Don't ‘blackmail’ us: Europe rejects Trump's demand to help clean up Hormuz mess  —  BRUSSELS — Europe's message to Donald Trump on Monday was clear: We're not helping you secure the Strait of Hormuz.  —  Foreign ministers from the 27 EU countries gathered in Brussels to discuss …

Judge Strikes Down Kennedy's Vaccine Policies  —  Ruling on a lawsuit brought by several prominent medical organizations, a district court said the federal government did not base its decisions on science in limiting Covid shots and changing the childhood immunization schedule.

Trump briefed that Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is probably gay — and president has priceless reaction  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump was stunned to learn last week that US intelligence indicates new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may be gay — and that his father …

Trump Airs a House Republican's Terminal Diagnosis, Claiming to Have Reversed It  —  The president leaned on House Speaker Mike Johnson to name a Florida Republican whose grave prognosis was imperiling the party's already slim voting margin.  Both said his prospects had improved.

Trump is losing one battle after another.  Cue the posts. … Trump's Sunday night outburst took on all of them, but it was most notable for how he cast the Supreme Court — one that has staved off the destruction of his agenda and even his own criminal prosecution — as “a weaponized, and unjust Political Organization.”

Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino to retire from federal service, sources say  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Outspoken Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino is retiring from federal service at the end of this month, after being pulled away from a high-profile role leading immigration raids …

Why David Boies Thinks We Should Support Trump's Iran War  —  The prominent lawyer says that Democrats should get behind the President, and make sure that he finishes the job.  —  For decades, David Boies has been one of the most renowned and impactful lawyers in America.

‘No Amount of Housing We Build Is Going to Make Prices Drop’  —  A major new housing study is challenging the idea behind the “abundance agenda.”  —  As New York City rents have risen into the stratosphere in recent decades, City officials and policy wonks have mostly sought to respond …

Gamblers trying to win a bet on Polymarket are vowing to kill me if I don't rewrite an Iran missile story  —  Bettors are using death threats to try to get The Times of Israel's military correspondent to change his report on a missile impact in central Israel.  This is his alarming account

DOJ to Allow Hiring of US Prosecutors Straight Out of Law School  —  The Justice Department has waived a policy requiring newly hired federal prosecutors to possess at least one year of experience practicing law, as US attorneys' offices struggle to find qualified replacements following mass departures.

Trump's cancellation of licenses for immigrant truckers takes effect  —  Around 200,000 people will start losing commercial licenses under a federal rule that takes effect Monday, a move that could mean higher prices for consumers.  —  Some 200,000 immigrant truck drivers will begin to lose …

Atmospheric research group sues Trump over eminent science lab breakup  —  The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) sued the Trump administration Monday, alleging efforts to dismantle a Boulder-based federal lab are “unlawful retaliation” against the state of Colorado.

The War Development(s) That Should Truly Scare Us  —  How Iran could speed up de-dollarization and how Trump could put boots on the ground in Iran—sort of.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Housekeeping: With travel and our Texas live shows this week I'm not sure what the Triad schedule will look like.

Susie Wiles, Trump's White House Chief of Staff, Has Breast Cancer  —  Ms. Wiles said that the disease was caught in its early stages and that she would remain in her role.  —  Susie Wiles, President Trump's White House chief of staff and the first woman to ever hold that position …

Marines: ‘One-in-a-million’ malfunction caused explosion over I-5  —  SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KSWB/KUSI) — The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has determined that a “one-in-a-million” malfunction caused an artillery shell to explode over Interstate 5 and strike a California Highway Patrol vehicle with debris last year.

'The guy's a piece of s—t': SBF's pardon push falls flat in Congress … Crypto supporters aren't buying it.  —  “The guy's a piece of shit,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), a longtime crypto enthusiast who has championed industry-friendly legislation.  “The guy shouldn't be pardoned.

Kennedy Center board approves two-year closure for $250 million renovation  —  President Donald Trump said the closure was necessary and paves the way for renovations that will feature “high quality, really high quality construction.”  —  The Trump-appointed board of the Kennedy Center …

Fire on U.S. Aircraft Carrier Raged for Hours, Sailors Say  —  The Ford is now entering its 10th month of deployment after arriving in the Middle East from the Caribbean.  —  It took more than 30 hours for sailors to put out the fire aboard the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford last week …

I Wrote Research Funding Announcements for NIH for 22 Years.  This Year They've Published 14  —  For decades, the National Institutes of Health published between 650 and 850 Notices of Funding Opportunities each year.  These announcements tell the research community which diseases need study …

MAGA Turns on Itself, and It's Ugly  —  The Cross Section is a reader-supported publication.  To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.  —  There's a bit of a disagreement happening among influential media personalities in MAGA world, a rift opened up by the Iran War.

No, America is Not Respected  —  Thanks to Trump, we're held in contempt even by our closest allies  —  There's a real Baghdad Bob feel to pronouncements from the Trump administration these days.  The war is going great!  We've been totally victorious!  Also, other countries …

Video proves Delta flew Liam Ramos and his dad to ICE detention center  —  Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were flown to a Texas detention center via Delta Air Lines the day after they were captured by federal agents who allegedly used the 5-year-old boy as bait, according …

Poll: Israel's standing plummets among Democrats, fueling primaries on the left  —  More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively in the latest NBC News poll, driven by change among independents and especially Democrats.  —  American voters' feelings on Israel …

With Threats and Claims of ‘Treason,’ Trump Pressures Media on the War  —  A president who calls journalists the “enemy of the people” has accused news organizations of undermining a military effort that many Americans oppose.  —  The Trump administration has unleashed a multifaceted pressure campaign …

Senate GOP ready to move on elections bill  —  Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told reporters Monday the chamber will vote Tuesday to take up a House-passed elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.  The Wyoming Republican, whose job it is to help round up support, said he is …

'We're going to have a problem': Republicans want Trump to move on from 2020 … “I'm always one to believe you should look forward, not backward,” said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and Trump convention delegate who hosted a meeting of fake electors in 2020 at his Harrisburg-based public affairs firm.

Number of U.S. troops wounded in Iran war surpasses 200 across 7 countries  —  The injuries have occurred as Iran launches waves of missile and one-way attack drones in response to the Trump administration's expansive assault.  —  The number of U.S. troops who have been wounded or injured during …

Trump's Sunday night crashout  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray  —  Good Monday morning.  This is Jack Blanchard, loading up on bottled water and cans of beans and heading to the basement.  Good luck out there.  Get in touch.  —  Yes, we're still talking about the weather.

Cuban officials report an island-wide blackout as country struggles with energy crisis  —  Officials in Cuba reported an island-wide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen.  Cuba has blamed its woes on a U.S. energy blockade …

Appeals court allows Trump to swiftly deport migrants to third countries  —  A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration may keep swiftly deporting migrants to countries where they have no ties as a legal challenge unfolds.  —  The 2-1 vote on the U.S. Court of Appeals …