Trump could also tear down the Statue of Liberty, DOJ argues in defense of White House ballroom … “On these theories, I think that's right,” replied Yaakov Roth, a Justice Department attorney.  —  Millett, an Obama appointee, peppered Roth with questions about the extent …

Trump Urges ‘Less Shackled’ Pulte to Fire Intelligence-Community Employees  —  President said in interview Office of the Director of National Intelligence should be ‘much smaller’ and maybe even terminated  —  WASHINGTON—President Trump said he wants Bill Pulte, his incoming acting director …

Trump officials planned to mark 2.7 million living people as dead, whistleblower says  —  A former Social Security executive said the plan, which was not carried out, would have used a death database to pressure immigrants to leave the country.  —  Summary

Paramount's Weiss Woes … Over the last week, as Bari Weiss plunged CBS News into an unprecedented crisis by implementing her ill-advised overhaul of “60 Minutes,” other Paramount leaders have been left to deal with the fallout.  Indeed, Status has learned that the Weiss-induced turmoil …

Video: Police Tussle With Diabetes Experts at ADA Meeting  — Researchers told they could no longer attend the annual scientific sessions  —  NEW ORLEANS — Members of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) were escorted by police out of the convention center in New Orleans during …

Trump Keeps Immunity from I.R.S. Audits, Even as $1.8 Billion Fund Falls Away  —  Even as they rebelled against a $1.8 billion fund for President Trump's allies, Republicans looked the other way as his administration granted him potentially lucrative tax protections.

Trump Wants Lawyers' Files On Migrant Children  —  The Trump administration is withholding pay from legal aid groups while demanding they share confidential case data about unaccompanied migrant children fighting to remain in the country, according to records reviewed by The Lever.

The Supreme Court Has Invented a Right to Discriminate  —  Alabama gambled on the Court's partisanship, and won.  —  This week, the Roberts Court made clear that when it comes to drawing congressional districts, Black voters have no rights that anyone is bound to respect.

First on CNN: DOJ sends prosecutor to observe LA ballot counting amid Trump's baseless ‘cheating’ claims  —  The Justice Department sent one of its attorneys to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles Friday morning, the county's elections office told CNN, after President Donald Trump claimed earlier …

GOP squeezes Hegseth, but backs Pentagon rebranding: 4 NDAA takeaways  —  The House Armed Services Committee early Friday advanced a historically large defense policy bill that would authorize some $1.15 trillion for the Pentagon, giving service members a pay bump and supporting U.S. allies and acquisition reforms.

Trump Fumes as Republican Senator Delivers Todd Blanche an Ultimatum  —  President Trump is incensed by outgoing Republican Senator Thom Tillis's refusal to support Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general until he disavows January 6 insurrectionists.  —  “Tillis said he won't support …

Pentagon Cuts 180 Religious Identities From Military Personnel Records  —  The new policy, which the Pentagon framed as a largely administrative action, leaves just 31 religious categories to choose from, 22 of which are Christian.  —  The Defense Department will no longer allow military service members …

Trump Says He Still Wants To Pay Jan. 6 Rioters.  It Would Be Pretty Easy To Do So.  —  Jan. 6 rioters are betting that Trump will still have their backs — and there's an easy way he could pay them.  —  The $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to pay President Donald Trump's allies is …

Bill Pulte's Family Has Ties to “The Family”  —  Becoming a paid subscriber supports my reporting and keeps it free for everyone.  Thank you.  —  Incoming acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte's family has had extensive ties over two generations to leaders and financial backers …

How Bari Weiss's Free Press laundered MAGA talking points about refugees  —  Bari Weiss continues to take a hatchet to CBS News.  This week she fired longtime journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley after he angrily confronted her handpicked new editor for the program.

Trump Is Eyeing Control of Smithsonian's Budget  —  The administration is creating a conflict with how Congress intended its money be spent.  — Copy  —  A directive from the Office of Management and Budget could force the Smithsonian Institution to change its spending plans …

Trump Arch Will Need Red Lights, F.A.A. Says  —  The Federal Aviation Administration advised that if the Trump administration adds red obstruction lights to the arch design, it is likely to pose no risk to local aviation.  —  The Federal Aviation Administration said the Trump administration's plans …

Putin pours cold water on Zelensky meeting  —  Defense & National Security  —  The Big Story  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin poured cold water on the prospect of meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in person, arguing there is no reason to have diplomatic talks to potentially end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Platner ex-girlfriend accuses New York Times of ‘set up’  —  An ex-girlfriend of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner is expressing her frustration with The New York Times over the way it portrayed her and others' experience dating the Democrat.  —  Lyndsey Fifield, whom the Times quoted …

Treasury warns banks of ‘red flags’ tied to customers in the US illegally  —  Treasury's financial crimes arm wants banks to help identify payroll schemes tied to people living in the country illegally, as part of the Trump administration's latest measure to clamp down on immigration.

White House Explodes Over Viral Video of Sleepy Trump, 79  —  EYES WIDE SHUT  —  Trump's aides flew into attack mode amid renewed scrutiny of the president's health.  —  A viral video of Donald Trump sitting with his eyes closed sent the White House's social media operation into full meltdown mode.

Trump Says He, Not Congress, Is in Charge of Kennedy Center in Reversal  —  President Donald Trump floated that he'd remain in charge of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts just days after he said Congress would retain control over the institution.  —  “I'm the chairman, so we'll just keep it going.

Scoop: Trump's Iran envoys quietly convene nuclear experts in Tennessee  —  President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to the national lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on Thursday for consultations with a team of technical experts that could play a role in nuclear negotiations with Iran, Axios has learned.

Stocks Slide as Investors See Rates Rising After Strong Jobs Data  —  The S&P 500 fell more than 2 percent on Friday, on course for its worst one-day drop of the year and ending nine weeks of gains.  —  Stocks slumped on Friday, ending a long run of weekly gains, after stronger …

6 Republicans vote no on FISA extension  —  Six Republican senators sided with Democrats early Friday to vote against advancing an extension of warrantless spy powers set to expire next week, complicating efforts to keep those powers alive.  —  The procedural vote failed by a vote of 47-52 …

U.S. payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, much more than expected; unemployment at 4.3% … Job growth unexpectedly surged in May as the U.S. labor market continued a solid year of expansion, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.  —  Nonfarm payrolls jumped a seasonally adjusted 172,000 …

Talarico Orders a Texas BBQ Feast After Paxton's ‘Vegan’ Jab  —  James Talarico picked at the brisket with his bare hands and polished off a rack of pork ribs.  Sausage links and “Texas Twinkies” — stuffed jalapeño peppers wrapped in bacon — crowded the butcher paper on his overflowing tray of smoked meats.