Today's Headlines: Trump had a full episode between 1am and sunrise Tuesday, posting dozens of times about the 2020 election, the reflecting pool, and Barack Obama — before waking up and telling reporters he doesn't think about Americans' financial situations "at all." He also disowned his favorite pool guy after the reflecting pool paint job came out bubbly, uneven, and full of holes, despite having previously bragged about this being the greatest pool contractor in history — he then flew to China to meet Xi Jinping, bringing 16 CEOs including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, to meet with the country actively helping Iran win his war. On the war front, the Pentagon is considering renaming the conflict "Operation Sledgehammer" — not just rebranding, but a legal strategy to restart the 60-day congressional authorization clock — while Hegseth told Congress the $29 billion war could resume without their approval, which even some Republicans found uncomfortable but not uncomfortable enough to act on. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Kash Patel denied the drinking allegations before Congress and offered to take an alcohol disorder test only if Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen takes it with him, which is a choice. In Epstein files news, Democrats held a field hearing in Palm Beach where Epstein survivors testified, including one woman appearing publicly for the first time only because her name was published unredacted in the files, who revealed Epstein was assaulting her while in prison and that she couldn't report it because her visa was tied to him — one of at least 55 people whose immigration status was connected to his estate. In a completely under-covered story, the former mayor of Arcadia, California pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal foreign agent for China after running a fake local news site publishing pro-China propaganda on government directives. And finally, Stephen Colbert's late night show ends next Thursday, closing out with Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and both Jimmys — which was a good TV moment in an otherwise chaotic week.

Resources/Articles mentioned: 

CNN: In wild late-night posting spree, Trump attacks Obama with imaginary quote and false conspiracy theories

NBC News: Trump says he’s not thinking about Americans’ finances ‘even a little bit’ in Iran talks 

NYT: Reflecting Pool Repairs Appear Uneven and Behind Schedule, Officials Say

NYT: Trump to Be Joined by Elon Musk and Other CEOs at Xi Summit in China

NBC News: Pentagon considering renaming Iran war ‘Sledgehammer’ if ceasefire collapses

AP News: Hegseth gets bipartisan grilling on rising costs of the Iran war and Trump's end game

The Hill: Patel agrees to take alcohol test after heated exchange with Van Hollen

The Guardian: Epstein survivors give tearful testimony in House field hearing in Palm Beach

ABC News: California mayor charged with acting as illegal agent for China

NYT: Stephen Colbert Hosts 4 of His ‘Best Television Friends’

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: The Iran ceasefire is on "massive life support" per Trump, while Iran's foreign minister insists their latest proposal was reasonable — and the administration responded by sanctioning 12 companies helping ship Iranian oil to China, days before Trump flies to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, where that will definitely not be awkward. This is further complicated by reports that China was preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran last month, meaning both China and Russia are now actively supporting Iran, great. On the Hantavirus front, 18 Americans from the cruise are back in the US, at least 2 appear infected, and the other 16 are being monitored at a federally funded biocontainment facility in Nebraska — the WHO still says global risk is low and this is not another COVID. In other news, Trump's plan to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool "American flag blue" was quoted at $1.8 million — it's actually $13.1 million, no other contractors were allowed to bid, and the justification was that delays would cause "serious injury to the government." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy filmed a road trip reality show visiting historic landmarks, which a watchdog group alleges was sponsored by Toyota, Boeing, and United Airlines — companies he's supposed to regulate — through a conveniently named nonprofit funded by auto companies. Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Max Miller was accused in court filings of throwing boiling water on his ex-wife while their 2-year-old was present — also not his first abuse accusation, having previously been accused of assault by then-White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham in 2020. Texas sued Netflix for spying on children, collecting user data without consent, selling viewing habits to data brokers, and designing the platform to be addictive — Netflix says the lawsuit lacks merit. The guy who stormed the White House Correspondents Dinner pleaded not guilty, with his attorneys arguing that both acting AG Todd Blanche and Jeanine Pirro should recuse themselves since they were both at the dinner. And finally, NBC is launching a Wordle game show hosted by Savannah Guthrie and Jimmy Fallon. 

Resources/Articles mentioned:

AP News: Passengers from virus-stricken cruise ship fly to home countries for monitoring

CNN: Live updates: Trump says ceasefire with Iran on ‘massive life support’ after he rejects Tehran’s proposal

NYT: Reflecting Pool Repairs to Cost $13.1 Million. Trump Had Promised $1.8 Million

Reuters: Netflix sued by Texas for allegedly spying on children, addicting users

The Hill: Watchdog group asks Transportation IG to probe Duffy’s ‘road trip’ with family

Yahoo: MAGA Congressman Accused of Beating and Burning His Ex-Wife

AP News: Man charged in White House correspondents' dinner attack pleads not guilty

NYT: Wordle to Become Prime-Time TV Show, With Savannah Guthrie as Host

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: Trump kicked off the week rejecting Iran's latest peace proposal with "I don't like it — totally unacceptable," while a confidential Economist document reveals Russia offered Iran 5,000 advanced drones and training for 10,000 soldiers to use them against American troops. Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn't been seen publicly since being severely injured in the airstrike that killed most of his family, complicating Iran's ability to negotiate. Someone also unveiled a 22-foot golden Trump statue at a Florida golf course, which his evangelical adviser insists is definitely not idol worship. In the redistricting wars, Virginia's Supreme Court struck down the congressional map that Virginia voters just voted for — the same court that previously cleared it — handing Republicans a significant midterm advantage before the south has even finished gerrymandering. Trump announced an "election integrity army" in every state this November, the FBI opened a new investigation into Wisconsin's 2020 election results, and the DOJ subpoenaed Fulton County for the names of every 2020 election worker, which Fulton County is fighting in court. To distract from all of this, the Pentagon started releasing UFO files, which is a thing that is happening. In brain worm updates, RFK Jr. is reportedly exploring banning certain SSRIs including Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro — his department denied it, though he just announced initiatives to reduce SSRI prescriptions. The Trump administration is also planning to cut Social Security disability benefits for people living with family members by up to a third, potentially affecting 400,000 people — call your congresspeople. Trump Media posted a $405 million loss on just $900,000 in revenue, 600,000 MAGA fans who paid a nonrefundable deposit for the Trump Phone in 2025 still don't have their devices and are finally revolting, and the Hantavirus cruise passengers are being carefully evacuated home from the Canary Islands with isolation protocols in place. And finally, Rudy Giuliani — who was read his last rites last week — is attempting to get his hospital bills covered by a federal fund for 9/11 first responders, which is one way to handle bankruptcy.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Newsweek: Pastor defends Golden Trump statue from biblical backlash

WSJ: Trump Blasts Iran's Response on Reopening Hormuz, Handling Uranium

The Economist: Secret document reveals Russia’s plans to aid Iran

NYT: Virginia Court Strikes Down Redistricted Voting Map in a Huge Blow to Democrats

Advance Local: Trump: GOP will have ‘election integrity army’ in every state during 2026 midterms

Wausau Pilot & Review: FBI is investigating Wisconsin's 2020 election, sources confirm - 

PBS: Justice Department seeks the names of 2020 election workers in Georgia's Fulton County

NBC News: Pentagon releases declassified UFO files including videos and photos held by the government for decades

Politico: Wiles cracks down on leaks

CNBC: U.S. payrolls jump more than expected, but the report had several red flags for the economy

The Daily Beast: MAGA Fans Revolt Over Trump Phone Disaster

Bloomberg: Trump Media Posts $405 Million Loss Driven by Crypto Holdings

CNN: Live updates: Hantavirus outbreak, passengers disembark cruise ship in Tenerife

Reuters: Exclusive: Kennedy's health officials explored US ban of some widely used antidepressants

ProPublica: The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families

The Daily Beast: Rudy Giuliani Wants 9/11 Health Fund to Cover His Medical Bills

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: The Iran war is very much back on — Trump threatened Iran with "one big glow," called the exchange of fire "just a love tap," and bragged about sinking small boats, while US intelligence confirmed Iran still has about 70% of its missiles intact despite Trump claiming it's down to 18-19%. Gas prices have hit $4.50 a gallon — up over 50% since the war started — with CEOs warning that consumer spending is collapsing and everyone is borrowing to get by. Shell, meanwhile, posted $7 billion in Q1 profits, more than double the previous quarter, which seems fine. As if the war weren't enough to worry about, on the redistricting beat, Tennessee signed a new map eliminating the state's one Democratic seat by splitting Memphis into four suburban districts, Alabama passed their gerrymandering legislation while tornado sirens blared and the building flooded, and Mississippi is planning their own special session in a Jim Crow-era capitol that's been a museum for years. On top of that, Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Cuba's state-owned industries and military conglomerate, while the State Department quietly beefs up disaster preparedness in South Florida in anticipation of further Cuba hostilities. Somehow Kash Patel is in the news again, he reportedly ordered polygraphs for over two dozen staff to find out who talked to The Atlantic about his drinking, while launching a criminal leak investigation against the reporter he's also suing for $250 million. Elsewhere, Trump's 10% tantrum tariff was ruled illegal by the Court of International Trade, Elon Musk was formally summoned by the French government to cooperate in their X investigation after skipping a voluntary interview — with Trump's DOJ calling it a "criminally charged criminal proceeding" — and Kalshi raised a billion dollars bringing its valuation to $22 billion, which means someone should probably check if their headquarters exists. And finally, a ransomware attack on Canvas knocked out coursework for students at over 3,000 schools, which is either a crisis or the greatest thing ever depending on your GPA.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Axios: Iran and U.S. exchange fire in Strait of Hormuz

Bloomberg: Consumers Are ‘Running Out of Money’ and Cutting Back, CEOs Warn

Bloomberg: Consumers Are ‘Running Out of Money’ and Cutting Back, CEOs Warn

NYT: Shell Reports Nearly $7 Billion Profit After Oil Prices Surged Amid U.S.-Iran War

WaPo: U.S. intelligence says Iran can outlast Trump’s Hormuz blockade for months

Axios: Rubio announces new Cuba sanctions

Mother Jones: After SCOTUS Destroyed the Voting Rights Act, Southern States Rush to Pass Jim Crow Voting Maps

WVLT: TN governor signs new congressional map into law, dividing Memphis and marking end of special session

The New Republic: Alabama Republicans Vote to Pass New Map as Tornado Sirens Blare

The Guardian: Mississippi house to hold redistricting session at Jim Crow era capitol

MS Now: Kash Patel ordered polygraphs of more than two dozen members of his team, sources say

NYT: Trade Court Rules Trump’s 10% Global Tariff Is Illegal

WSJ: Elon Musk Summoned to France to Face Criminal Charges

NYT: Kalshi, The Prediction Market, Is Now Valued At $22B 

WSJ: Harvard, Berkeley and Thousands of Schools Suffer Cyber Outage

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: A federal judge unsealed what the DOJ claims is Jeffrey Epstein's suicide note yesterday — found tucked inside a graphic novel by his former cellmate. On related Epstein news, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified behind closed doors at the House Oversight Committee about his relationship with Epstein, his former next-door neighbor whom he claimed to find "disgusting," and yet somehow visited Epstein's island for lunch with his family and several nannies after Epstein's 2008 conviction — his explanation being that he only meant he wouldn't have a "1 on 1" relationship with Epstein, which is genuinely one of the worst answers ever offered to a congressional committee. Elsewhere in this administration, The Atlantic has more reporting on FBI Director Kash Patel, revealing he flies on government planes stocked with personalized Woodford Reserve bourbon engraved with his name and the FBI shield, which he hands out as gifts — one of which ended up on an online auction site. Speaking of taxpayer resources being used creatively, Republicans in Congress are reportedly proposing to give Trump a billion taxpayer dollars for his White House ballroom-slash-bunker, and debris from Trump's East Wing demolition that was dumped at a National Park Service golf course has tested positive for lead, chromium, and other toxic metals. In Trump vs The Pope news, Trump accused Pope Leo of supporting Iran getting a nuclear weapon, the Pope responded that he isn't afraid and will keep advocating for peace, and Rubio flew to Rome to meet with him anyway. Back home, the FBI raided the office of Virginia Democratic state senator Louise Lucas, who led the redistricting effort that netted Democrats four new congressional seats, though the investigation's subject remains undisclosed. In tech news, Anthropic and SpaceX announced a partnership giving Anthropic access to SpaceX computing power for Claude Pro and Max, and Kevin O'Leary's Manhattan-sized Utah data center got approved despite furious local protests he dismissed as fake and possibly AI-generated. And finally, RFK Jr. withdrew an FDA rule that would have banned minors from indoor tanning beds — which the WHO classifies as a Group 1 carcinogen on par with cigarettes and asbestos — because apparently that was next on the list.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NYT: Jeffrey Epstein’s Purported Suicide Note Is Released by Federal Judge

NBC News: Howard Lutnick evasive during Epstein testimony, House Democrats say

The Atlanic: Kash Patel’s Personalized Bourbon Stash

NBC News: Republicans propose $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to secure Trump ballroom

WaPo: White House East Wing debris dumped at nearby golf course has toxic metals, report says

NYT: Rubio to Visit Rome After Trump’s Feud With the Pope and Meloni

Politico: FBI raids office of Dem state lawmaker in Virginia who led redistricting efforts

NBC News: Anthropic and SpaceX announce major partnership as AI arms races continues

Gizmodo: Kevin O'Leary's Massive Data Center Project in Utah Gets the Greenlight, Locals Are Furious

LA Times: RFK Jr. clears path for minors' use of tanning beds, much to the dismay of dermatologists

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: Trump hosted kids at the White House for a Presidential Fitness Award ceremony, fell asleep while RFK Jr. spoke, and used the occasion to rant about Iran to a room full of children — meanwhile, Pete Hegseth was simultaneously insisting the ceasefire was still intact while missiles were actively flying over the Strait of Hormuz, and Marco Rubio filled in at the press briefing to tout US humanitarian aid for Cuba, a country we are currently blockading. In other news, over a quarter of DOJ attorneys — roughly 3,400 lawyers with an average tenure of over 13 years — have walked out or been fired since Trump took office, ICE's own internal records confirm a 37% spike in use of force against detainees across 98 facilities, and a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that ICE enforcement is actually hurting US-born workers in construction and similar sectors, with no wage increases to show for it. In creepy Congress members news, Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards is under investigation for alleged misconduct toward two female staffers in their 20s, including gifts, a handwritten love letter, and a Las Vegas vacation he took during a government shutdown he almost missed voting to end — his office also had a 59% staff turnover rate in 2025, more than double the House average. In tech and media news, the White House is planning an executive order on AI oversight involving Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI before models are released to the public, Pennsylvania sued Character.AI for having its chatbot impersonate a licensed psychiatrist complete with a fake license number, and James Murdoch is reportedly in talks to acquire Vox Media, which owns New York Magazine, The Verge, and Eater, potentially outbidding the competing offer from former NBC spinoff Versant. And finally, NPR went to Panama looking for Polymarket's corporate headquarters and found an essentially empty office where nobody had ever heard of the $15 billion prediction market platform — which also happens to share a law firm with FTX, so that's extremely reassuring.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

The New Republic: Trump, 79, Falls Asleep After Bragging to Kids About Iran War Plans

Common Dreams: Hegseth Brags About Attacks on Iranian Ships in Strait of Hormuz While Claiming Ceasefire Holds

The Hill: Marco Rubio gets presidential tryout in White House briefing room

Axios: Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards singled out young female aides for special attention

Financial Times: US Department of Justice loses a quarter of its lawyers

WaPo: Internal ICE records reveal widespread use of force in detention centers

Axios: ICE activity hurts some U.S.-born workers, study finds

Axios: SEC proposes rule to allow public companies to report twice a year

NYT: White House Considers Vetting A.I. Models Before They Are Released

Reuters: Pennsylvania sues Character AI, says chatbot poses as doctors

NYT: James Murdoch’s Company Said to Be in Talks to Acquire Major Parts of Vox Media

NPR: NPR went looking for Polymarket's Panama headquarters. It's elusive 

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: The ceasefire is officially dead — Iran fired on multiple ships in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump said escorting vessels through the strait would be totally chill and Iran said that would be a ceasefire violation, and then Iran fired anyway. The UAE is also reporting missile attacks on a fuel facility and ships off its coast. Trump responded by holding remarks at the White House where he bragged about the economy, called it a "mini war," and mentioned he scored well on a cognitive test — so there’s that. In slightly better but don't-get-excited news, the Supreme Court issued a one-week temporary order restoring mail access to mifepristone while they figure out what they actually want to do, which is great for approximately the next seven days. On the redistricting front, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is dispatching a congressman to Albany to work on a new New York map, though realistically nothing gets implemented before 2027. There was also a shooting near the Washington Monument shortly after JD Vance's motorcade passed through — Secret Service exchanged gunfire with an armed man, a nearby child was hit and is reportedly okay, and the White House went into lockdown briefly while everyone figured out what was happening. Meanwhile, Trump is apparently offering Senator John Fetterman a financial windfall plus a full endorsement if he switches parties, which Fetterman publicly says is a hard no — though privately, per Politico, he's being a little less emphatic about it. In trial news: Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their lawsuit hours before she walked the Met Gala red carpet, terms undisclosed; UK police are working to bring a suspect in the 2007 Madeleine McCann disappearance to trial, complicated by Germany's extradition laws; and a judge denied Sam Bankman-Fried's request for a new trial, calling his claims baseless, so he's staying in prison for 25 years unless he somehow charms his way into a Trump arrangement. And finally, three people on a cruise ship have died from what WHO believes is a hantavirus infection — the same illness that killed Gene Hackman — with at least three more confirmed cases and five suspected, because apparently we needed one more thing to worry about.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NBC News: Trump says U.S. will begin guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz

Axios: US, Iran exchange fire in strait as Trump attempts to open shipping lane

Axios: Iran ceasefire in peril as UAE says it's under attack

WaPo: Supreme Court restores access to abortion pill by mail for now

The Hill: Jeffries leads redistricting effort in New York

WaPo: Gunfire between Secret Service and armed person briefly locks down White House

Politico: Inside the Quiet Republican Effort to Flip Fetterman

THR: It Finally Ends: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Settle Lawsuit Ahead of Trial

Telegraph: Met seeks UK trial for Madeleine McCann suspect

ABC News: Judge denies Sam Bankman-Fried new trial after financial fraud conviction

WSJ: Health Officials Work to Contain Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship

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: Spirit Airlines quietly ceased to exist overnight Saturday — no warning, no functioning customer service, just stranded pilots, crew members, and passengers. The real culprit is fuel costs, which are also why you're paying $4.45/gallon nationally and Californians are staring down $6+ at the pump — up over a dollar from a year ago. Speaking of costs, Trump's war with Iran rolls on: he told Congress Friday that hostilities are officially "terminated" thanks to an April ceasefire, while simultaneously keeping a full naval blockade running in the Strait of Hormuz because Iran still poses a "significant threat" — and could "misbehave." A British cargo ship was attacked in the strait yesterday, Iran is playing toll booth operator for non-US ships, and actual diplomats are quietly exchanging drafts of a peace framework while Trump posts on Truth Social that Iran "has not yet paid a big enough price." He also mentioned, fairly casually, that the US will be taking over Cuba "almost immediately," so stay tuned. Back home, a federal appeals court froze the rule allowing abortion medication to be prescribed via telehealth and shipped to patients — a major win for the anti-abortion movement — and Alabama and Tennessee are both calling special legislative sessions to redraw congressional maps and dilute Black voter representation, following the Supreme Court's recent green light to do exactly that. A summer water crisis is also taking shape across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Nevada thanks to dangerously low snowpack, with Corpus Christi already under restrictions — largely because the petrochemical companies consuming most of the local water supply are still very much open for business. On a lighter note, a new JAMA Psychiatry study identified three distinct ADHD subtypes using brain scans from over 1,100 children, including a third type defined by emotional dysregulation that activates an entirely different part of the brain, which could meaningfully change how doctors diagnose and treat patients. GameStop's CEO is attempting a $56 billion hostile takeover of eBay, and finally, The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened to $77M domestically and $156M internationally in its debut weekend, driven overwhelmingly by women, and reportedly achieved profitability in roughly 48 hours.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

NBC News: Spirit Airlines collapse strands travelers: What to know about refunds, rebooking and fares

FOX Business: National average gas price reaches $4.45 before summer driving season

Politico: Trump tells Congress the Iran war has ‘terminated’ as legal deadline hits

Axios: Trump says new strikes possible if Iran "misbehaves"

AP News: Trump says the US will 'guide' stranded ships from the Strait of Hormuz, starting on Monday

Newsweek: Donald Trump says US will take over Cuba ‘almost immediately’

WIRED: This Summer, the American Water Crisis Becomes Real

Axios: Appeals court limits abortion pill access

NBC News: Alabama and Tennessee set special sessions to consider new congressional maps after Supreme Court ruling

WaPo: Brain scans reveal 3 ADHD subtypes, including a more extreme form

WSJ: GameStop Offers to Buy eBay for $56 Billion

AP News: ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ struts to first place with $77 million debut

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: Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry suspended the state's congressional primary elections — which were supposed to start tomorrow — citing the Supreme Court's redistricting ruling as cover to let the Republican-controlled legislature redraw the map first and set a new election date, which will conveniently be a jungle primary where Republicans could theoretically sweep all six of Louisiana's House seats without a single Democrat winning anything. Speaking of elections being quietly dismantled, a previously unknown Jeffrey Epstein suicide note has been sitting sealed in a New York courthouse since his death, discovered by his cellmate and hidden inside a graphic novel written on yellow legal pad paper — the DOJ says it hasn't seen it, the Times says it hasn't seen it, and somehow this is just now coming out. Former AG Pam Bondi finally agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee about the Epstein coverup, but only after Democrats filed civil contempt charges against her for blowing off her first appearance, and even then she negotiated it down from a sworn deposition to an unsworn interview, which is lawyer for "I can lie more freely." Trump pulled his surgeon general nominee Casey Means — the non-doctor health influencer — after a single Republican senator who is an actual doctor couldn't bring himself to vote for her, replacing her with Fox News contributor and real radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier, who wrote a book in 2020 called "Make America Healthy Again." Congress passed a spending deal that ended the partial DHS shutdown, funding everything except ICE and Border Patrol for now, which Democrats are calling a win in the same way you call it a win when you only stub one toe. Trump shocked Pentagon officials and European allies alike by spontaneously posting on social media that he's pulling US troops out of Germany — the first anyone on either side of the Atlantic had heard of — possibly triggered by the German Chancellor calling the US "humiliated" by Iran. The Atlantic published a piece called "The Yolo Presidency" reporting that Trump has stopped comparing himself to Washington and Lincoln and has upgraded to Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon,. Disney and ABC told the FCC they won't be renewing their broadcast licenses early, won't be firing Jimmy Kimmel, and are prepared to fight it in court — Kimmel mocked Trump again anyway, and Trump responded by posting that people are "angry" and it "better be soon."

Resources/Articles mentioned:

Shreveport Times: Trump praises Governor Jeff Landry for suspending Louisiana elections

CNN: How Janet Mills was boxed out of the Maine Senate race by Graham Platner’s rise

NYT: Jeffrey Epstein’s Possible Suicide Note Hidden From Public View

CNN: Bondi will testify in House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein probe

NBC News: Trump pulls Dr. Casey Means' nomination for surgeon general, announces replacement

Axios: House Republicans cave to Senate with vote to end 75-day DHS shutdown

Axios: Scoop: Rep. Chuck Edwards under investigation by House Ethics

The Atlantic: The YOLO Presidency - The Atlantic

Politico: Trump’s call to reduce US troops in Germany shocks Pentagon

WSJ: Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful Is Planning One of America’s Biggest Data Centers

WSJ: Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Trump Again After FCC Opens Review of ABC TV Licenses

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: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to gut Louisiana's congressional map on racial gerrymandering grounds, but the real headline is what the decision does to the 1965 Voting Rights Act — essentially making it easier for Republican-controlled legislatures to draw racially discriminatory districts going forward. Republican states wasted exactly zero time responding: Louisiana is already redrawing its map, Florida is moving forward with DeSantis's new 24-to-4 Republican-favoring map, and Mississippi's governor had apparently pre-scheduled a special legislative session to start 21 days after the ruling dropped, which tells you everything about how surprised he was by it. Meanwhile, Virginia's Supreme Court blocked the redistricting map that Virginia voters literally just approved, because apparently voting for something doesn't mean it happens anymore. On the Iran front, Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee, insisted the $25 billion war is being won, and blamed congressional Democrats for being the real obstacle to opening the Strait of Hormuz — the same strait his boss declared open weeks ago. He also declined to explain why he fired a bunch of experienced generals and admirals, adding that more firings are coming, before heading over to repeat the performance before the Senate. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady for the third straight meeting, and Jerome Powell chaired his final meeting as Fed Chair before Trump's nominee Kevin Warsh takes over. LIV Golf lost its Saudi funding after the kingdom decided it had burned enough billions on the experiment, leaving a bunch of PGA defectors in a very awkward position and the league scrambling for new investors. And Amazon is reportedly in early talks about an Apprentice reboot hosted by Donald Trump Jr., which is either the most on-brand thing that's ever happened or a sign that we are truly in the final act.

Resources/Articles mentioned:

AP News: Supreme Court weakens the Voting Rights Act and aids GOP efforts to control the House 

Axios: Supreme Court boosts DeSantis' GOP congressional map

The Hill: Virginia Supreme Court leaves order temporarily blocking redistricting certification in place

WaPo: Hegseth slams ‘defeatist’ lawmakers in fiery House hearing on military budget

WSJ: As Hormuz Traffic Stalls, U.S. Pitches New Coalition to Get Ships Moving Again

Politico: DOJ sues New Jersey governor over immigration enforcement mask ban

Axios: Fed holds rates steady amid the most dissents in decades

WSJ: Powell to Remain on Fed Board, Citing Legal Pressure From Trump

WSJ: Saudi Arabia Pulls Funding From LIV Golf. Its Star Players Face a Painful Road Back.

WSJ: Amazon Discusses ‘Apprentice’ Reboot—With Don Jr. as a Potential Host

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