Daily Bulletin...
Trump Postpones Retaliatory Strikes on Iran.
Trump Postpones Retaliatory Strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump announced he has delayed a major planned military attack on Iran originally scheduled for Tuesday. The decision reportedly came after leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates requested more time for diplomatic efforts and a potential nuclear deal. While the President stated he was only an hour away from making the final call to strike, he warned that the U.S. military remains ready to act at a moment’s notice if negotiations do not show meaningful progress.
Acting Attorney General Defends $1.8 Billion “Anti-Weaponization” Fund
During a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the creation of a $1.776 billion fund intended to compensate individuals who claim they were targeted by the previous administration’s Justice Department. The fund is part of a settlement resolving the President’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. While Blanche argued it provides a lawful process for victims of “lawfare” to seek redress, congressional Democrats have characterized it as a taxpayer-funded “slush fund” for political allies.
High-Stakes Primaries Underway in Kentucky and Beyond
Voters are heading to the polls in several states for one of the busiest primary days of the 2026 election cycle. In Kentucky, incumbent Republican Congressman Thomas Massie is facing a fierce challenge from Trump-endorsed former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in what has become one of the most expensive House primaries in history. Other notable contests include the Democratic race to replace retiring Senator Mitch McConnell and congressional primaries in Alabama, where maps were recently redrawn following a Supreme Court decision.
Supreme Court Declines Intervention in Virginia Redistricting Case
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene in a legal battle over Virginia’s congressional districts, effectively killing a voter-approved amendment that would have temporarily redrawn boundaries. The Virginia Supreme Court previously nullified the referendum on technical grounds, finding the legislature failed to pass the measure early enough. This decision means the current maps will remain in place for the upcoming midterm elections, a move critics argue favors partisan engineering over voter intent.
NAACP Launches Boycott of Southern College Athletics
The NAACP has called on Black athletes and fans to boycott public universities in states that have moved to restrict or erase Black voting representation. The “Out of Bounds” campaign specifically targets major athletic programs in the Southeastern (SEC) and Atlantic Coast (ACC) conferences. The civil rights group stated that if states continue to limit voting rights through gerrymandering, they should not benefit from the talent and financial support of Black athletes and their families.
Senate Republicans Reject Amendments to Block White House Ballroom Funding
In a heated committee vote, Senate Republicans rejected several Democratic amendments aimed at prohibiting taxpayer funding for a $1 billion White House ballroom construction project. The project has become a central point of contention in budget negotiations, with Democrats calling it a “gilded vanity project” and demanding competitive bidding and transparency. Republicans argued the facility is necessary for securing the White House and hosting international events, blocking attempts to redirect the funds to healthcare and other programs.
House Withholds Action on Prediction Market Ban
Despite bipartisan calls and growing reports of potential “insider trading,” House leadership has held off on a rule change to ban lawmakers and staff from using prediction markets. These platforms allow users to bet on outcomes of elections, policy decisions, and even sports. Proponents of a ban point to recent cases where government officials allegedly profited from non-public information, while opponents argue the markets provide valuable data on public sentiment.
Democratic District Attorneys Vow to Protect Voting Sites
A group of Democratic district attorneys across the country has pledged to prosecute any federal agents who attempt to target or intimidate voters at polling locations. This follows statements from the White House declining to rule out the deployment of federal troops to voting sites for the 2026 midterms. The prosecutors argue that any such presence would constitute illegal voter intimidation and a violation of state laws designed to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Trump Administration Proposes New Refugee Policy for South Africans
The administration has introduced a proposal to prioritize and admit more White South African refugees into the United States. Officials cited concerns over land seizures and violence targeting the group as the primary justification for the shift. The move has sparked debate in Washington, with supporters calling it a necessary humanitarian response and critics labeling it a politically motivated policy that deviates from standard refugee assessment protocols.
Former Treasury Secretary Urges Overhaul of NASA Funding to Compete with China
Michael Faulkender, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, has issued a warning to Congress that the current funding model for NASA is insufficient to beat China in the race for a permanent lunar presence. In an analysis shared with House appropriators, Faulkender argued for a shift away from the Space Launch System (SLS) toward commercial heavy-lift rockets to sustain a monthly transit tempo. He emphasized that the first nation to establish infrastructure on the moon will set the governance and economic norms for the future cislunar economy.