News From Around the Web
#10 Rand Paul, Mike Lee Back Elon Musk Over Trump-Backed Bill: ‘We Can and Must Do Better’ - Elizabeth Crisp, Bryce Lipscomb, Rand Paul, Pro America Politics, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Richard Poole, and Being Libertarian on X
Republican Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah) are backing tech billionaire Elon Musk’s criticism of the House-approved version of President Trump’s agenda-setting megabill as it heads to the upper chamber for vetting. “We can and must do better,” Paul wrote on the social platform X on Tuesday in response to Musk’s post that slammed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a “disgusting abomination.” Lee also chimed in, writing, “The Senate must make this bill better,” in a reply to Musk. Musk’s blistering critique of the measure touted by Trump and House Republican leaders comes just days after the end of Musk’s White House role as a special adviser on government spending and de facto head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
#9 Trump Tax Bill Will Add $2.4 Trillion to the Deficit and Leave 10.9 Million More Uninsured, CBO Says - Lisa Mascaro, stepfanie tyler, Diane America First, Stephen MIller, Thomas Massie/Warren Davidson, Being Libertarian, Elon Musk, and Tom Elliot on X
President Donald Trump’s big bill in Congress would unleash trillions in tax cuts and slash spending, but also spike deficits by $2.4 trillion over the decade and leave some 10.9 million more people without health insurance, raising the political stakes for the GOP’s signature domestic priority. Republican leaders in Congress, determined to muscle the sweeping package forward, had little to say after the analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. GOP senators spent more than an hour at the White House in what they called a robust afternoon discussion with Trump. “We’re committed to making a law that will make the lives of the American people better,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said afterward. He vowed to “get this done one way or another.” But Democrats angling to halt the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, named after the president’s own catchphrase, piled on with relentless opposition.
#8 Trump Signs Travel Ban on Nationals From 12 Countries, Restrictions on 7 More - Jennifer Jacobs and Camilo Montoya-Galvez, The White House, End Wokeness, Nick Sortor, and Charlie Kirk on X
President Trump on Wednesday signed a proclamation barring travelers and immigrants from a dozen countries and restricting the entry of nationals of another seven nations, citing concerns about national security. Mr. Trump's proclamation fully bans the entry of foreigners from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. With certain exemptions, Mr. Trump's order bans citizens of those countries seeking to come to the U.S. permanently as legal immigrants, as well as temporary visa holders, like tourists. The president also partially suspended the entry of travelers and immigrants from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. That part of his proclamation applies to all prospective immigrants from these countries with visas to settle in the U.S. permanently and certain temporary visa holders. The ban is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 9...
#7 Operation Spiderweb: Satellite Images Show Russian Bombers Destroyed in Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack - Arpan Rai for Independent, Tony Seruga, Opress the Opressor, Boris Alexander Beissner, MAGA Cult Slayer, Fake Joe Biden, and National Interest on X
The impact of Ukraine’s audacious drone attack deep inside Russia over the weekend has been captured in satellite imagery which suggests a number of strategic bombers were severely damaged or outright destroyed. Carried out on Sunday, “Operation Spiderweb” was planned out over the course of 18 months and executed by Ukraine’s SBU security service. It saw truckloads of drones smuggled thousands of kilometres into Russian territory before they were unleashed close to airbases to destroy as many aircraft as possible, officials in Kyiv said...
#6 Putin Will Seek Revenge for Ukraine Drone Attack, Warns Trump - Bernd Debusmann Jr for BBC News, Valdo Valdese, Maddie Hale, CGTN Radio, and Jeffrey D Burgess on X
Vladimir Putin has said he will have to respond to Ukraine's major drone attack on Russian airbases, US President Donald Trump has warned. Speaking after a phone call with the Russian president, Trump said: "President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields." Russian officials declined to confirm this on Wednesday night, but Moscow had earlier said that military options were "on the table" for its response. Trump warned in a social media post that the phone call, which lasted more than an hour, would not "lead to immediate peace" between Russia and Ukraine...
#5 Pope Leo XIV Speaks by Phone With Russian President Putin - Vatican News, Michael Haynes, Catholic Arena, The Gateway Pundit, National Interest, and Inside Paper on X
On Wednesday afternoon, Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone, focusing especially on the war in Ukraine. Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, told reporters that the Pope and the President discussed the humanitarian situation, as well as the need to facilitate aid where necessary. "The Pope made an appeal for Russia to take a gesture that would favor peace, emphasizing the importance of dialogue to create positive contacts between the parties and seek solutions to the conflict," said the statement...
#4 Trump Orders Inquiry Into Biden’s Actions, Alleging ‘Cognitive Decline' - Kelly Ng for BBC, USA Daily News, Ocean News UK, Raylan Givens, Harry M. Rosenberg, and Newser on X
Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into Joe Biden's actions during his presidency, accusing aides of a "conspiracy" to "deceive the public about Biden's mental state". In this latest move to discredit his predecessor, Trump took aim at the aides' use of an autopen - a device that replicates signatures which presidents, including Trump, have used for decades - to sign executive actions. "This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history," Trump said on Wednesday. Biden slammed Trump's move as "ridiculous", saying his claims are aimed at distracting Americans as his administration works to extend tax breaks for the wealthy...
#3 David Jolly Announces 2026 Run for Florida Governor as a Democrat - Allison Petro for WESH 2, St. Politics and Poll Tracker, Augustine Record, Laura Jolly, The Mean Republican, CBS News Miami, Politico Pro, and Huff Post Politics on X
Former U.S. Rep. David Jolly officially announced Thursday morning his run for governor of Florida in 2026. In an interview with WESH 2, Jolly said voters in the Sunshine State are less interested in political parties and more interested in candidates who want to solve the real problems that affect people's lives. He said the real issues voters care about include skyrocketing property insurance premiums, expensive housing, access to quality schools, and safer communities. "This is a different type of issues-driven, results-focused campaign, and it will be driven not by anger and division but by optimism and solutions," Jolly said. "We are building a new coalition of Floridians who deeply care about their state and are desperate for real answers to real problems that are putting our quality of life at risk."
#2 Hakeem Jeffries Threatens to Unmask ICE Agents: ‘Every Single One … Will Be Identified’ - John Binder for Breitbart, Brian C. Lee, Hodgepodgery, WE HAVE SPIES IN WASHINGTON, The Scoop/Benny Johnson, and Combs JC on X
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D) is seemingly threatening to unmask Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, many of whom work undercover operations, saying Democrats will expose their identities “no matter what it takes.” During a press conference this week, Jeffries claimed that Democrats would seek out the identities of ICE agents who work to enforce federal immigration law by locating, arresting, and deporting illegal aliens — often violent, convicted criminals.“Every single ICE agent who is engaged in this aggressive overreach and are trying to hide their identities from the American people will be unsuccessful in doing that,” Jeffries said...
#1 Big Brands Are Pulling Back on Pride Merchandise and Events This Year - Nathaniel Meyersohn for CNN, Andrew T. Walker, Catholic Vote, John James, No room forwokeness, Elven Maid Inn/Grummz, and Facts Prime on X
For the last several years, Pride Month was a splashy marketing event for big brands. Stores adorned windows with rainbow flags, displayed LGBTQ-themed t-shirts and coffee mugs at their entrances, changed their logos on social media accounts, and spotlighted donations to LGBTQ rights groups. But this Pride Month, many retail chains and brands are going quiet. Companies are treading lightly, avoiding prominent campaigns and visible public support. Thirty-nine percent say they plan to scale back public Pride Month engagements this year, according to a survey of more than 200 corporate executives by Gravity Research, a risk management advisory. That includes sponsoring Pride events, posting supportive messages of LGBTQ rights on social media, and selling Pride-themed merchandise...