Iranian officials are considering removing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the Supreme Leader of Iran after the country endured airstrikes by Israel and the United States, The Atlantic reports.
The plot to replace the supreme leader is being planned by a group of businessmen, military and political figures, and relatives and high-ranking clerics.
“New York intends to build a large nuclear-power facility, the first major new U.S. plant undertaken in more than 15 years and a big test of President Trump’s promise to expedite permitting for such projects,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Coming this fall: When You Come at the King by Elie Honig.
“You might unearth information that will be politically, professionally, and personally devastating to your subject, and you alone hold the power to indict and potentially imprison him. At the same time, the boss can fire you and end the case—and might even turn the tables and launch an inquiry aimed at you.”
“As the lone-wolf assassin Omar put it in The Wire: ‘You come at the king, you best not miss.'”
“The U.S. Embassy in Qatar told Americans in the country to shelter in place until further notice, without providing a reason, as the region anticipates possible Iranian attacks on American interests in retaliation for U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
New York Times: “Since Iran first embarked on an ambitious civilian nuclear program in 1974 under the shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s leaders have viewed it as a proud symbol of the country’s leadership in the Muslim world, a reflection of its commitment to scientific research, and an insurance policy in its dangerous neighborhood.”
“What was true under the shah has been true under the theocratic rulers of post-revolution Iran. And it would be true, several experts on Iran said, of any potential future Iranian government, even if the current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, does not survive an escalating conflict with Israel and the United States.”
“The Senate parliamentarian has rejected several more provisions in the Republican megabill to enact President Trump’s agenda, including language authorizing states to conduct border security and immigration enforcement, which traditionally have been duties of the federal government,” The Hill reports.
“Israeli warplanes kept up their attacks on Iranian missiles systems, airfields and the Fordow nuclear site following U.S. strikes at the weekend, as debate raged in the country over how long the campaign should continue,” Bloomberg reports.
Rudy Giuliani said that Democrats calling for President Trump to be impeached over the U.S.’s military strikes on Iran — like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — should be “tried for treason,” Newsweek reports.
Vladimir Putin has called the U.S. strikes on Iran an “unprovoked aggression” in his first comments on President Trump’s military action, Newsweek reports.
He added that Russia was “making efforts to provide assistance to the Iranian people” after the “unjustified” action.
The final Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey of the New York City Democratic mayoral primary finds Andrew Cuomo leading with 35% support, followed closely by Zohran Mamdani at 32%, and Comptroller Brad Lander at 13%.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams follows with 8%, Scott Stringer with 3%, and 4% of voters remain undecided ahead of Tuesday’s election.
The survey allowed voters to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. The ranked-choice voting simulation over eight rounds ends with Mamdani at 52% and Cuomo at 48%.
Rahm Emanuel admits the potential of taking on JB Pritzker in a 2028 presidential run is “going to be awkward,” NBC News reports.
Asked to expound on what would make it awkward, the famously unguarded Emanuel said: “It’s so fucking — it’s self-evident, Jesus Christ.”
Wall Street Journal: “A decision by Iran to expand the war by targeting U.S. forces or assets would all but ensure a violent U.S. response that could drag out the fighting and raise the risk of the collapse of the regime.”
Playbook: “The regime has been hammered by Israel and can hardly now afford an escalating conflict with the U.S. Equally, it will look ruinously weak if there is no response at all. And this is a regime that first and foremost must protect its own position.”
“Iran sent a communiqué to Trump in the days before last night’s strikes on its nuclear facilities threatening to activate sleeper-cell terror inside the United States if it were attacked,” NBC News reports.
Meanwhile, Vice President J.D, Vance said there is a lack of “full accounting” of those who may have entered the country during President Joe Biden’s term without proper vetting.
Said Vance: “We know that some of those people were on terrorism watch lists.”
Punchbowl News: “Domestically, this is a massive week for Trump and his legislative agenda in Washington. There are just 11 days until July 4. That’s Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Trump’s deadline to get the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” signed into law. This is going to be a huge challenge that requires focus, discipline and, quite frankly, some luck.”
“All told, a lot needs to fall in place for Senate Republicans if they’re to meet Thune’s goal of kicking off the floor process by midweek.”
“The Senate is in the middle of the high-stakes Byrd Bath, with Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough deciding which provisions of the massive GOP package meet the strict guidelines for reconciliation.”
“MacDonough and her team have already thrown a lot out of the bill, including significant pieces of the Senate Banking Committee’s agenda, such as axing all funding for the CFPB.”
Playbook: “The next couple of days are pivotal for the parliamentarian’s rulings on what passes muster for Republicans to avoid the filibuster.”
Wall Street Journal: “Texans are gearing up for an ugly primary between Cornyn, a two-decade senator arguably associated with the GOP of another era, and Paxton, a MAGA combatant who has prevailed in Texas politics despite repeated accusations of legal and ethical wrongdoing.”
“Their party is gearing up for a headache.”
“Republican leaders fear that nominating Paxton, who has an edge with the farthest-right voters active in primaries, could hand Democrats their best opportunity for a win in Texas in decades. A competitive Texas senate race in the general election, they warn, could cost Republicans upward of $250 million, forcing the party to put resources into a red-leaning state that could go elsewhere and potentially threatening their Senate majority.”
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.
