ICE agent was found not guilty of assault. The Heritage Foundation is in “open revolt” after its president defended Tucker Carlson for hosting white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Staffers, including members of its antisemitism task force, have quit. Meanwhile, FIFA announced a mysterious new “peace prize” ahead of the World Cup draw in D.C., which insiders say Trump demanded after missing out on a Nobel. And Tesla’s board is set to hand Elon Musk a $1 trillion compensation deal. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: Politico: House Oversight Democrats call on embattled royal Andrew Windsor to testify - Live Updates Politico: California’s attorney general endorses Scott Wiener to succeed Pelosi NYT: Judge Orders Trump Administration to Fully Fund SNAP Benefits This Month WaPo: Trump, long fixated on ‘fat drug,’ announces deal to lower its price WaPo: Jury finds D.C. ‘sandwich guy’ not guilty of assaulting officer WaPo: Heritage staff in open revolt over leader’s defense of Tucker Carlson Axios: Trump teased as possible first FIFA Peace Prize winner CNBC: Elon Musk expected to prevail in Tesla shareholder vote over CEO's $1 trillion pay plan  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Headlines: More election results are in, and Democrats are mostly keeping their momentum from Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was re-elected, fending off a challenge from democratic socialist Ahmed Fatah. In Maine, voters approved a new red flag gun law and Colorado passed a statewide measure to fund free school lunches for all kids—because Colorado stays ahead of the curve. Meanwhile, California Republicans have already filed a federal lawsuit to block the new congressional map voters approved under Prop 50, claiming it violates the 14th and 15th Amendments. And in Maine, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden—one of the few Dems who could win a red district—announced he won’t seek reelection, citing threats made against his family. The government shutdown officially hit day 37, breaking Trump’s own previous record. The Transportation Department says it’ll start cutting air traffic by 10% if the standoff doesn’t end by Friday. Trump’s still calling for Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end it, but a bipartisan group is reportedly working on a short-term fix that would reopen the government and roll in some of the annual funding bills. Translation: they could’ve solved this if they wanted to. At the Supreme Court, justices heard three hours of arguments over whether Trump can unilaterally impose tariffs. Judging by their questions, they’re not exactly buying it. And finally, investigators say the UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville that killed nine people began when the left wing caught fire and an engine fell off just after takeoff—sending debris and explosions half a mile downrange. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: AP News: California Republicans sue over new US House map approved by voters Bangor Daily News: Jared Golden: I won’t seek reelection. Here’s why. WSJ: Lawmakers See Hope for Ending Record-Setting Shutdown WSJ: Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Trump’s Tariffs AP News: 12 dead after engine fell off UPS plane that crashed and exploded in Kentucky Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices