“A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. DOGE Service did not have the authority to cancel National Endowment for the Humanities grants, which made up more than $100 million in congressionally appropriated funds,” the Washington Post reports.
Rubio Swears Off 2028 Talk
Washington Post: “The growing media buzz surrounding Rubio comes as Vance has sought to carve out his own higher-profile portfolio in recent weeks. He led the U.S. negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, last month — as Rubio kept his distance — that ultimately did not result in a deal. And he is leading a new task force to root out fraud in federal benefits.”
“Vance leads in early polls of the potential 2028 GOP field, but his overall approval ratings have fallen alongside Trump’s as most Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the Iran war and the economy.”
Washington Barely Notices Soaring U.S. Debt
New York Times: “The U.S. government learned last week that it may have reached an unfortunate milestone: The size of its debt surpassed the nation’s total economic output.”
“It was a striking imbalance, according to early estimates, one that the country has experienced only in rare circumstances — briefly during the pandemic, and in the aftermath of World War II. But the development barely seemed to register in the nation’s capital, where few policymakers bothered to acknowledge the latest warning sign about the government’s poor fiscal health.”
Hackers Strand Students During Finals Week
CNN: “Students attempting to access grades, study materials and quizzes were met instead with a message from a hacking group on Thursday.”
“Universities and school systems across the country, from local school districts to Georgetown University to the University of Oklahoma, reported a ransom note on the homepage of their schools’ Canvas sites. Canvas is a popular, cloud-based digital hub for classrooms.”
U.S. and Iran Exchange Fire in Persian Gulf
“The U.S. military said Iran launched missiles, drones and small-boat attacks at U.S. warships near the Strait of Hormuz, and that the U.S. responded by intercepting the threats and striking Iranian military sites responsible for the attacks,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“President Trump said the cease-fire with Iran is still in effect, calling the latest U.S. strikes against the country a ‘love tap.'”
Fetterman Shuts Down Talk of Switching Parties
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) writes in the Washington Post that while he was “at odds” with Democrats on foreign affairs and immigration, he had “no plans to leave” the party.
Said Fetterman: “My values have not changed, and I have always turned to those kinds of ideals that defined being a Democrat. I remain strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor and even pro-rib-eye over bio slop. I refuse to cave on my conscience because Pennsylvania deserves someone who is honest and can work across the aisle.”
Passports Revoked for Parents Who Owe Child Support
Associated Press: “The U.S. State Department will begin revoking the U.S. passports of thousands of parents who owe a significant amount of unpaid child support.”
Trade Court Rules Trump’s 10% Global Tariff Is Illegal
A federal trade court ruled on Thursday that President Trump’s nearly-universal 10 percent tariff is illegal, the New York Times reports.
The loss marked a new legal setback for the White House, which imposed the duties earlier this year as a temporary replacement to the initial slate of punishing duties struck down by the Supreme Court.
Trump Moves to Define Hakeem Jeffries
Rachel Bade: “Yes, Jeffries is on Trump’s mind — and it’s no wonder. If Democrats flip the House, Jeffries — poised to become the first Black speaker — instantly becomes Trump’s top rival. He’d have the final say over whether impeachment moves forward, set the cadence of subpoenas flying down Pennsylvania Avenue, and lead the messaging war against the White House in a gridlocked Washington full of finger-pointing.”
“But Trump’s allies also sees opportunity. They argue Jeffries is no Nancy Pelosi — that, unlike her iron grip on the caucus, he’s weak and getting yanked around by the left. They also note that Jeffries doesn’t yet have a strong nationwide name ID — and they’re eager to define him in a negative light before he can define himself.”
Oil-Price Bets Totaled $7 Billion
Reuters: “A series of well-timed market bets on falling oil prices totaling as much as $7 billion during March and April spread across multiple exchanges and types of fuel and derivatives just before major Iranian policy announcements by President Donald Trump.”
Gas Prices Won’t Return to Pre-War Levels Soon
Axios: “Even if the Strait of Hormuz opened right away, pump prices will likely remain higher — maybe a lot higher — than pre-war levels at least through the midterm elections.”
“U.S. retail prices are tethered to global oil markets that will be in turmoil for a while.”
U.S. Sells More Missiles to Gulf Nations
New York Times: “The Trump administration has approved sales of thousands of air defense interceptor missiles and related services valued at $17 billion to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, according to State Department and congressional officials.”
“The exports were approved despite alarm among some Pentagon officials over the dwindling U.S. stockpiles of such missiles, which have been expended in large numbers during the war against Iran.”
Thanks to a Sponsor!
You can’t stop data brokers — but Incogni can make them delete your information from the internet.
It’s a great service and Political Wire readers get 55% off if you act now.
Iran Still Reviewing U.S. Proposal
CNBC: “Iran is ‘currently reviewing’ messages from the U.S. that it received via Pakistani mediators, but it has yet to reach a conclusion or deliver a reply, an Iranian official said Thursday.”
Trump-Appointed Panel Calls for Slashing FEMA in Half
Washington Post: “A panel tasked with shaping the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency voted Thursday to approve a report recommending that the Trump administration gradually cut FEMA by 50 percent, among other significant overhauls meant to streamline the beleaguered agency.”
“The report also recommends that FEMA shift leadership of emergency response and recovery to the state level, make changes to some of its most relied-on programs, and do away with reviews that members said can often slow disaster response and recovery.”
Have Republicans Already Bottomed Out?
Charlie Cook: “Few would seriously argue that this won’t be a bad year for Republicans. The question is, how bad will it be? My theory is that very few Republicans running in blue, Democratic-tilting states and districts are likely to win. In purple, swing states and districts, where Trump is extremely unpopular, the electoral mortality rate for GOP candidates will be extremely high, with few survivors.”
“But in most red, Republican-tilting states and districts, the loss rate for GOP candidates might be pretty low. Sure, a very low Republican turnout, which I think is likely, will cost some Republican candidates elections in very light red states, but past a certain point, it will take Republicans actually defecting and voting Democratic, which as we’ve already determined, does not happen much anymore.”
A Closer Look Two Key House Races
Just for members: The latest edition of 
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
Tennessee Approves Map to Eliminate Democratic Seat
Washington Post: “Republicans in the Tennessee House adopted a plan Thursday aimed at giving them an additional congressional seat as GOP lawmakers around the country scramble to improve their fortunes this fall.”
