Trump weighs Iran action and appeals court rules on California National Guard: Morning Rundown
Donald Trump said he would decide whether the U.S. should take action in Iran within two weeks. An appeals court ruled the deployment of California National Guard troops was within the president's rights. And the parents who were jailed in their 7-year-old son's traffic death speak out from jail.
Here's what to know today.
Trump weighs potential action in Iran with small circle of advisers
President Donald Trump will decide within two weeks whether the U.S. should get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, the White House said yesterday.
This is "based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future," he said in a message read to reporters in the White House by press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister is set to hold talks in Geneva today with his counterparts from the U.K., France and Germany. Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, won't be in attendance.
This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
As he weighs what to do, Trump is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers for critical input, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official.
While the president routinely asks a broader group of people what they think he should do, including officials in his own administration as well as foreign leaders and contacts outside the government, Trump tends to make many decisions with just a handful of people. That includes Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump also leans on Witkoff when he weighs decisions that fall under his portfolio, an official said.
But the president has sidelined National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and has not been routinely turning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official. A Defense Department spokesperson denied the assertion about Hegseth.
More coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict:
Israel's Air Force and Navy have successfully intercepted hundreds of missiles launched toward the country, military officials say. And key buildings at an Iranian heavy water reactor were damaged, a U.N. nuclear watchdog said. Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
Entire neighborhoods in Tehran are emptying out amid the barrage of missiles, and residents who remain in Iran's capital are mostly staying indoors.
Appeals court backs California National Guard deployment
An appeals court ruled that Trump is within his rights to deploy the California National Guard amid immigration protests in Los Angeles, allowing the president to keep control of the troops.
The ruling last night from a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined the federal government made a required 'strong showing' in arguing it would prevail against California's challenge to the legality of the deployment of troops usually under the governor's control. However, the court said it disagreed with the administration's stance that the federalization of National Guard Troops is 'completely insulated from judicial review.' Read the full story here.
Earlier Thursday, the Los Angeles Dodgers said it blocked federal immigration agents from entering their stadium after agents 'requested permission to access the parking lots.' ICE responded to the Dodgers on social media, saying, 'False. We were never there.'
But a source familiar with Dodgers operations said that after the agents were denied entry E, they processed multiple detainees just outside the ballpark. Meanwhile, demonstrators outside the stadium's gates, including a Los Angeles City Council member, held signs and chanted 'ICE out of L.A.'
More immigration news:
'Border czar' Tom Homan said the Trump administration will keep conducting immigration raids at worksites, including farms and hotels, but that criminals will be prioritized.
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from forcing 20 Democratic-led states to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in transportation funding.
Latino Trump voters who participated in focus groups observed by NBC News said they approve of Trump's handling of illegal immigration, and most approved of his actions broadly as president. But a small divide is emerging among these voters over how deportations are being carried out.
Surgeon's UnitedHealthcare clash shows insurer's hardball tactics
When Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealthcare experienced a massive hack in February 2024, the subsidiary shuttered its systems and halted all reimbursements owed to hospitals and doctors. To help medical providers stay afloat, Optum, another UnitedHealth subsidiary that includes a bank, began offering 'temporary' no-interest loans.
Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Catherine Mazzola was among those tapping into the program and her practice in New Jersey received $535,000, documents show. Mazzola's practice began repaying the loans, but in January of this year, Optum demanded that it repay the money in full and within five business days. Mazzola pleaded for more time, but by mid-February, she stopped receiving reimbursements. Months later, she learned UnitedHealthcare had drawn up reimbursement checks payable to her practice and then deposited those checks into its own bank account, records shared with NBC News show.
Her case sheds light on something few patients know about: the behind-the-scenes battles doctors say they must wage with insurers over reimbursements and the increasingly aggressive tactics taken by huge payers like UnitedHealthcare. Mazzola, as well as other doctors who spoke to senior financial reporter Gretchen Morgenson, said they were never reimbursed for many claims, and some say they are out millions as a result. On top of that, patients were hurt by the hack, too. Read the full story here.
Singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to a charge in connection with an alleged 2023 London nightclub attack and will face trial later this year.
Brown appeared in person at London's Southwark Crown to enter a not guilty plea to one count of attempting to cause "grievous bodily harm" in connection with a February 2023 altercation, where he allegedly attacked a music producer with a bottle.
Brown is also charged with one count of assault and one count of possessing an offensive weapon and will enter pleas on those charges at a later hearing.
Omololu Akinlolu, an American rapper who performs under the name 'Hoody Baby,' also pleaded not guilty to the same charge of attempting to cause 'grievous bodily harm.'
Akinlolu and Brown are both accused of attacking music producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in London's upmarket Mayfair district.
Brown, 36, faces a possible prison sentence of between two and 16 years if he is convicted. Read the full story here.
Read All About It
Trump extended a potential TikTok ban by another 90 days, until Sept. 17, to give parent company ByteDance more time to find an American owner.
The NBA Finals are going to Game 7 for the first time since 2016 after the Indiana Pacers staved off elimination and won 108-91 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
A 9-year-old Florida girl who is recovering from surgery after a shark nearly bit her hand off recalled the attack: 'I didn't see anything. … something hard bit me.'
Some ready-to-eat fettuccine Alfredo meals sold at Walmart and Kroger were voluntarily recalled after a listeria outbreak linked to three deaths and 17 illnesses.
Earlier this month, NBC BLK reporter Curtis Bunn wrote about a child whose parents were arrested after he accidentally stepped out into traffic and was fatally struck by a car. Curtis's initial reporting raised more questions, so we knew we needed to find out more.
After Curtis made contact with the family, he headed to North Carolina to spend time with people who were both grieving the loss of a bright 7-year-old family member and advocating for the child's parents, who are in jail and face multiple charges in his death. (The unnamed 76-year-old woman who hit the child has not been charged.)
In addition to the faithful grandparents, aunties and friends who are stepping up to care for the couple's remaining six children, Curtis spoke with the two parents trying to be strong for their family from behind bars. — Michelle Garcia, NBC BLK editorial director
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Talking Shop is an NBC Select series where we talk to interesting people about their most interesting buys. We recently spoke with prima ballerina Tiler Peck about her favorite facial cleanser, protein bars, hairspray and much more. Plus, the NBC Select team asked dermatologists about the best UPF clothing, which adds a layer of defense against UV rays, for the whole family.
here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
30 minutes ago
- ITV News
Middle East situation ‘perilous', says Lammy amid calls for more talks
The situation in the Middle East is 'perilous', the Foreign Secretary said as he urged Iran to negotiate with the US. David Lammy flew from Washington to Geneva on Friday to meet Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi alongside his French and German counterparts as the UK continued to press for a diplomatic solution to the Middle East crisis. The talks followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that he would delay a decision on joining Israeli strikes against Iran for up to two weeks. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Lammy told reporters: 'It is still clear to me, as President Trump indicated yesterday, that there is a window of within two weeks where we can see a diplomatic solution.' Urging Iran to 'take that off ramp' and talk to the Americans, he said: 'We have a window of time. This is perilous and deadly serious.' He added that the US and Europe were pushing for Iran to agree to zero enrichment of uranium as a 'starting point' for negotiations. But Mr Araghchi said Iran would not negotiate with the US as long as Israel continued to carry out airstrikes against the country, and insisted his country's nuclear programme was entirely peaceful. Both sides continued to exchange fire on Friday, with Iranian missiles targeting the city of Haifa while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tel Aviv's military operation would continue 'for as long as it takes'. Meanwhile, the UK Government has announced it will use charter flights to evacuate Britons stranded in Israel once the country's airspace reopens. Mr Lammy said work is under way to provide the flights 'based on levels of demand' from UK citizens who want to leave the region. The move follows criticism of the Foreign Office's initial response, which saw family members of embassy staff evacuated while UK citizens were not advised to leave and told to follow local guidance. The Government said the move to withdraw temporarily family members had been a 'precautionary measure'. On Friday, the Foreign Office announced that UK staff had also been evacuated from Iran, with the embassy continuing to operate remotely.
Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Disney CEO Bob Iger's dramatic move following LA protests that will be sure to infuriate Trump
Disney CEO Bob Iger is fighting Donald Trump through his women's soccer team, who have publicly protested the ICE raids on Los Angeles and the president's response to riots. Iger - along with his wife and dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Willow Bay - is the majority shareholder of Angel City FC, who represent Los Angeles in the National Women's Soccer League. Amid controversy over federal law enforcement's appearances at Dodger Stadium, Angel City have been publicly and vociferously in opposition to the president in moves that Deadline reports Iger backed and was 'thoroughly consulted on.' Ahead of their recent match against North Carolina Courage, the organization offered the first 10,000 fans - Angel City regularly leads NWSL in attendance and averaged 19,000 per match in 2024 - a t-shirt with the words 'Immigrant City FC' on the front and 'Los Angeles is for everyone' in English and Spanish. The team has also sold shirts on their website with proceeds going to Castro Immigration Services, who 'serve the immigrant community by providing quality legal counsel on immigration matters and connecting immigrant families to available resources.' Aside from Iger, the club has several liberal celebrities with minority shares, including Eva Longoria, Jessica Chastain and America Ferrara, putting several famous and powerful people at loggerheads with Trump. Angel City FC - along with MLS side LAFC, with whom they share a stadium - have issued statements of support for immigrants but otherwise the city's sports franchises have refrained from commenting. Iger and Bay have made no public statement on the protests, however it appears he not only signed off on it but was briefed on the move every step of the way. Iger - along with his wife and dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Willow Bay - is the majority shareholder of Angel City FC, who represent Los Angeles in the National Women's Soccer League, who gave out these pro-immigrant t-shirts at a recent match has reached out to the White House for comment. It comes as Iger's day job at Disney has tried to make nice with the second Trump administration on multiple big occasions. Most recently, ABC News has fired star anchor Terry Moran just days after he penned a social media post calling Donald Trump a 'world class hater' and blasting top advisor Stephen Miller as full of 'bile.' A spokesperson for the network confirmed the firing in a statement on Tuesday that specifically cited Moran's post as a 'clear violation' of ABC's policy. 'We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran and based on his recent post – which was a clear violation of ABC News policies – we have made the decision to not renew,' the statement read. 'At ABC News, we hold all of our reporters to the highest standards of objectivity, fairness and professionalism, and we remain committed to delivering straightforward, trusted journalism,' the rep added. Moran, 65, was a senior national correspondent at the network. He previously served as ABC's Chief Foreign Correspondent from 2013 to 2018. In May, it was reported ABC News and its parent company Disney have asked the ladies of The View to dial back their constant complaining about President Donald Trump. Ahead of their recent match against North Carolina Courage, the organization offered the first 10,000 fans - Angel City regularly leads NWSL in attendance and averaged 19,000 per match in 2024 - a t-shirt with the words 'Immigrant City FC' on the front and 'Los Angeles is for everyone' in English and Spanish ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic and Iger made the requests separately, The Daily Beast reported. The daily talk show has been filled with criticisms of the commander-in-chief and his policies, with mostly kind words for Democrats. Iger reportedly expressed his support for the show but made clear it needed to pull back on politics. Prior to that, Moran co-anchored the network's newsmagazine Nightline for eight years. He was ABC News' Chief White Correspondent from 1999 to 2005. Earlier this year, the network paid President Donald Trump a $16 million settlement over his remarks about the president. Stephanopoulos erroneously claimed on-air that the president-elect was found 'liable for rape' - rather than the correct phrasing of sexual abuse - against writer E. Jean Carroll in March. Trump sued Stephanopoulos and the network for defamation soon after the segment aired, accusing the anchor of making the statements with 'malice' and a disregard for the truth. As part of the settlement, Stephanopoulos was forced to issue a public apology. Angel City FC - along with MLS side LAFC, with whom they share a stadium - have issued statements of support for immigrants but otherwise the city's sports franchises have refrained from commenting In 2023, Iger revealed the company will 'quiet the noise' around cultural issues because it has shown to be bad for business. Iger wants to make content that is entertaining, not issue-focused - after The House of Mouse faced backlash over pushing a ' woke agenda'. His comments about focusing on entertainment rather than 'issues' came after a spate of recent box office busts. Among these was the live-action version of The Little Mermaid, Guardians of the Galaxy, Strange World and Lightyear. The Little Mermaid sparked controversy over the casting of Black actress Halle Bailey as the title character, Ariel. Lightyear, released one year ago with a reported budget of $200 million, brought in a modest $226.7 million in worldwide ticket sales. The film could not be shown in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries because of its depiction of a same-sex relationship. Since the company has been faced with loss from the Disney+ streaming business, which is expected to become profitable only next year, they have turned to the parks business to soften the blow.
Reuters
35 minutes ago
- Reuters
Hundreds of US citizens left Iran in last week, State Dept cable says
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - Hundreds of American citizens have departed Iran using land routes over the past week since an aerial war between the Islamic Republic and Israel broke out, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters on Friday. While many left without problem, "numerous" citizens had faced "delays and harassment" while trying to exit, the cable said. It said, without giving further details, that one unidentified family had reported that two U.S. citizens attempting to leave Iran had been detained. The internal cable dated June 20 underscores the challenge Washington is facing in trying to protect and assist its citizens in a country with which it has no diplomatic relations and in a war in which the United States may soon get involved. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The cable was first reported by The Washington Post. President Donald Trump and the White House said on Thursday he will decide in the next two weeks whether the U.S. will get involved in the Israel-Iran war. Trump has kept the world guessing on his plans, veering from proposing a swift diplomatic solution to suggesting Washington might join the fighting on Israel's side. The air war began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran and has alarmed a region that has been on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. Israel is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons, and said it struck Iran to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, has retaliated with its own strikes on Israel. Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. The U.S. State Department in a travel alert earlier on Friday urged its citizens wishing to depart Iran to use land routes via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey. Iranian airspace is closed. The U.S. Embassy in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat has requested entry for over 100 American citizens, but the Turkmenistan government has yet to give its approval, the cable said. The Islamic Republic treats Iranian-U.S. dual citizens solely as nationals of Iran, the State Department emphasized. "U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest and detention in Iran," the alert said. Washington is looking at ways to potentially evacuate its citizens from Israel, but it has almost no way of assisting Americans inside Iran. The two countries have had no diplomatic ties since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday said the administration was looking at different ways to get U.S. citizens out. "We're working to get military, commercial, charter flights and cruise ships for evac," he said in an X post, urging U.S. citizens and green card holders to complete an online form. As of Friday, more than 6,400 U.S. citizens filled out that form for Israel, a separate internal department email seen by Reuters said. The form allows the agency to predict an approximate figure for potential evacuations. "Approximately 300-500 U.S. citizens per day would potentially require departure assistance," said the internal email, also dated June 20 and marked "sensitive". The State Department does not have official figures but thousands of U.S. citizens are thought to be residing in Iran and hundreds of thousands in Israel. Israel's strikes over the last week have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Israel says Iranian attacks have killed 24 civilians in Israel. "The U.S. Department of State received no reports of U.S. citizen casualties in Israel or Iran," the second email said.
