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“The U.S. has rushed so many munitions to the Middle East to fight Iran that military planners are concerned the loss of firepower is diminishing America’s ability to defend against potential threats from China and Russia,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The cuts have been so deep that the U.S. inventories in Europe of PAC-3 Patriot air defense interceptors and Atacms surface-to-surface missiles are deemed to be ‘beyond critical.'”
“A federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration violated the Constitutional rights of international students when it sought to deport them for criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza,” the New York Times reports.
“In a 90-page ruling, Judge Noël Wise found that the key legal foundations that the Trump administration had relied on to arrest and deport foreign students were unconstitutional, because Trump officials had wielded them to target students who used their freedom of speech to express opinions that the government did not like.”
Wall Street Journal: “As his approval ratings sag, Trump is on a mission to burnish his legacy, according to his advisers. But Republicans privately worry that Trump’s focus on himself is backfiring with voters, complicating their efforts to keep control of Congress and giving Democrats plenty of ammunition for attack ads.”
“Trump’s senior advisers have for months tried to shift the president’s focus to the economy, in a bid to show voters that the president is focused on the issue they care about the most. While the president has touted his economic record in speeches and Oval Office events, his attention frequently shifts to other issues, from his construction projects to attacks on his perceived enemies.”
“Donald Trump took aim at New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman after she published a story claiming the president planned to skip a 9/11 memorial service at Ground Zero because he would be unable to give a speech,” The Wrap reports.
Said Trump: “Maggot Hagerman, the Fake Reporter from The Failing New York Times, an unattractive person both inside and out, and who knows less about me than most reporters on the beat.”
“The White House teleprompter operator under investigation for placing bets using proprietary information reached a settlement with the prediction market Kalshi and federal regulators,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Under the terms of the settlement, Gabriel Perez, the teleprompter operator, will pay a $65,000 civil monetary penalty and give up more than $107,000 won in bets to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He will also be suspended from direct or indirect access to Kalshi for three years.”
“President Donald Trump said Friday night the United States reached an oil agreement with Venezuela, a move he said will more than double American oil reserves, increase oil supply and lower gas prices,” CNN reports.
Said Trump: “At my direction, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, working closely with Highly Respected Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, and, through a partnership with private business, have secured majority U.S. control of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven Oil Reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American Taxpayer.”
Bloomberg: Why the U.S. wants a stake in Venezuela’s oil.
“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is shaking up her team with several departures and new aides,” Axios reports.
“Why it matters: The personnel changes come months before the progressive leader will decide whether to launch a presidential campaign. She’s also weighing a run for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s seat, which is also up in 2028.”
“Sen. John Cornyn slammed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a ‘lazy’ and ‘poor campaigner’ Friday as he explained why he won’t help the Republican Senate nominee in his race against Democrat James Talarico,” the New York Post reports.
Said Cornyn: “Paxton’s a poor campaigner. He’s lazy and doesn’t raise money. And he basically is not offering a very compelling case for his election. He’s making this harder than it needs to be.”
“President Trump the other day posted a heroic image of himself backed by an aircraft carrier, warplanes and American flags. In the lower left corner was former President George W. Bush and a sign, ‘Mission Not Accomplished 2001-2021.’ In the other corner was a sign referencing himself saying ‘Mission Accomplished 2026,'” the New York Times reports.
“Except that it is not. Mr. Trump’s war in Iran, which hit the six-month mark on Friday, is anything but accomplished. Half a year in, the conflict has deteriorated into a quagmire of the president’s own making with no clear goals, no obvious strategy and no end in sight. Mr. Trump, who came to power running against Mr. Bush’s ‘forever wars,’ has staked his presidency on his own version.”
“For Mr. Trump, it may be the worst of both worlds. He finds himself stuck in a maddening purgatory between full-fledged combat and genuine peace.”
Washington Post: Trump promised a short Iran war. Six months later, he has few good options.
“The FBI previously refused to hire job applicants if they admitted to hiring sex workers or stealing from an employer — or engaging in acts of bestiality,” CBS News reports.
“Today, those acts, which are mostly illegal across the country, are no longer automatic deal breakers for applicants to the nation’s top law enforcement agency.”
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told close friends and associates that he is considering a run for president in 2028,” NBC News reports.
“Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, have floated the idea of a presidential run for the past few months, believing he has some of the same attributes that have made Donald Trump popular with the MAGA movement… Trump’s core voters appreciate Hegseth’s toughness, defiance and conservative stance on social issues.”
“President Donald Trump hit back at New York Governor Kathy Hochul after she said her state wouldn’t use ‘Lake America,’ the administration’s new name for Lake Ontario,” Bloomberg reports.
“Trump belittled the Democratic governor in a social media post Friday, claiming that Canada has been taking economic advantage of Hochul as well as New York state.”
Axios: Dems plan bill to counter Trump’s “Lake America” order.
“A new National Park Service report backs President Donald Trump’s proposed arch, despite what it says are adverse effects to the sightline between a host of iconic landmarks in Washington, including the Washington Monument and Lincoln and Jefferson memorials,” the Associated Press reports.
“The report released Friday says the 250-foot-tall (76-meter) memorial arch is likely to disrupt the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location adjacent to Memorial Bridge.”
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is blocking the promotions of four Army officers selected for promotion to one-star rank, a highly unusual move that appears to be targeting officers who worked for generals he does not like,” the New York Times reports.
“So far this year Mr. Hegseth has removed at least 45 officers, selected by boards made up of peers, from promotion lists. More than half of those officers have been female or Black.”
“Mr. Hegseth’s actions appear to violate the rules governing a promotion system that is meant to be apolitical and merit-based.”
“In the latest salvo in California’s ongoing environmental battle with the White House, the state on Friday sued the Trump administration over its attempt to kill offshore wind farms,” the New York Times reports.
“Mr. Trump has long despised offshore wind power, falsely saying that it does not work and kills whales. This spring, his administration struck deals with energy companies. In exchange for refunds for what they paid for offshore wind leases, the companies agreed to use the money on oil and gas projects.”
“The Trump administration on Friday appealed a freeze on President Trump’s plan to restrict mail-in voting, teeing up another series of legal decisions about whether the U.S. Postal Service can make changes to how ballots are handled ahead of the midterm elections,” the New York Times reports.
“The issue will likely be settled by the Supreme Court.”
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“Texas’s outgoing agriculture commissioner is warning fellow GOP leaders that if they don’t take action soon against data centers, they could lose key races in November,” the Washington Post reports.
Said Miller: “I’ve been leading the charge against these data centers for a year or more, and it’s all falling on deaf ears. It’s going to hurt us in the midterms. I think we could lose some statewide races.”
“Among the Republicans most at risk, he said: Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking a fourth term; Attorney General Ken Paxton, who’s running to replace Sen. John Cornyn; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick; and Nate Sheets, who is running to replace Miller.”
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
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