JD Vance is right — don't trust the left's 'experts'

The 'experts' holding sway over our public policy have failed America for what may be the last time — and they're not happy about it.
Boundless trust has been placed in the hands of people who have leaned into their biases, ignored rigorous study and scientific inquiry and led trusting Americans straight off cliffs of financial, medical and social ruin.
But in recent years, we've seen again and again that the 'experts' in everything from climate change to COVID are not as adept as they make themselves out to be — and on Wednesday, the Supreme Court expressly rejected expert claims in a landmark case.
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In a 6-3 ruling, the court found that Tennessee has the right to ban the barbaric practice of child sex changes, as can 26 other states that have passed similarly sensible restrictions.
Justice Clarence Thomas, in a concurrence to Chief Justice John Roberts' majority opinion, called out the attorneys who wanted the court to 'defer to the so-called expert consensus' regarding these inhumane procedures.
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'There are particularly good reasons to question the expert class here,' Thomas wrote.
'Leading voices in this area have relied on questionable evidence, and have allowed ideology to influence their medical guidance.'
Indeed, experts in mental health, medical science and LGBTQ advocacy, led by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, peddled non-science-backed lies that medical sex changes for children are both reversible and life-saving, neither of which has turned out to be true.
'This case,' Thomas noted, 'serves as useful reminder that the American people and their representatives are entitled to disagree with those who hold themselves out as experts.'
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Yet the left is refusing to accept that their experts can be argued with.
Vice President JD Vance proved that when he launched a Bluesky account to have a 'common sense' conversation on the high court's ruling — only to be first banned, then shouted at by leftists who couldn't deal with the notion of respectful dissent.
'Hello Bluesky,' the veep posted, 'I found Justice Thomas' concurrence on medical care for transgender youth quite illuminating.'
'He argues that many of our so-called 'experts' have used bad arguments and substandard science to push experimental therapies on our youth,' Vance continued. 'Many of those scientists are receiving substantial resources from big pharma to push these medicines on kids . . . What do you think?'
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'I think you're an a–hole, and I think you don't actually give a f–k what actual scientists say about actual research,' responded one unhinged pro-butchery Bluesky user.
'I think you're a disingenuous bigot and I think you lack basic human empathy and anything resembling a soul.'
'There's certainly more scientific evidence to support transgender care than supports your belief in sky fairies,' another responded.
The 'experts' themselves, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, got their panties in a bunch over the court's ruling — which simply upheld the right of states to determine if sex-change drugs and surgeries should be legal for minors within their borders.
'The Supreme Court's decision today does not change the science,' the AAP railed. 'Gender-affirming care remains evidence-based, medically necessary care that improves the health and well-being of transgender youth.'
The group refused to back down from its position that permanently preventing children from growing up healthy and whole is the right thing to do.
And it didn't admit that these kids are doomed to become lifelong medical patients, or that boys given puberty blockers and hormones can never experience normal sexual function, or that the denial of sex-change procedures does not in fact lead to suicide.
These are all facts that attorney Chase Strangio, who argued the case for the American Civil Liberties Union, was forced to admit before the court.
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'This is a heartbreaking ruling, making it more difficult for transgender youth to escape the danger and trauma of being denied their ability to live and thrive,' wept Lambda Legal.
The ACLU, which brings endless cases to defend such offenses as men in women's prisons and males in women's sports, slammed the ruling for telling 'transgender youth and their families that they cannot access healthcare that is vitally important for a successful life.'
Talk about cope.
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Thomas and Vance are right: Too much power and trust has been given to people who claim to have expertise, but are really just making things up as they go along.
The left refuses to realize its own folly, which has cost the health of thousands of American children in service to lies.
With 'experts' like theirs, we're all better off relying on people who lean into common sense and decency.
Libby Emmons is the editor-in-chief at the Post Millennial.

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Politico

44 minutes ago

• Politico

NYC mayoral primary: 1 day to go

Presented by With help from Cris Seda Chabrier NEW YORK MINUTE: An Emerson College poll out today shows Zohran Mamdani defeating Andrew Cuomo by nearly 4 points in the eighth round of voting — a rare public survey that doesn't demonstrate the former governor in the lead of a race he's as-yet dominated. The survey finds Cuomo ahead in the first round of ranked-choice voting 36.4 to Mamdani's 33.7, with undecided voters excluded, and the state assemblymember winning the final round 51.8 to 48.2. (That split is akin to a head-to-head poll commissioned by city comptroller candidate Justin Brannan earlier this month. Since then, 384,338 New Yorkers have headed to the polls to vote ahead of Tuesday's Democratic primary.) Emerson partnered with with PIX and The Hill to survey 800 voters; the poll has a 3.4 percent margin of error. It also shows city Comptroller Brad Lander's 20.1 percent favors Mamdani when Lander is eliminated in the seventh round. The comptroller has endorsed Mamdani and spent time and money opposing Cuomo. — Sally Goldenberg FINAL COUNTDOWN: If the stakes for the New York City mayoral election didn't feel high enough already, why don't we add the threat of war? The city should get ready for 'possible reprisal' from Iran, Cuomo said at a press conference Sunday. 'Who do you want in charge in that situation?' he asked. The ex-governor who handled Superstorm Sandy and COVID? Or Mamdani, an assemblymember, who 'has absolutely no qualification whatsoever to do the job.' Mamdani's Inexperience has been Cuomo's closing argument, POLITICO's Bill Mahoney reports. So this was more of the same, with a nuclear twist after President Donald Trump bombed Iran on Saturday. The two leading candidates' reactions were yet another example of their starkly different worldviews. Mamdani called it the result of a political establishment that would rather spend money on weapons than fighting poverty. Cuomo applauded the goal of targeting Iranian nuclear facilities — though both agreed Trump abused his authority by not getting Congressional approval, POLITICO's Joe Anuta reported. Speaking of Trump, Cuomo's reportedly under investigation by the DOJ after Republicans accused him of lying to a Congressional panel investigating his Covid-era policies. Cuomo denies it, and says it's politically motivated. But if he were to win, Cuomo would be preparing to lead while simultaneously defending himself in two lawsuits, pursuing a third and potentially responding to a federal investigation, POLITICO's Nick Reisman reports. That's just one of the reasons why this Mamdani-Cuomo matchup is remarkable — 'a 33-year-old socialist and a sex pest,' as POLITICO's Jonathan Martin writes — and the unlikely showdown has profound national implications, such as whether this will set up a Cuomo presidential run in 2028. Attorney General Letitia James could have been a contender, Martin noted. Instead, she spent Sunday night promoting the 'true freedom fighters' on the Working Families Party's mayoral slate: Mamdani, Brad Lander, Adrienne Adams and Zellnor Myrie. But it was only Mamdani who she compared to Barack Obama. 'They mispronounce his name. They say that he's inexperienced,' James said. 'Sort of reminds me of a candidate who ran on change.' More than 384,000 New York City residents voted early in-person, and another 46,000 absentee ballots have been mailed in already. Candidates were driving voters to the polls all weekend. Cuomo rode in the back of a flatbed truck in Bensonhurst. Mamdani walked the length of Manhattan, shaking hands and taking selfies over more than 13 miles, POLITICO reported. Lander, who's trailing both Cuomo and Mamdani in polls, attacked, bringing together some of Cuomo's biggest critics for a closing argument press conference on the Upper West Side and calling him a 'sociopath' who can't take accountability for his actions. Cuomo attacked too, brushing off Lander as irrelevant, while holding a press conference harping on Mamdani's 'defund the police' tweets from 2020 and accusing the democratic socialist of 'hate speech.' Mamdani's decade-plus of pro-Palestinian advocacy against Israel is another one of Cuomo's closing arguments against him, while some supporters say they're motivated by his principled stance. POLITICO's Jason Beeferman reported Sunday on what Mamdani has actually said about Israel. Voting closes at 9 p.m. tomorrow, but the mayoral race is far from over. Stay tuned. — Jeff Coltin and Amira McKee HAPPY MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In Erie County, Niagara County, Monroe County, Onondaga County, and New York City, making an energy announcement at Niagara Power Project. WHERE'S ERIC? In New York City, making a public safety-related announcement with District Attorney Clark. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'We gotta talk on Wednesday!' — Mayoral candidate Scott Stringer, responding to journalist Ross Barkan's X post about how Rep. Dan Goldman could be vulnerable to a primary challenge — suggesting the former city comptroller is thinking about another campaign. ABOVE THE FOLD LANDLORDS FOR ADAMS: The landlords love Eric Adams. At least that was the takeaway from a town hall the mayor did with property owners Friday evening in Brooklyn. The event in Red Hook, organized by the firm H.L. Dynasty, was attended by landlords from around the city, and some of them have little love for the former governor who their lobby is backing in the Democratic mayoral primary. 'This all started about six years ago when there was a governor by the name of Andrew Cuomo who declared war on landlords,' said Anthony Carollo, who owns a property management firm. The remark won considerable applause from the crowd. Carollo went on. 'We just want you to be advocating for us,' he continued, saying to Adams. 'We want you to express our anger to Andrew that he did this to us, and now he wants to come back and do it to us again. We cannot accept that.' Cuomo signed a package of tenant-friendly laws in 2019 that dramatically limited owners' ability to raise rents in rent-regulated housing. He recently expressed regret over elements of that package — particularly measures that restricted rent hikes after building and apartment improvements, known as MCIs and IAIs. 'This was a bad decision and it was a lack of understanding of the full ecosystem,' Adams said on those measures. There remains some discontent in the industry over Cuomo's role in the 2019 reforms, but major developers have nonetheless donated big sums to a Cuomo-aligned super PAC. And the New York Apartment Association, a landlord group, announced plans earlier this month to spend $2.5 million to boost Cuomo's campaign. Adams has often empathized with his fellow small landlords and once proclaimed, 'I am real estate.' The mayor spent some two hours Friday listening to landlords vent about housing court delays, the 2019 rent reforms, property taxes and city fines. He was joined by officials from a raft of city agencies, including the housing, buildings and finance departments. One landlord came wearing a t-shirt that read, 'Stuck with 8-years squatter.' Adams offered his sympathies to the man, saying, 'Our squatter laws are outrageous.' The mayor left the group with a call to action of sorts, encouraging the owners to 'be organized.' 'You are hard-working people who took a huge leap by purchasing those small properties because you believe that this is the American dream. People have turned that dream into a nightmare,' Adams said. 'We don't have to surrender, you don't have to give up.' — Janaki Chadha CITY HALL: THE LATEST DREAM DONORS: The campaign against ranking Cuomo for mayor — and supporting Adams in general — has been quietly playing out for months in New York City. A POLITICO analysis of campaign finance data shows progressive voters have been hedging their bets since the early days of the Democratic mayoral primary by donating to multiple left-leaning candidates. Their hope? Deny the moderate frontrunner Cuomo the Democratic primary and avoid the MAGA-curious incumbent Adams, who dropped out of the contest to run in the general election as an independent. POLITICO pored over donations to top contenders in the primary, including contributions before the mayor exited the race, through early-June. The findings show nearly 3,000 New Yorkers gave to candidates like City Comptroller Brad Lander, Mamdani — a assemblymember — state Sen. Zellnor Myrie and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams — but not to Cuomo or Eric Adams. The contribution pattern is reminiscent of a strategy for ranked-choice voting that was initially popularized by the 'Don't Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor' or DREAM campaign. The neighborhoods with the highest concentrations of multi-donors — progressive and vote-rich enclaves in Brooklyn and Manhattan — will play a deciding role in the race. Read more about mayoral race multi-donors from Cris Seda Chabrier and Joe Anuta. SAVE THE PRIMARIES: The United Federation of Teachers and New York Communities for Change, along with other unions and left-leaning interest groups, are opposing major changes to the city's primary elections that Mayor Adams' Charter Revision Commission is considering. First in Playbook, a letter signed by 13 unions and 29 advocacy groups opposes a switch to an open primary where independent voters can take part as well, not just those registered with a party. The groups also oppose a switch to a non-partisan 'jungle' primary, where the candidates with the most votes advance to the general, even if they're both Democrats. The commission confirmed in its April preliminary report it was looking at putting such changes on the ballot this November, arguing that they would boost turnout. The unions and groups that signed onto the letter disagree, saying that switching to non-partisan primaries didn't help turnout in California — and that the real goal is to reduce unions' influence in elections. 'Wealthy people already have most of the power in our society. The Party primary is one of the few places where working-class, middle-class and poor people can even the score even a little bit,' the letter reads. The commission hasn't finalized which proposals it would advance to put on the ballot. A spokesperson said they'll review the letter. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Cuomo's bullying reputation powered him through public life and is fueling his potential return to elected office. (POLITICO Magazine) — Cuomo enlisted Bill Clinton as part of a late-stage bid to fend off Mamdani. (The New York Times) — Eric Adams is hosting a kickoff event for his reelection campaign this coming week. (Daily News) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY COST OF DOING BUSINESS: Democratic state lawmakers — nursing their wounds from a 2024 election that resulted in Donald Trump returning to the presidency — insisted they wanted to address affordability when they began the year. A state budget that provided a modest tax cut for middle-income earners and rebate checks — ostensibly to help New Yorkers address inflationary costs — was approved. Business groups can claim wins too, including a budget provision that will pay down more than $6 billion in unemployment insurance debt and the approval of tax credits meant to spur New York City business expansion. Still, Democrats acknowledge there's more to be done. 'There were some meaningful steps forward, especially on universal school meals, but there were missed opportunities,' Democratic state Sen. James Skoufis told Playbook. 'The biggest cost of living pressures remain housing, utilities and property taxes — and these are issues that continue to require major overhaul.' Convincing voters that Democrats — even in deep blue New York — care about the cost of living will be crucial for the party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Policies approved in Albany, like the controversial cashless bail law, often become factors in House races. And New York is home to several battleground seats that could determine control of the chamber. Republicans won't surrender the affordability issue, though. GOP lawmakers blasted environmental bills like curtailing natural gas hookups in new construction, warning the legislation would raise costs. 'Instead of addressing the real challenges facing our communities like affordability, crumbling rural infrastructure and an exodus of families and businesses, Albany Democrats pushed forward with the same extreme agenda that created this mess in the first place,' GOP Assemblymember Andrea Bailey said. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Just in time for a hot primary day, Hochul approved a law allowing voters to receive water while waiting in line. (NY1) — Several environmental bills failed to get a vote in the state Assembly, disappointing supporters. (Gothamist) — Efforts to revitalize downtown Albany are focusing on expanding the city's convention center. (Times Union) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION BIG-TENT REACTION TO IRAN: House Democrats' responses to the Trump administration's strikes on Iran ran the gamut over the weekend, and two Bronx Democrats had starkly opposing takes. Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres lauded the raid as necessary to eliminate a threat. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saw it as grounds for Trump's impeachment. 'The world can achieve peace in the Middle East, or it can accept a rogue nuclear weapons program — but it cannot have both,' Torres posted on X. 'The decisive destruction of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant prevents the dangerous spread of nuclear weapons in the world's most combustible region.' Torres was applauded by Republicans, including Rep. Mike Lawler. (Both are weighing bids for governor.) Torres also said later that he supports reasserting Congress' war powers, but added that both Democratic and Republican presidents have sparked military conflict without congressional approval. The progressive Ocasio-Cortez was on the other end of the spectrum. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,' she posted on X. 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — Top Democrats on Capitol Hill, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, say they weren't briefed in advance of the U.S. attack on Iran on Saturday. (Axios) — Among the 18 Democrats who helped advance the GENIUS Act crypto bill, none played a more central role than Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. (Punchbowl News) — Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota press their GOP colleagues to preserve clean energy credits. (Newsday) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was released from immigration detention and welcomed home by supporters including Ocasio-Cortez. (POLITICO) — Food banks are bracing for the fallout from federal aid cuts. (New York Times) — A $2.3 billion deal will upgrade the Long Island Rail Road's train cars. (Newsday) SOCIAL DATA MEDIAWATCH: Mayor Adams should lift his press conference ban on Daily News reporter Chris Sommerfeldt, Daily News columnist Leonard Greene writes. SPOTTED at a rooftop party Thursday night in honor of Sam Tanenhaus' new biography of William F Buckley, Jr., 'Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America' ($29.79), held by Matthew Sitman and Katy Roberts: Beverly Gage, David Klion, Pamela Paul, Jennifer Szalai, Kathy Bonomi, Ian Ward, David Oshinsky, Alex Star, Andrew Marantz, Samuel Adler-Bell, Jennifer Schuessler, Barry Gewen, David Margolick, Nina Burleigh, Jacob Heilbrunn, John Ganz and John Williams. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) … Adam Boehler … Brian Pomper … Nick Weinstein … Patrick Morris … Ryan Rogers Woodbury … Caitlin Dorman … Josh Lauder … Robert Lezama … (WAS SUNDAY): AP's Jill Colvin … Carson Daly … Michael Falcone … Brit Hume … Martin Lipton ... Alisa Doctoroff … … (WAS SATURDAY): Axios' Mike Allen … Greyson Brooks, deputy campaign manager for Zellnor Myrie … Mark Levine aide Jack Lobel … NYT's Elizabeth Williamson and Elizabeth Dias … Laura Meckler … Sam Nunberg … Forbes' Emma Whitford … Max Clarke … Chloe Frelinghuysen … Zack Richner … Daniel Wagner … George Jahn … Mason Reynolds … Charles L. Glazer … (WAS FRIDAY): Bob Garfield ... Gregg Birnbaum ... Josh Raffel Missed Friday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.

The Hill

an hour ago

• The Hill

Trump, world brace for Iran's response

Morning Report is The Hill's a.m. newsletter. Subscribe here or using the box below: Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The United States and allies are on high alert today for Iran's next move as President Trump defends his decision to enter the Israel-Iran conflict. The president is slated to meet with his national security team this afternoon amid fallout over the U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear sites and a day after hinting at potential regime change in Tehran. 'The timing, nature and the scale of Iran's proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces,' Iran's United Nations ambassador, Amir-Saeid Iravani, said Sunday at an emergency U.N. meeting. Trump's riskiest military decision to date as commander in chief has set off a wave of questions, including over America's geopolitical goals in the Middle East and whether the conflict widens. 'I remain hopeful these limited strikes greatly advanced our national security objectives,' Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Sunday, 'but if it is clear this is becoming a wider conflict, we must remember that Congress alone holds the constitutional power to authorize war.' Seven B-2 bombers deployed from Missouri carried out 'precision strikes' at three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend in what Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday amounted to military deterrence to safeguard Americans. 'If they decide they're going to attack our troops, if they decide they're going to continue to try to build a nuclear weapon, then we are going to respond to that with overwhelming force,' Vance told ABC's 'This Week.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS's 'Face the Nation' that the administration 'achieved our objective' while leaving the door open to what comes next. Tehran has dismissed calls for renewed talks with the U.S. During Sunday's emergency U.N. Security Council meeting, Iran denounced the U.S. and Israel while voicing skepticism about the potential for diplomacy. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH? 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,' Trump said during a Saturday night address in which he celebrated a 'spectacular military success.' The president warned, 'There are many targets left' if Iran does not agree to a satisfactory peace deal. U.S. intelligence has been assessing the extent of the damage from the strikes, particularly at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility buried beneath a mountain. The New York Times reported that U.S. officials concede they do not know the location or condition of Iran's stockpile of near-weapons grade uranium or the state of Iran's overall nuclear program following the weekend bombings. The stockpile of fuel is a significant bargaining chip for Tehran. ▪ The Hill: Satellite images show strikes' impact on Iran nuclear sites Fears are running high that Iran could retaliate against any of the 40,000 U.S. forces in the Middle East or through other means and targets. A 'heightened threat environment' exists because of Trump's order to attack Iran, according to a federal bulletin issued to the public Sunday by the Department of Homeland Security, which warned of potential cyberattacks carried out by Iran or its proxies. Iran's Parliament has approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian television on Sunday. The shipping route between Iran and Oman is key to the economies of the U.S. and the world and Rubio called on China to help block its closure. ▪ The Hill: Strait of Hormuz becomes flash point in US-Iran conflict Vance — an Iraq war veteran who previously applauded Trump's campaign pledge to keep the U.S. out of wars — during Sunday television interviews discouraged fears of a 'long, drawn-out' U.S. involvement. The vice president also argued that his statements that Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities are 'significantly degraded' are the same as saying 'destroyed.' Trump said Iran's nuclear facilities were 'obliterated.' Those are assertions that will be reexamined as the impact of Saturday's U.S. bombings becomes clearer. 'MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN': Trump, who previously denied wanting to topple Iran's regime, on Sunday seemed to encourage that idea. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Isolationist Republicans, who last week were uneasy about the U.S. entering the Iran-Israel war due to recent history, have largely rallied around Trump and the performance of the U.S. military under his command. GOP lawmakers on Sunday warned on talk shows that Iranian terrorists 'might' be plotting inside the U.S., and they blamed former President Biden for 'four years of open-border' policies. Democratic lawmakers, wary of criticizing the military for carrying out a dangerous and complex bombing plan, instead pummeled the president for not consulting Congress. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) urged for Trump's impeachment if Democrats win a House majority next year. Seeking help from Russia, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived there for meetings today. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news conference before Araghchi's meeting with President Vladimir Putin that what Russia offers 'depends on what Iran needs.' Putin's suggestion that he could mediate the conflict was meant to be an indication of Russia's help, Peskov added. During 10 days of war with Israel and through Sunday, Iran did not receive concrete support from any of its past allies and patrons. Attacks between Israel and Iran have continued following the U.S. bombings. The Israeli military launched airstrikes on Iranian cities Monday morning from Tehran to Kermanshah in the west. ▪ Bloomberg News: Iran stands alone against the U.S. and Israel. China and Russia offer only rhetorical support. At the United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking Sunday during the second Security Council meeting in three days, rebuked the U.S. for escalating the conflict in Iran. Meanwhile, Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the damage to Iran's facilities resulting from the U.S. strikes. Iran told the agency there was no uptick in off-site radiation levels following the U.S. attacks, Grossi said. SMART TAKE with BLAKE BURMAN NewsNation is told the initial approval from President Trump for Operation Midnight Hammer came Friday afternoon. You can only imagine what was on the mind of the commander in chief as that was happening. We know of at least one other topic, though: interest rates, as the president continued to rail against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. When markets open this morning, crude oil will be front and center. It was already up roughly 21 percent over the past month, and that was before Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. I'll also be checking out bond yields for potential reaction. The administration hasn't been shy to acknowledge they closely watch the bond market. Burman hosts 'The Hill' weeknights, 6p/5c on NewsNation. BIG, BEAUTIFUL UNITY? Trump on Sunday touted the 'great unity' among Republicans following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and he called on the party to focus on getting his agenda bill through Congress to his desk. 'Great unity in the Republican Party, perhaps unity like we have never seen before,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 'Now let's get the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill done.' Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is aiming to set up floor action on the bill for the middle of this week. But Republican senators and aides are skeptical the GOP will have all the problems in the bill worked out before the July 4 recess, with just a handful of legislative days left. Thune is juggling moderates' concerns over Medicaid and SNAP cuts, and he is under pressure from conservatives to cut the federal Medicaid assistance percentage and to aggressively phase out renewable energy tax credits. Senate Republicans directed the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) to score the cost of extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts as a continuation of 'current policy' instead of 'current law' so it would not add significantly to federal deficits. The panel, which projects the deficit impact of all tax bills, scored the extension as budget neutral, The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports, which dramatically lowers the projected cost of Trump's megabill. The JCT projects tax-related provisions of the Republican bill as adding $441.5 billion to the deficit over the next decade, instead of the $4 trillion that Democrats say would be the projected cost of the tax provisions if they were scored on a 'current law' baseline. 'Republicans finally showed their hand, and it's completely dishonest. 'Current policy baseline' is a budget gimmick that is nothing more than smoke and mirrors instead of honest accounting,' said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the ranking member of the Budget Committee. 'This bill will add trillions upon trillions of dollars to the national debt to fund tax breaks for billionaires — while Republicans want everyone to think it adds zero.' Meanwhile, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against a controversial provision in the megabill that would have made it significantly more difficult for courts to enforce contempt findings against the Trump administration. MacDonough ruled that limiting courts' ability to hold Trump officials in contempt violated the Senate's rules governing what can be passed with a simple-majority vote on the budget reconciliation fast track. ▪ Politico: The Senate's parliamentarian late Saturday allowed Republicans to include in the megabill a 10-year moratorium on enforcing state and local AI laws. FOES: Trump's political operation has launched an aggressive effort to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a staunch opponent of the megabill. Trump said Sunday that MAGA should abandon Massie, calling him a 'a simple minded 'grandstander' who thinks it's good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon.' Speaking on CBS's 'Face the Nation,' Massie slammed the Trump-authorized strikes against Iran, saying there was 'no imminent threat' to the U.S. He quipped on the social platform X that Trump 'declared so much War on me today it should require an Act of Congress.' ▪ The Hill: There's no clear front-runner ahead of House Democrats' Tuesday vote to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. TARIFF EXTENSIONS: Some Senate Republicans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of deals on tariffs, write The Hill's Alex Gangitano and Al Weaver. The Trump administration has insisted it is in talks with trading partners but has little to show for it ahead of the July 8 deadline, beyond deals with China and the United Kingdom. 'I think they're working very hard on them — I know that for a fact,' said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). 'I think the approach that was taken in the first place creates a lot of complications because it does produce this enormous workload and need for negotiation with an enormous number of countries.' When asked if she is concerned the administration's negotiators are stretched thin, Collins was blunt. 'Yes,' she said. 'Very.' ABREGO GARCIA UPDATE: Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported by the Trump administration to El Salvador, was ordered released from jail on Sunday while he awaits federal trial. The government is expected to quickly detain him. ▪ The Hill: Trump's whittling away at protected places for immigrants has fueled fears among healthcare workers that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will arrest patients in or around hospitals. ▪ The Hill: Mixed feelings come with the resumption of processing and interviews for foreign students after the Trump administration added an expanded requirement for full access to applicants' social media. ▪ CNN: A federal judge on Friday indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University's ability to host international students DEMOCRATS UNDER PRESSURE: Democratic National Committee Chair (DNC) Ken Martin is navigating growing turmoil within the party's ranks six months into Trump's term. The committee has been plagued by party infighting that has spilled out into the open in recent weeks, writes The Hill's Julia Manchester. On top of a series of high-level exits, reports have surfaced that the committee is strapped for cash amid donor frustrations. Critics argue that the disunity can be traced back to Martin, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Thursday found 62 percent of Democrats say 'party leaders should be replaced.' Others insist it's a reflection of the Democratic ecosystem as a whole. 'Ken Martin is stepping into a really difficult situation right now, and I would say he was elected and they handed him a mop and a bucket,' said Brian Lemek, a Democratic strategist and founder and executive director of Defend the Vote. Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones (D) argued that the internal tensions spilling out into the open only serve as a distraction. 'I think people need to separate their emotion from the work that needs to be done because the infighting that we're seeing, it's taking our focus off of the bigger picture at hand,' Jones told The Hill. Meanwhile, former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg is making it clear he's not going anywhere — whether Democrats like it or not. The 25-year-old gun control activist opted against running again for vice chair after his decision to get involved in Democratic primaries sparked intense backlash. But Hogg has continued to be active on the political scene since then. ▪ The Wall Street Journal: The Texas Republican primary between Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton is already a shootout and could hurt Republicans' chances against Democrats. CALIFORNIA DREAMING: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is seeing his name rise toward the top of potential 2028 contenders. The governor has framed himself as a face of resistance to Trump's second-term moves, energizing Democrats and upping his 2028 primary chances in the latest Morning Consult polling. But Democrats also acknowledge Newsom still faces an uphill climb as he handles the end of his tenure as governor and navigates the nation's polarized political climate. 'He's doing really well among Democrats, both in California and throughout the nation. He's getting a boost in 2025,' said John Pitney, a politics professor at Claremont McKenna College in California. 'Unfortunately for him, a presidential nomination won't happen until 2028.' Former Vice President Kamala Harris is leaning toward entering the California gubernatorial race, sources familiar with her thinking tell The Hill's Amie Parnes. They say Harris is sticking to a self-imposed end of summer deadline in deciding whether to wade into the already crowded governor's race. 'She has a lot of people in her ear telling her that it makes the most sense and she can do the most good,' said one source who has spoken to Harris about a potential run. NATO SUMMIT: Ahead of a meeting this week in The Hague, Netherlands, NATO countries agreed on a statement on Sunday that sets a goal of 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for annual defense spending by 2035. The statement has the approval of all 32 NATO members — though Spain, which had posed objections, got an exemption. But it will only become official when it is approved by leaders, including Trump, on Wednesday. Trump has long pushed for a 5 percent spending target for NATO members, although he suggested on Friday that target should not apply to the United States. The alliance's current goal is 2 percent of GDP — and here's who is actually paying. ▪ NPR: Ahead of the NATO summit, Europe is uncertain about its old ally, the U.S. ▪ BBC: 32 nations but only one man matters. NATO's summit is all about Trump. GAZA: Israel announced on Sunday that it recovered the remains of three hostages from Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the three individuals as Yonatan Samerano, Shay Levinson and Ofra Kedar, saying they were 'murdered and taken hostage' during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. ▪ NPR: As Israel recovers the bodies of three more hostages, how many are still in Gaza? ▪ The Guardian: 'A shell fell meters away': One man's attempt to reach the new aid distribution hub in Gaza. And finally … 🏄‍♂️ Hang ten! A furry pack descended on the ocean in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Friday to compete in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge surf contest. Dogs ranging from 2 to 13 years old — corgis, dalmatians, pit bulls, labradors and more — showed off their skills riding waves to secure a spot in canine surfing history. Check out photos here and here of the good boys and girls gently riding the curl. KTLA-5 has video news coverage here. That's it for today, thanks for reading! Sign up for Morning Report or other newsletters from The Hill at See you next time!

USA Today

an hour ago

• USA Today

The US on high alert

Welcome to the week.🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Megan Thee Stallion is my all-time favorite "Love Island" bombshell. The US is on high alert right now Cities across the country from New York to Los Angeles have beefed up security following notice from the Department of Homeland Security of a "heightened threat environment." The background: Iran — and its hard-line supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — are almost certainly going to strike back in response to historic U.S. military strikes on three of its suspected nuclear facilities over the weekend. 📰 More details: These graphics show how operation Midnight Hammer unfolded. Activist Mahmoud Khalil speaks out after release from ICE custody ~ Mahmoud Khalil, the the 30-year-old Columbia University graduate and Palestinian activist, spoke upon arrival at Newark International Airport on Saturday, a day after a federal judge ordered his release from immigration detention. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. If you're sweating as you read this ... ... That sticky feeling isn't going away so soon. Millions of Americans are in for a sweltering commute to work Monday as swaths of the nations face scorching temperatures that could reach as high as 100 degrees, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic region, weather experts said. A heat wave is expected to continue this week across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, putting more than 150 million Americans under heat advisories, heat warnings or extreme heat watches, according to the National Weather Service. Experts say "it's going to feel miserable." Make elections more democratic? It's like picking ice cream. With so many candidates for mayor, New Yorkers will choose their next leader like they pick ice cream in the summer. The city's ranked choice system allows voters to choose their top five candidates for mayor, plus top picks in other city races. Even if your top choice doesn't make it, you can still get flavors, or candidates, you prefer. The system aims to give voters more choices in a crowded field of nearly a dozen Democratic and a handful of Republican mayoral hopefuls in closed primaries for both parties. And with ranked choice, state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist calling to freeze rents, has inched ever closer Andrew Cuomo, New York's former governor. Today's talkers The Oklahoma City Thunder are on top The Thunder capped a dominant season with a 103-91 triumph against the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, giving the franchise its first NBA championship since relocating to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008. It was not an easy win for the Thunder — even with the Pacers missing star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who left the game with 4:55 left in the first quarter due to a lower right leg injury. USA TODAY Sports has highlights, wild plays, analysis and more from the game. Photo of the day: The Bayou Bengals celebrate in Omaha After winning a mesmerizing pitching duel in Saturday night's College World Series opener, LSU took advantage of Coastal Carolina's sloppy start and won, 5-3, on Sunday, to capture the eighth national championship in program history. For Coastal Carolina, it's a heartbreaking and disappointing end to what had been a dream run. Celebrate LSU Tigers' eighth College World Series title with USA TODAY's commemorative page print. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@