Trump's abrupt U-turn on a plan to re-open the Strait of Hormuz came after backlash from allies  —  Saudi Arabia, a key Gulf ally, suspended the U.S. military's ability to use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation, sources say.  The White House said the administration notified Middle East allies in advance.

Chief Justice John Roberts says American public wrongly views the justices as ‘political actors’  —  In remarks at a judicial conference, Roberts bemoaned what he characterized as the American public's misconceptions about the Supreme Court.  —  HERSHEY, Pa. — Chief Justice John Roberts …

Kash Patel's Personalized Bourbon Stash  —  One of J. Edgar Hoover's greatest reforms at the FBI was his embrace of fingerprinting.  During the 1930s, visitors to the FBI offices in Washington, D.C., received souvenir fingerprint cards featuring his name.  The men who succeeded him as FBI director …

Exclusive: How Trump's Minneapolis immigration blitz hobbled federal crime fighting  —  The Trump administration blitz that flooded Minnesota with immigration agents also dramatically slowed other federal investigations and prosecutions into an array of serious crimes, a Reuters review of federal court records found.

Purported Epstein Suicide Note Is Released  —  A federal judge released the note on Wednesday, which Jeffrey Epstein's former cellmate said he found in a graphic novel.  The New York Times has not authenticated that Mr. Epstein wrote it.  —  A federal judge has released a suicide note purportedly written …

Which Democrat could repair the damage Trump did?  — 7 min Click here to listen to this article  —  Democrats have a huge opportunity to make a huge difference.  But whether they'll grab it is a huge question.  —  In 2020, I wrote that voters were “weary, anxious and looking for salve” after President Trump's first term.

Grand Theft Oil Futures  —  Source: CNBC, Financial Times, BBC, Reuters  —  At this point it's almost routine: Almost every time Donald Trump makes a major announcement about the Iran War, that announcement is preceded — sometimes by only a few minutes — by huge and hugely profitable bets in the oil market.

At Least 79 Kids Have Been Harmed by Tear Gas or Pepper Spray During Trump's Immigration Crackdown  —  The children were walking to school in Broadview, Illinois, or leaving a shopping center in Columbus, Ohio.  They were at home in Minneapolis, or sitting in a stroller in Chicago …

Jet-Fuel Prices Are Spiking and Trump's Advisers Are Worried  —  Administration officials have spoken to the airline industry, which has voiced concerns about the rising costs  —  Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu delivered a warning to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a recent visit …

Susan Collins Says She Has Long Had a Benign Tremor  —  The Republican senator from Maine, running for re-election at age 73 in one of this year's top Senate races, made the disclosure after mounting online scrutiny on the left.  —  Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican seeking re-election …

Trump's Corruption Is Going to Sink Him  —  Conditions are right for voters to stop turning a blind eye to his greed, grift, and gold leaf.  —  DID YOU CATCH THE STORY ABOUT Trump trying to raid the Treasury to the tune of $10 billion?  Last week, a judge paused it, but Trump …

Another Well-Timed Oil Trade Ahead of Iran News Raises Eyebrows  —  Market watchers are drawing attention to yet another move in oil futures that came just before a big development in the U.S. war with Iran.  —  This time, a burst of selling preceded a Wednesday report from Axios …

The Confederacy rises again  —  PN is supported by paid subscribers.  Become one ⬇️  —  🧠 Subscribe to PN 🧠  —  When the Supreme Court smashed the last meaningful vestiges of the Voting Rights Act last week, it took literally a matter of hours …

Trump pardon recipients face congressional investigation over “pay-to-play” questions  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Senate and House Democrats have launched an investigation into whether pardons and commutations issued by President Trump were driven by “pay-to-play dynamics,” according to letters obtained by CBS News.

Why So Few Babies?  We Might Have Overlooked the Biggest Reason of All.  —  Raleigh Rivera and her husband had spent five years fine-tuning their parenthood plan: In 2025, they would move from Los Angeles, where they have been living since 2023, back to Ms. Rivera's hometown, Minneapolis …

Israeli attack kills son of Hamas leader negotiating with Trump-led board  —  An Israeli air strike has killed the son of Hamas' chief negotiator in U.S.-mediated talks over Gaza's future, a senior Hamas official said on Thursday, as leaders of the militant group held talks in Cairo aimed at safeguarding their truce with Israel.

‘HELLO BOSS’: Inside the Chinese Realtime Deepfake Software Powering Scams Around the World … “Oh my god.  Oh my god,” I yelled as I looked at my own face on someone else's body.  It was all there: my five o'clock shadow, my goofy grin, even the bags under my eyes.

New York's $268 Billion Budget Deal Includes New Second-Home Tax  —  Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a handshake budget deal with state lawmakers that also seeks to push back federal immigration enforcement in the state.  —  New York State leaders have reached a handshake agreement …

Campaign staffers tell NPR they make ‘thousands’ betting on their own candidates  —  It was a tight race, so a campaign staffer doubted the results of an unreleased poll showing their candidate up — by a lot.  —  The tip about the outside poll didn't match up with the campaign's internal numbers.

Kamala Harris wants the DNC to release its autopsy report of the 2024 campaign  —  Amid turmoil over the Democratic Party's future, Harris has been privately sounding out confidants about her own prospects. … As former Vice President Kamala Harris considers another run for president …

Trump wants to paint the Eisenhower office building white.  Now a key federal agency considers it  —  President Donald Trump's proposal to put a coat of white paint on the exterior of a 19th-century historic landmark building next to the White House is slated for a hearing Thursday …

The U.S. Ices Out Canada in Major Trade Pact Negotiations  —  Advocates want to extend the USMCA, though uncertainty remains with America's northern neighbor.  — Copy  —  Business and political leaders are bracing for another Trump administration-style trade showdown as efforts stumble …

The GOP's enthusiasm problem  —  Republicans would have turnout challenges in the 2026 midterm elections regardless of how President Donald Trump was doing.  After all, his base has proven they largely only come out in droves when his name is on the ballot.

Iran's President Says He Had Meeting With Injured Supreme Leader  —  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a rare public account of interactions with the country's head of state who's been in hiding since the start of the war with the US and Israel.

Exclusive: US aims for Fourth of July to deploy Qatar-gifted jet as Air Force One  —  The U.S. Air Force is targeting a Fourth of July delivery for a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that would join the Air Force One fleet in time for the nation's 250th anniversary, a U.S. official and a person familiar with the program said.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announces surprise resignation 6 months after reelection  —  Longtime Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles plans to step down less than halfway through her latest term leading the nation's 14th-largest city.  —  The five-term Democrat will resign June 30, spokesperson LaToya Evans said in a statement.

Oil Assets Deep Inside Russia Could Be Ablaze, Image Shows  —  A major refinery and an oil-pumping station deep inside Russia could be on fire again just days after being hit by Ukrainian drones.  —  Satellite images from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System reveal fresh heat spots …

Trump Keeps Saying He Wants to Leave NATO.  Maybe He Already Has.  —  President Trump is very, very disappointed in NATO.  He has been critical of the alliance for years, but the refusal of other members to participate in the war in Iran seems to have finally sunk his sense of its worth to zero — perhaps permanently.

The Billionaires Behind the Most Expensive Midterm Elections in History  —  Political committees have already raised $4.7 billion for the November contests as ultra-wealthy donors look to shape the final two years of Donald Trump's presidency.  —  Jeff Yass, the billionaire founder …

Justice Department can keep 2020 election ballots seized from Georgia's Fulton County, judge rules  —  The federal government can keep the 2020 election ballots from Georgia's Fulton County that were seized by the FBI from a warehouse near Atlanta, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Inside a MAGA influencer's turn against the right-wing machine  —  Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, has renounced her life as a pro-Trump provocateur.  —  Summary  —  Few MAGA influencers were as committed to the digital cause as Ashley St. Clair.

Trump's Affordability Push Stalls Ahead of Midterm Elections  —  The Trump administration's fitful campaign to address US voters' affordability concerns ahead of the midterm elections is faltering, with some key efforts stalled, cast aside or limited in scope.

The GOP Defeats Itself in Indiana  —  The entire effort cost $13.5 million, which could have gone to beating Democrats.  —  Hand it to President Trump.  He got the Indiana scalps he wanted.  He and his allies targeted seven incumbent Republican state senators up for re-election this year.