Good evening everyone. Another extremely busy news day. For the first time, Donald Trump admitted the United States did not fully expect such a large response from Iran, after spending days attacking the media for reporting exactly that. At the same time, Trump is now saying he believes he will have “the honor of taking Cuba.” All of this comes as nearly every major American ally has either rejected his request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz or has simply not responded.
There is also a major settlement related to the Epstein case and Greg Bovino is retiring and may still face accountability. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, my comments that if the White House does not like the news it can “pound sand” clearly ruffled some feathers. But the truth is simple. The news is the news. I will not cave to this White House or to any billionaire interests. If they do not like the reporting, there is nothing I can do except keep reporting.
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Here’s the news:
- President Trump said he was surprised by the scope of recent Iranian attacks in the Middle East, stating that strikes targeting U.S. forces and interests spread to countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait when officials had not expected the conflict to expand that widely.
- Trump warned NATO allies they could face a “very bad future” if they refuse to help secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Iran war. He urged countries that benefit from Gulf oil shipments to contribute naval support, such as minesweepers, as Iran’s threat to close the strait has pushed global oil prices higher and raised concerns about energy supply.
- Several U.S. allies, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Australia, have pushed back on President Donald Trump’s call for NATO and other countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran restricted the key oil route following U.S.-Israeli strikes. European leaders say they want more clarity on U.S. strategy and prefer diplomacy to ending the war rather than joining a military effort, highlighting growing tensions between Washington and its allies.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the Iran war is not a matter for NATO, stressing the alliance is designed for defense rather than intervention and therefore should not be involved in the conflict.
- Trump said several countries are already sending support but declined to name them, stating that some allies are “really enthusiastic” and have already begun deploying forces, though it will take time for them to arrive.
- More than 200 U.S. troops have been injured during Operation Epic Fury, with 10 reported in serious condition, according to U.S. Central Command. Officials also confirmed for the first time that attacks on American forces have occurred across multiple countries in the region, including Israel, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
- Trump revealed that Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida had been facing a “terminal” heart condition and was reportedly told he had only months to live. Trump said he intervened by helping Dunn quickly receive treatment at Walter Reed, where the congressman underwent emergency surgery and has since seen improvements in his health.
- According to CNN, Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed Monday, causing a nationwide blackout across the island. Officials say it is the first total system failure since the U.S. effectively cut off oil supplies to Cuba. The outage marks the latest in a series of recent power crises and highlights the country’s worsening energy shortages and fragile infrastructure.
- Trump said he could potentially “take” or “free” Cuba, claiming he believes he could do “anything” he wants regarding the island. The remark framed Cuba as a target of possible U.S. action while praising the country as a “beautiful island” with great weather.
- According to The Guardian, Israel announced plans to expand its ground campaign in southern Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure, raising fears that Israeli forces could remain in the area for an extended period. The escalation has displaced large numbers of civilians and heightened concerns among residents and analysts that the operation could lead to a prolonged occupation similar to Israel’s past presence in southern Lebanon.
- White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer but plans to continue working while undergoing treatment. President Donald Trump said her prognosis is “excellent,” and Wiles said the cancer was detected early and that she remains committed to continuing her role during treatment.
- Bank of America has reached a settlement in a civil lawsuit brought by women who accused the bank of facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking by ignoring suspicious financial transactions linked to his abuse network. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed and still require court approval, but the settlement would cancel a planned trial and depositions related to the case.
- Trump reaffirmed his support for North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley despite backlash over allegations that Whatley previously supported a party activist who had been convicted of child sex crimes. The controversy has sparked criticism from members of both parties and within the state GOP, raising concerns about the political impact on the Senate race.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded nearly $100 million in Pentagon cybersecurity contracts to M.C. Dean, a contractor previously hit by a major data breach that exposed sensitive personal information of tens of thousands of people. The decision has drawn criticism given Hegseth’s own past scrutiny over a security scandal involving the use of the Signal messaging app to discuss sensitive military information.
- A federal judge blocked changes to the U.S. pediatric vaccine schedule and suspended Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointments to the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel (ACIP), ruling they likely violated federal law and pausing all recent committee votes while the lawsuit proceeds.
- According to the Wall Street Journal, the Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing a proposal that would eliminate the requirement for companies to report earnings quarterly, instead allowing them to disclose financial results only twice a year. The change, if adopted, could significantly alter corporate reporting practices and how investors track company performance.
- U.S. Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino, who became a prominent figure in President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, will retire at the end of the month after being removed from his role as CBP commander at large earlier this year and reassigned as sector chief in El Centro, California. His tenure drew controversy over large-scale enforcement operations and clashes with courts and officials, including criticism from a federal judge over the use of chemical agents during protests and disputed claims about threats from immigrants and demonstrators. Governor Pritzker says that Bovino will still be held accountable:
- The Kennedy Center’s board, largely appointed by President Donald Trump, unanimously approved a plan to close the performing arts venue for two years for renovations. Critics warn the shutdown could severely disrupt programming, staff, donors, and artists, while supporters say the closure will allow construction upgrades to be completed more quickly.
- An Afghan asylum seeker who previously worked with U.S. military forces in Afghanistan died in ICE custody in Texas less than 24 hours after being detained. Advocacy groups are calling for an investigation into the death of 41-year-old Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, which comes amid record detention levels and multiple deaths this year during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
- The BBC has asked a federal judge to dismiss President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuit over a documentary about the January 6 attack. The broadcaster argues the Florida court lacks jurisdiction because the program was not aired or distributed in the United States and says widespread coverage of Trump’s actions at the time means the film could not have significantly harmed his reputation.
See you soon.
— Aaron
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