I waited longer this evening to bring you the report because of the fast moving timeline right now in the Middle East. It is shaping up to potentially be a very long night, so if you believe in independent journalism that speaks truth to power, now’s the time to support it. A subscription helps keep this work going—unfiltered, relentless, and accountable.
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Here’s the news of the day:
The U.S. is on heightened alert amid growing fears that Israel might launch a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities without U.S. approval. Intelligence officials have become increasingly uneasy about the possibility, prompting the State Department on Thursday to order the evacuation of diplomats from both the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the Consulate in Erbil. “We’re watching closely and we’re concerned,” said a senior diplomat in the region. “This feels more serious than any previous moment,” according to The Washington Post.
The U.S. has instructed all embassies that could be within Iran’s strike range to hold emergency meetings and determine what steps they are taking to reduce potential threats.
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton says the Pentagon believes Iran is currently making efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.
The U.S. is planning to pull its diplomats out of Iraq and remove staff from other locations in the region due to escalating tensions with Iran.
According to The Washington Post, U.S. intelligence officials are becoming more worried that Israel might decide to attack Iran’s nuclear sites without getting approval from the United States.
When asked about today’s announced evacuation of diplomats and military families from the Middle East, Trump said, “They’re being moved because the area could become dangerous. We’ll see what happens. Iran is not allowed to have a nuclear weapon—plain and simple.”
Video footage reportedly shows an Israeli "Iron Dome" surface-to-air missile battery being moved near Silwad in the West Bank tonight, as multiple Israeli sources report a broader increase in air-defense system deployments around key locations across Israel.
A National Guard commander confirmed that Guard members have already temporarily detained civilians during the protests in Los Angeles.
City officials in Downey confirmed that an elderly man dropping off his granddaughter at school was among several people detained during an immigration raid on Wednesday. Federal agents made arrests at multiple locations, including Home Depot, L.A. Fitness, Our Lady of Perpetual Help church and school, and Downey Memorial Christian Church, where local pastors and community members confronted the officers and demanded identification.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed it is operating Predator drones over Los Angeles to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ICE has ordered its 30 field offices to meet new quotas for I-9 audits, signaling a major ramp-up in worksite enforcement. Trump’s Border Czar says this will be the most aggressive effort of its kind in U.S. history, and employers should expect increased scrutiny.
What was meant to be a routine morale-boosting visit by President Trump to Fort Bragg turned into a highly politicized event, as he delivered a partisan speech that drew cheers and boos from uniformed soldiers—blurring the line between the military and politics. Behind the scenes, internal communications revealed that troops were handpicked based on appearance and political leanings, raising serious concerns about violations of Pentagon rules and the erosion of the military’s nonpartisan stance.
Trump's press secretary suddenly ended her own briefing after becoming visibly frustrated by a series of tough questions about free speech.
David Hogg is no longer in the running for the DNC; he won’t be participating in the newly announced vice chair elections. Malcolm Kenyatta is now the sole candidate for the male vice chair position, while the three women who lost to Hogg in February will compete for the second seat.
A federal judge has ruled that Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist, cannot be detained based on the Trump administration’s justification. However, the judge did not immediately order his release.
All 12 members of the board overseeing the State Department’s Fulbright Program have resigned, citing political interference from the Trump administration. They said they chose to step down “overwhelmingly” rather than support what they called unprecedented and legally questionable actions.
A nonprofit in Wisconsin has filed a legal complaint accusing Elon Musk of illegally bribing voters by offering cash prizes as part of an effort to help conservatives gain control of the state Supreme Court.
The Trump White House is having trouble finding senior advisers for Pete Hegseth, with at least three individuals declining the roles. These top Defense Department positions are usually seen as prestigious and tend to draw several qualified applicants.
Just two days after disbanding the CDC’s entire vaccine advisory panel, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed eight new members—many of whom have criticized the government’s Covid-19 response. Kennedy said the previous panel had conflicts of interest and promised the new group, which includes figures like mRNA critic Dr. Robert Malone, will push for clear safety and efficacy data before recommending any vaccines, including upcoming discussions on Covid-19 and HPV shots.
Senator Rand Paul criticized the White House for what he called “immaturity” and “petty vindictiveness” after he and his family, including his infant grandson, were disinvited from the annual bipartisan White House picnic. Paul, who has been outspoken against Trump’s sweeping policy bill, said the uninviting seemed like retaliation and said it caused him to lose a lot of respect for the president.
Elon Musk called President Trump on Monday night, according to sources, and later expressed regret over some of his recent social media posts criticizing the president. The brief call followed earlier conversations Musk had with Vice President JD Vance and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, during which they discussed his public fallout with Trump.
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After the talks, Musk deleted some of his harshest posts—such as one referencing Jeffrey Epstein and another supporting Trump’s impeachment—and acknowledged on X that he had gone too far. Meanwhile, Trump allies have been working behind the scenes to mend the rift and gain Musk’s support for the president’s domestic policy bill.
Tulsi Gabbard says she uploaded thousands of classified JFK documents into an AI chatbot to help determine which ones she can legally release to the public.
The Justice Department has issued a new legal opinion stating that President Trump has broad authority to revoke national monument protections established by previous presidents.
The May 27 memo challenges a long-held interpretation of the Antiquities Act, asserting that the power to designate protected lands also includes the power to rescind those designations—potentially paving the way for large-scale rollbacks to open up land for energy and mineral development. Environmental groups strongly condemned the opinion, arguing it defies decades of legal precedent and threatens public lands widely supported by Americans.
Harvey Weinstein was convicted on one charge in his sex crimes retrial, acquitted on another, and the jury couldn't reach a verdict on a third, resulting in a mixed outcome for both sides. The partial verdict followed a tense day in court, with the jury foreperson saying he felt pressured and Weinstein making a dramatic plea to the judge to end the trial, claiming it was unfair.
The White House is seeking to reduce funding for the 988 suicide and crisis hotline that supports LGBTQ+ youth. Advocates warn that this move could have life-threatening consequences for vulnerable kids.
See you in the morning.
— Aaron
