Morning Announcements

Today's Headlines: Trump attended the G7 in France while touting his Iran deal as a global security breakthrough, despite refusing to release the actual terms — which Iranian state media helpfully shared anyway: Iran gets $24 billion in unfrozen funds plus a $300 billion reconstruction fund, the Strait reopens in 30 days under Iranian arrangements, and the US commits to full withdrawal and non-interference, which Netanyahu is reportedly furious about across every dimension. The deal is technically a nonbinding "memorandum of understanding," not an actual agreement, and the real terms won't be released until it's signed in Switzerland on Friday, so we're essentially taking Iran's word for it. Markets didn't care — stocks shot up and oil fell — which is the most functional thing to happen all week. The Kennedy Center, now controlled by Trump's handpicked loyalists, announced a new endowment in Trump's name to honor his "significant contributions," which is one way to get around a court order removing it from the facade. In revenge lawsuits news, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the DOJ is investigating him, his wife, family, and former staff, calling it political retaliation for considering a 2028 presidential run — and separately, DOJ antitrust lawyers who spent months scrutinizing Paramount's Warner Brothers acquisition and were leaning toward challenging it were blindsided when senior DOJ leadership suddenly closed the investigation and approved the merger on Friday. Anthropic disabled its new Mythos and Claude Fable 5 models less than a week after release, following a Trump administration order citing national security concerns and a claimed jailbreak vulnerability — this comes after the Defense Department designated Anthropic a supply chain risk after the company refused to let the government use its AI for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. The UK banned children under 16 from all social media platforms effective spring 2027, though Australia enacted a similar ban seven months ago and found 70% of kids under 16 just used VPNs to get around it, so. Finally, Mitch McConnell was hospitalized again on Sunday, is apparently doing better, and remains the only missing congressman anyone notices.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The Hill: Kennedy Center establishing new endowment in Trump’s name

AP News: Trump heads to G7 summit with wind at his back after announcing agreement aimed at ending Iran war

NBC: Trump and Iran reach tentative deal to end war, reopen Hormuz

WSJ: Israel Is Alarmed by Trump’s Deal With Iran

AP News: Stocks leap worldwide, and oil prices drop after the US and Iran reach a tentative deal on their war

Axios: California Gov. Newsom says he's under investigation by the Justice Department

WSJ: Justice Department Decision to Allow Paramount Deal Surprised Staff Investigators

WIRED: Anthropic Says It’s Taking Claude Fable 5 Offline to Comply With US Government Order

WIRED: The UK Places a Sweeping Ban on Social Media for Kids Under 16

WDRB: Sen. Rand Paul says Mitch McConnell is ‘doing better’ in the hospital

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Today's Headlines: Trump's 80th birthday UFC fight at the White House went ahead as planned, sponsored by Meta, Polymarket, Bud Light, and Monster Energy, with fighters' bonuses paid in Trump crypto instead of actual dollars, weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial, and a crowd of million-dollar VIP ticket holders plus military members pre-screened for waist-to-height ratio — just as the Founders intended. The $14 million reflecting pool renovation, completed mere days ago, is already growing green algae because the color choice is algae growth friendly, which is a perfect metaphor. The Kennedy Center name removal deadline came and went with maximum drama — the Trump administration filed last-minute court motions to stop it, millions watched a live stream of construction workers put up a giant tarp, though the tarp remains up for unclear reasons. On the war beat, The US and Iran reportedly agreed on a peace deal, with a formal signing scheduled for Friday in Switzerland — terms not fully disclosed because the administration was busy with the birthday cage match — but the Navy blockade will end and the Strait of Hormuz will open toll-free when signed, kicking off 60 days of nuclear negotiations. The deal was briefly delayed by Israel launching strikes on Beirut, prompting Trump to tell Axios "Why did Bibi have to do a f---ing attack? I was so pissed off. He has no f---ing judgement" — which is a remarkable thing to say about your closest ally on your birthday. On the erosion of free press, the DOJ approved Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery, with Bari Weiss reportedly set to oversee CNN as well as CBS News after the deal closes, because apparently the documented viewership collapse at CBS wasn't enough of a red flag. And finally, Argentina's Javier Milei submitted legislation to create a legal category for "non-human corporations" — essentially corporate personhood for AI systems — as part of his plan to make Argentina the Silicon Valley of unregulated AI, which Peter Thiel is presumably thrilled about.

Resources/Articles mentioned: 

NBC News: No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event

The Guardian: UFC to pay White House fighters in crypto issued by Trump company

TikTok: MAYBE WE’LL NEVER EVER TAKE IT DOWN | eiffel tower

Yahoo: A tarp now covers where Trump's name used to hang at the Kennedy Center

The Independent: Algae in the Reflecting Pool started growing just days after Trump’s $14M renovation: report

Axios: Scoop: Trump aides fear Haberman and Swan obtained Situation Room tapes for "Regime Change"

USA Today: CBS won't air UFC White House event, viewers will need Paramount+ to watch

The Guardian: Gee, whiz: elephant relieves itself on floor of Texas Republican convention 

WSJ: U.S. and Iran Say They Have Reached a Deal to Stop Fighting

NY Post: CBS News boss Bari Weiss poised to oversee CNN editorial operations: report

Axios: Scoop: Paramount seeks business counterpart for Bari Weiss at CBS News

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: SpaceX went public today raising $75 billion at a $1.77 trillion valuation, making Elon Musk humanity's first trillionaire. Moving on, Trump spent Thursday morning threatening to seize Iran's main oil hub Kharg Island, then hours later cancelled strikes because Iran "approved a draft agreement" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of nuclear negotiations — except Iran's own state media reported no agreement had been approved and that "the Americans kept changing their positions," though the stock market had its best day in two months anyway because the concept of a deal is apparently enough for Wall Street. In voter suppression news, the USPS quietly changed its rules to require states to hand over voter lists for anyone requesting mail-in ballots, with 23 states suing to stop it and the first judge already declining to block it, because of course they did. Trump dropped Bill Pulte as acting DNI after even Republicans said no, replacing him with Jay Clayton — Manhattan US Attorney, former SEC chair, and someone with no intelligence experience but a strong track record of loyalty to Trump. The DOJ is subpoenaing JP Morgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo to investigate alleged "debanking" of conservatives, with the primary evidence being that Trump lost his bank accounts after January 6th, and a DOJ staffer working on Traitor Fund legislation quietly asked to recuse himself because he was planning to file a claim from the same fund he's helping write. In Trump shenanigans news, his birthday UFC cage fight is set up on the White House lawn — with rain in the forecast — and workers will operate 20 hours a day year-round to build his gold arch in DC by the end of his term. And finally, Vance Boelter, the Minnesota man who posed as a police officer and murdered the Democratic speaker of Minnesota's state house, her husband, and their dog, pleaded guilty and received two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

WSJ: SpaceX Officially Raises $75 Billion in Record-Breaking IPO

Axios: Why Kharg Island is central to Trump's escalating Iran threats

Axios:Trump cancels Iran strikes as mediators claim deal close

AP News: US stocks jump, and oil prices ease on hopes for a deal to get crude flowing globally again

CNN: Postal Service won’t deliver mail ballots for states that don’t hand over voter lists, under plan for Trump directive 

Axios: Trump picks Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence

Lever News: The Epstein Prosecutor With A Portfolio Problem

WSJ: Jeanine Pirro’s Prosecutors Probe Big Banks for Alleged ‘Debanking’

Politico: Top DOJ official planned to make a claim with Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’

AP News: Man pleads guilty to killing a top Minnesota Democrat and her husband while posing as an officer

AP News: Lights! Camera! Cage match! The White House lawn's Octagon is ready for Trump's 80th birthday bash

AP News: Administration plans intensive, year-round construction schedule for Trump's triumphal arch

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Bill Gates testified before the House Oversight Committee that Epstein tried to blackmail him after he tried to distance himself, saying he never went to the island or witnessed criminal conduct — the standard answer at this point — while a New York Times excerpt from an upcoming Haberman/Swan book revealed the White House Situation Room freakout over the Epstein files last July, with JD Vance emerging as a conspiracy theorist who wanted full file release and suggested Tucker Carlson interview Ghislaine Maxwell to clear Trump, while the administration quietly panicked over a specific sex allegation about Trump. On the war beat, the US launched strikes for the second consecutive night, Pete Hegseth announced they would "negotiate with bombs," Iran responded by attacking Bahrain and Kuwait and closing the Strait of Hormuz with a shoot-on-sight policy for any ship attempting to pass — the Dow fell nearly 1,000 points, the Nasdaq closed down 2%, inflation came in at 4.2% the worst in three years driven by energy prices, and Trump said "I love the inflation," which he said out loud. New reporting found at least 500 babies and toddlers in ICE custody during Trump's second term, averaging 25 per day and ten times higher than under Biden. The EU warned Albania that the Kushner Sazan Island resort could jeopardize their EU membership bid, as tens of thousands of Albanians enter their tenth day of protests. The White House launched an official "Media Offenders" page categorizing journalists under headers like "Left-Wing Lunacy" and "Malpractice." And finally, Nancy Mace abandoned her congressional seat to run for South Carolina governor, finished fifth in the primary, and announced she's "headed back to the private sector as the founders intended."

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NYT: Bill Gates Says Epstein Tried to Use His Extramarital Affairs Against Him

NYT: Inside Trump’s White House, the Epstein Files Caused a Freako

NYT: Live Updates: U.S. Strikes Iran Again After Trump Says Talks Are Taking Too Long

Reuters: Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz after US attacks

WSJ: Stock Market Today: Dow, Nasdaq Open Lower; Inflation Rises to 4.2% — Live Updates

CNBC: CPI inflation report May 2026: Prices rose 4.2% annually

MS Now: Jacob Soboroff: ICE detained over 500 babies and toddlers under Trump

The Independent: Trump administration says Somali referee denied US entry over links to ‘terror organisation’ suspects

Noise 11: Trump White House ‘Media Offenders' List Sparks New Press Freedom Debate In America

Euronews: ‘Act without delay’: Brussels warns Albania over Trump-linked resort project

The Hill: Mace ‘headed back to private sector’ after congressional term ends

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Iran shot down a US Army helicopter yesterday, the US responded with strikes on Iranian air defense systems, both crew members are stable, and stock futures dropped immediately — so the ceasefire is going great. Meanwhile, the World Cup starts tomorrow and the Trump administration is already making it a disaster: the best male referee in Africa was denied entry despite a valid visa, the Iraqi team's vice captain was detained for seven hours at O'Hare, the team photographer was turned away entirely, and Trump is preemptively blaming Europe for any Ebola outbreaks despite zero confirmed cases there. Meanwhile, the House voted to give ICE and Border Patrol $70 billion more for immigration enforcement — $38 billion to ICE, $26 billion to Border Patrol, and a breezy $5 billion for "unforeseen costs." Anthropic's cofounder published a blog post asking leading AI labs to consider pausing frontier AI development, comparing it to nuclear nonproliferation — the response was a collective "no," with some calling it self-serving given everyone's upcoming IPOs — and this comes as Anthropic is reportedly preparing to release Claude Fable 5, a model it deemed too dangerous for public release just six months ago. Epstein assistant Lesley Groff testified before the House Oversight Committee claiming she "never saw anything improper" after two decades of keeping Epstein's entire schedule, which the committee found highly inconsistent. Tom Steyer conceded the California governor's race, Trump kept pushing election fraud conspiracies about California to the point that a congressman reported a friend canceling their voter registration over Spencer Pratt, and Ken Paxton's own former impeachment attorney endorsed Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race, saying Paxton is too focused on appeasing Trump to be a good senator. And finally, NASA announced the Artemis III crew of four astronauts who will orbit Earth practicing lunar lander docking in preparation for a 2028 moon landing — assuming Blue Origin delivers its lander on time, which is uncertain after one of its rockets exploded during a test.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

AP News: US and Iran launch airstrikes after Trump blamed Tehran for downing Army helicopter

CNBC: Stock futures slip after U.S. launches ‘self-defense strikes’ against Iran: Live updates

NYT: U.S. Denies Entry to World Cup Referee From Somalia

NYT: Iraq World Cup star Aymen Hussein questioned for ‘seven hours’ by U.S. immigration officials

Axios: Scoop: Trump admin pre-blames Europe for any World Cup Ebola

AP News: House passes $70B bill to fund immigration enforcement for 3 years, sending to Trump

MS Now: Longtime Epstein assistant denies knowledge of his crimes to House Oversight Committee

Business Insider: What smart people are saying about Anthropic suggesting a global AI pause

WSJ: Anthropic Releases Fable 5, a ‘Mythos-Class’ AI Model With Guardrails

WaPo: Maine Senate primary election live results: Graham Platner runs

X: X | Ro Kanna 

AP News: Ken Paxton's attorney in his impeachment trial endorses James Talarico in US Senate race

AP News: NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices