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Joe, Several years ago, the idea of a sexual accountability and transparency committee [SATCOM] was conceived. Their purview would include investigating suspected homosexuals in the denomination. Of course, they would approach the individuals with pastoral concern. In view of Kinship's president openly advocating the introduction of homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. to SDA youth at Pathfinder meetings, these individuals certainly pose a danger to SDA young people. Not all young people involved in homosexual activity are actually same sex attracted. Some are conned into the relationship[?] by older men who are attracted to younger men or even children. These "victims" would include youth who lack responsible parenting. SSA men groom and seduce them over time. For that reason, the church should be vocal in its protestations contra homosexuality. Protecting young people who are not actually same sex attracted but long for companionship can easily be identified by older, more experienced predator types. Pathfinders should be warned of the dangers these individuals pose. These predatory types could be exactly the kind of people you mentioned--long time members, respected in the community and church, people broken by life in a sinful world. Research has been done on the dynamics of molestation. It sometimes occurs "accidentally" due to a specific situation, e.g, camping trips with no agenda. More often, predator types scheme to exploit vulnerable youth. The president of Kinship advocating the introduction of homosexuality to Pathfinders is no accident. It is a scheme.

🏞️ Parting shot! Photo: Heather Diehl/Getty Images A car at the base of the 3,000-foot El Capitan reads "GONE CLIMBING" in Yosemite National Park, Calif., last week.

🛑 House Dems hit a ceiling Data: Axios research; Chart: Kathleen Hunter/Axios August's Senate primaries in Michigan and Minnesota will give House Democrats a shot at breaking their 0 for 3 record this year of advancing in statewide races. Why it matters: Winning a promotion out of the House has been hard for lawmakers from both parties this year. House Republicans are 3 for 10 in statewide primaries this year after wins in Georgia, Oklahoma and Alabama. They'd previously lost seven times in a row. Zoom in: In March, Democratic Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi lost to Lt. Gov Juliana Stratton in the Illinois Senate primary, while Rep. Jasmine Crockett lost to James Talarico, a state lawmaker from Austin, in the Texas Senate primary. Next up: Rep. Haley Stevens, a moderate, is competing against a Sen. Bernie Sanders-backed candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, and Mallory McMorrow, a liberal state senator, in Michigan's Aug. 4 Senate primary. A week later, Rep. Angie Craig will face off against Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota's Senate primary. — Kathleen Hunter

🎯 New 2026 long shots Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios Republicans have stranded nine House Democratic incumbents in districts President Trump carried by double digits in 2024, thanks to the redrawn House map. Why it matters: This is the individual lawmaker version of how redistricting has become a powerful firewall for Republicans. It gives the party a way to threaten Democratic seats even if the national environment turns ugly for the GOP. The big picture: Under the new maps, Democrats are defending 23 House seats that Trump won in 2024, according to an NRCC analysis we viewed. Republicans are defending just eight seats that former Vice President Kamala Harris carried last cycle. These races will determine which party controls the House and test whether incumbents' personal brands can overcome the new electoral realities created by redistricting. Zoom in: Cleo Fields (D-La.) is running in a Trump +31.8 district. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) is in a Trump +18.4 district. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) is in a Trump +17.8 district. Shomari Figures (D-Ala.) is in a Trump +14.3 district. Don Davis (D-N.C.) is in a Trump +11.4 district. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) is in a Trump +10.6 district. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) is in a Trump +10.4 district. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) is in a Trump +10.4 district. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D-Texas) is in a Trump +10.1 district. Between the lines: Democrats have overperformed in special elections by 13% so far this cycle, according to The Downballot. They'll only need to flip three seats to win back the majority next year, compared to the 47 they had to flip in 2018. What they're saying: "Democrats' path to the majority runs straight through districts that already rejected them," NRCC spokesperson Mike Marinella told us in a statement. "The battlefield has shifted, and they're on the wrong side of it." DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton told us in a statement: "Democrats are poised to retake the House majority, and Republicans know it. It's why they've resorted to trying to rig the midterms through illegal gerrymanders and voter suppression, but it won't work." — Kate Santaliz

Corruption in plain sight During the first 100 days of his administration, President Trump has consistently put the interests of billionaires and corporations over working people. This is most evident by the Trump administration already halting or dismissing nearly 90 investigations against lawbreaking corporations, according to a recent report by Public Citizen. One of the biggest beneficiaries of this is tech billionaire Elon Musk. https://www.epi.org/blog/corruption-in-plain-sight-how-elon-musk-has-benefited-from-the-first-100-days-of-the-trump-administration/?

Janeese Lewis George wins the Democratic primary for mayor of Washington, DC WASHINGTON (AP) — Janeese Lewis George, who pledged to aggressively stand up to federal intervention into Washington, D.C.'s affairs, won Tuesday’s Democratic primary for mayor, setting up a potential showdown with the Trump administration over its moves to challenge the city’s limited autonomy. https://apnews.com/article/janeese-lewis-george-washington-dc-mayor-primaries-a792a2b725d641ca511c81d8faf6ebc8?

🤠 1 for the road: Rodeo on the Mall Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios A rodeo is coming to the National Mall as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations, Axios D.C.'s Mimi Montgomery reports. The free daily performance will tell the history of American cowboys through rodeo acts, trick riding, cattle drives and Mexican charro displays. 🐎 Organizer Binion Cervi tells Axios: "There's so much history that we're going to tell" during the show — stretching back to when the Spanish brought horses to America. Go deeper ...

*This* time for Africa Cape Verde keeper Vozinha celebrates after a scoreless draw against Spain on Monday. Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images African teams are having a moment in early World Cup play, Alex Fitzpatrick reports. 🇨🇻 The biggest upset so far belongs to Cape Verde, the tiny island nation that held tournament favorite Spain to a scoreless draw on Monday. That could help Cape Verde make it out of the group stage. Ties earn both teams a point toward the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, goal differential can be the difference between advancing or going home — the fewer goals scored against you, the better. 🇨🇩 Congo yesterday similarly held the Cristiano Ronaldo-fueled powerhouse Portugal to a 1-1 draw. Yoane Wissa delivered the country's first-ever World Cup goal — a flawless header in first-half extra time. 🇬🇭 Also yesterday, Ghana took down Panama 1-0 with a buzzer-beater of a goal from Caleb Yirenkyi in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time. Congo players celebrate their goal against Portugal yesterday. Photo: David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 🇨🇮 Earlier in the tournament, Ivory Coast stunned Ecuador 1-0 with a late goal from Manchester United's Amad Diallo. 🇲🇦 Another big draw came from Morocco, whose 1-1 result against Brazil on Saturday triggered deep soul-searching for the longtime South American heavyweight. 🇸🇳 Senegal even frustrated France for the first half of their Tuesday match. But French superstar Kylian Mbappé woke up in the second, netting a pair in an eventual 3-1 win for Les Bleus. Full schedule.

Trump’s Spaghetti-Against-the-Wall Indictment Against ICE Protesters — and How to Fight It Donald Trump’s Department of Justice unsealed a federal indictment on Tuesday announcing hefty charges against 15 antifascist protesters for alleged actions taken in response to the brutal U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement surge in Minneapolis earlier this year. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/17/ice-indictment-minneapolis-protesters/? How Did the Feds Get Into Anti-ICE Activists’ Signal Messages? When anti-ICE activists rallied against the Trump administration’s deportation campaign in Minneapolis, many relied on the encrypted messaging app Signal for secure communications. In activist chats and quickly established ICE-tracking groups, locals used Signal to keep tabs on federal agents patrolling their communities. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/17/signal-messages-minneapolis-ice-protests/? An Army Whistleblower Believed in Pete Hegseth — Until the Military Covered Up Her Child’s Abuse Amanda Feindt sat in the fourth row during the Senate confirmation hearing of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. A U.S. Army major and former whistleblower who had submitted a letter supporting his nomination, Feindt listened as Hegseth spoke about troop readiness, military lethality, and protecting military families. Service members and veteran advocates around her wore shirts and hats bearing his name. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/15/child-abuse-army-daycare-military-pete-hegseth/? Senate Democrats Aren’t Happy About Trump’s Spy Law Ultimatum Before President Donald Trump threw his latest hand grenade into congressional negotiations over a key domestic spying law, two factions of Senate Democrats seemed to believe they were on the verge of a breakthrough. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/17/trump-fisa-warrant-surveillance-clayton-pulte/? Trump Admin Wants to Make It Easier for White Men to Sue for Discrimination The chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect American workers from discrimination, moved to delete the agency’s affirmative action rule that was implemented almost 50 years ago. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/16/trump-white-men-discrimination-eeoc/? U.S. Casualties in Iran Are Still Rising America’s Iran War casualties crept higher even as the U.S. was in the final stages of declaring a second ceasefire with Iran this weekend. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/16/us-casualties-iran-still-rising/? Bernie Sanders Backs Justin J. Pearson, House Candidate at the Heart of Tennessee Voting Rights Fight An outspoken progressive running for Congress in the Tennessee district at the center of Republicans’ efforts to sabotage voting rights and maintain control of the House earned the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/16/justin-pearson-sanders-tennessee-house-redistricting/? Once a Target of TrackAIPAC, Ro Khanna Gains Its Endorsement After a resounding primary victory and ahead of a potential presidential run in 2028, progressive California lawmaker Ro Khanna has received the endorsement of the influential advocacy and watchdog group TrackAIPAC, known for posting red cards of lawmakers and candidates who receive money from the pro-Israel lobby. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/17/ro-khanna-trackaipac-israel-election/? Trump Celebrates Achieving Absolutely Nothing in Iran The Trump administration is boasting about pending plans to conclude its war with Iran, having achieved none of the original objectives laid out by President Donald Trump. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/15/trump-us-iran-war/?

Supreme Court sides with a Texas man who says it’s not a crime for marijuana users to have guns WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday against a broad federal ban on gun ownership by marijuana users, the latest in a line of firearm cases from a court that has expanded gun rights. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-drugs-marijuana-texas-a60ce6df9e735c6bc7def285ca396784?

👋 Good morning! Shinnecock bared its teeth early with a lengthy delay due to heavy fog, but play is set to resume at 9:05am ET. Programming note: We're off tomorrow for Juneteenth, so we'll see you back here on Monday. Have a great weekend! In today's edition: Golf's toughest test, sports viewership is booming, CWS final is set, Kane joins stacked Golden Boot race, Balogun's American story, baseball under the midnight sun, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 📺 Sports TV is booming: U.S. sports viewership is going gangbusters across the board right now, with the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 (ABC), the most-watched Stanley Cup Playoffs ever (ABC), World Cup viewership up 152% so far compared to four years ago (Fox) and the most-watched opening weekend ever for the College World Series (ESPN). 🏆 Knicks to visit White House: The Knicks plan to become the first NBA team to visit President Donald Trump at the White House, according to team owner James Dolan. No NBA team has visited Trump during either of his two terms. 🏒 Two new head coaches: The Maple Leafs are hiring former Kings coach Jim Hiller, and the Golden Knights are promoting longtime assistant and AHL coach Ryan Craig. The Oilers are the last remaining NHL head coaching vacancy. 🏀 WNBA adding games: The league that has been rapidly adding more teams will now also be adding more games, increasing the schedule from 44 to 50 games per team next season, the maximum allowed by the new CBA until 2029. ⚾️ HR Derby changes: MLB is returning to a swing-based system for next month's Home Run Derby in Philadelphia, ditching the timed rounds that have been used in the competition since 2014. Participants will get 20 swings in the first round and 15 in the final two rounds, with the caveat being that the final swing continues until it doesn't result in a home run.     ⛳️ U.S. OPEN GOLF'S TOUGHEST TEST (Kate McShane/Getty Images) The 126th U.S. Open tees off today at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, where 156 golfers will compete in the season's third — and likely most difficult — major championship. Who to watch: The field includes 20 amateurs, 12 past champions (including every one since 2015), 13 LIV Golf members and some guy named Scottie who's on the precipice of history. The favorite: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has one win and seven top-5 finishes this season, is heavily favored to win his first U.S. Open (+550), which would make him the seventh golfer to complete the Career Grand Slam. That would be quite the birthday present for the four-time major champion, who turns 30 on Sunday. The breakout star: Plenty of people will be picking Cameron Young (+2000) thanks to his recent run of dominance that has propelled him all the way up to No. 3 in the world. He has two wins (including The Players) and four more top-10 finishes this season, and what better place than Shinnecock for the New York native to win his first major. Mr. 100: Adam Scott is a longshot to win this weekend (+9000), but no golfer is more consistent than the Australian making his 100th consecutive major start, a number only Jack Nicklaus has ever reached. To put that in perspective, Jordan Spieth is second among active players, at 53, which puts him 12 years away (!!) from matching Scott. The returning champ: Brooks Koepka (+4000) won the last U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in 2018, and would become the seventh three-time U.S. Open champion with a win this weekend. He faces an uphill battle after withdrawing midway through last week's Canadian Open with a mysterious ailment, but appears to be on the mend. Dark horse picks: Each of the last four U.S. Open winners was ranked outside the top 10, most recently J.J. Spaun (No. 25) last summer. Who's the best bet to extend that streak to five? You could do worse than No. 17 Robert MacIntyre (+6600), a Scot who should feel right at home at the links-style course, or No. 18 Si Woo Kim (+3500), who leads the PGA Tour with eight top-10 finishes this season. Good luck on the par-3 11th, the "shortest par-5 in golf." (Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour) Golfers beware: Even for the U.S. Open, which makes a concerted effort to be golf's toughest test each year, Shinnecock is uniquely diabolical. The rough, fescue and greens will be challenging enough on their own, but when you add in the wind — expected to gust upwards of 40 mph today — it should make for a tournament where even par might just be enough to win. Jay Busbee, Yahoo Sports: Stand at the 13th tee at Shinnecock Hills, the uppermost point on one of America's oldest golf clubs. Look out at the spread of the holes spilling down and away from this point, the windmill in the distance, the clouds strolling across the impossibly blue sky above. It's all gorgeous … as long as you don't have to play the damn thing. Shinnecock is the most revered and fearsome test in major championship golf, a windswept brute capable of bringing anyone and everyone in the field to their knees. It's one of America's true legacy clubs, hosting the second U.S. Open in 1896 and joining with four other old-money institutions to form the United States Golf Association. This is as elite as golf gets, from every measure, and anybody who hoists the trophy here has earned it. "If everything is going the way everyone wants it in terms of weather, setup, I think it's the best championship test in the country," Rory McIlroy said earlier this week. "I think it tests all aspects of the game: driving, iron play, you need to have your wits about you on the greens." How tough is Shinnecock? The course has hosted five U.S. Opens prior to this one. In the last four, only three of the 624 players finished under par. (The first didn't use par as a metric.) Raymond Floyd, winner in 1986, finished at -1, and 2004 winner Retief Goosen finished at -4. And in irrefutable proof that the Golf Gods hate him, Phil Mickelson also finished under par at a Shinnecock U.S. Open, carding a -2 in 2004 … when he lost. So what makes Shinnecock so difficult? Sure, the greens are tiny, the fairways deceptive, the rough fearsome … but the real issue is the wind coming off the nearby Atlantic. Swirling in all directions, gusting at over-the-speed-limit speeds, the wind can easily overwhelm this course.   📸 SNAPSHOTS PICS DU JOUR (Richard Pelham/Getty Images) Arlington, Texas — Harry Kane joined a star-studded Golden Boot race with a first-half brace in England's 4-2 win over Croatia. Scoreboard: Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo; Ghana stunned Panama with a stoppage-time goal; Colombia cruised past Uzbekistan behind Luis Díaz's brilliant debut; Austria beat Jordan after handball and own-goal drama. (Oklahoma Athletics) Omaha, Nebraska — No. 5 North Carolina and unseeded Oklahoma have advanced to the College World Series championship series after the Tar Heels beat No. 16 West Virginia, 12-7, and the Sooners beat No. 3 Georgia, 11-4. Still perfect: Both teams have yet to lose in the CWS. So if one of them sweeps, they'll become the first undefeated national champion since UCLA in 2013. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) New York, New York — The NBA champion Knicks will be honored with a parade today in The Big Apple, where huge crowds have already started to form. The route: The parade will begin in downtown Manhattan at 10am ET before moving up Broadway until it reaches City Hall, where the championship ceremony will be held at noon.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WEEKEND WATCHLIST Can the USMNT follow last week's magical opener with another victory? (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) ⚽️ World Cup, Days 8-11 USA vs. Australia in Seattle (Fri. 3pm ET, Fox) headlines this weekend's action, which features 16 games. Other highlights include Mexico vs. South Korea in Guadalajara (Thu. 9pm, Fox), Netherlands vs. Sweden in Houston (Sat. 1pm, Fox), Germany vs. Ivory Coast in Toronto (Sat. 4pm, Fox) and Uruguay vs. tournament darling Cabo Verde in Miami (Sun. 6pm, FS1). America's clinching scenario: Believe it or not, the USMNT (1-0) could win Group D as soon as tomorrow night. If they beat Australia (1-0), and Turkey (0-1) doesn't beat Paraguay (0-1) later in the evening, they'll clinch the group with a game to spare. ⛳️ 126th U.S. Open The season's third major tees off today (Thu-Sun, Peacock/USA/NBC) at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, where an increased purse of $22.5 million is on the line, including $4.5 million for the winner. Featured groups: Today's notable tee times include Brooks Koepka, Cam Young, Chris Gotterup (7:30am); Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood (7:52am); Scottie Scheffler, Mason Howell, J.J. Spaun (8:14am); Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm (2:09pm). ⚾️ College World Series No. 5 North Carolina and Oklahoma will play for the championship this weekend, with their best-of-three series starting on Saturday night in Omaha (8pm, ESPN). Game 2 is on Sunday (2:30pm, ABC) and Game 3, if necessary, is Monday night. Trophy case: The Tar Heels are seeking their first national title, while the Sooners are seeking their third (1951, 1994). More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Mets at Phillies (Thu. 6:40pm, MLB); Cardinals at Royals (Fri. 8:15pm, Apple); Twins at Diamondbacks (Sun. 3:15pm, Peacock); Mets at Phillies (Sun. 7:20pm, NBC) 🏀 WNBA: Dream at Fever (Thu. 7:30pm, Prime); Lynx at Valkyries (Fri. 10pm, ION); Fever at Dream (Sat. 1pm, ABC); Sky at Wings (Sat. 8pm, CBS); Liberty at Sparks (Sun. 8pm, ESPN) 🏁 Motorsports: NASCAR in San Diego (Sun. 4pm, Prime) and IndyCar in Wisconsin (Sun. 2pm, Fox) 🥍 PLL: Week 5 on Long Island (Fri-Sat, ESPN2/ESPN+) … The WLL (women's) will also play on Saturday evening (6:15pm, ESPN+). 🏀 BIG3: Week 1 in Los Angeles (Sat. 4pm, CBS) … Ice Cube's 3-on-3 league begins its ninth season days after announcing it will go public later this year at a $290 million valuation. Got plans this weekend? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   📚 GO DEEPER GOOD READS (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) ⚽️ Steven Goff: From a chance birth in Brooklyn to the World Cup: Folarin Balogun's American story Since joining the national team three years ago, Balogun has injected a world-class striker's menace into the U.S. attack — something that was lacking at the 2022 World Cup. "The kid's insane," said Christian Pulisic. "He's lethal right now in front of goal. We're really lucky to have him." (Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports) 🏀 Dan Devine: The Knicks' championship blueprint? A roster-building miracle that has New York ready to run it back All paths to glory differ, but the road the Knicks took to the title feels particularly hard to replicate. Can they run it back and become the first repeat champion since the Warriors in 2017-18? (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) ⚾️ Jake Mintz: Drawing up a dream Home Run Derby field As of this moment, none of the eight Derby contenders have been announced, so let's take this opportunity to craft ourselves a dream field. A good Derby needs diversity: righties and lefties, moon shots and laser beams, heroes and heels, youngsters and geezers, innocence and experience. Something for everybody, everybody for somebody.   ⚽️ WINNERS WORLD CUP TRIVIA Ghana supporters celebrate in Toronto. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) All 48 teams have played one match at the World Cup. 15 of them earned three points by winning their opener. Group A: Mexico, South Korea Group 😄 Scotland Group 😧 USA, Australia Group E: Germany, Ivory Coast Group F: Sweden Group I: Norway, France Group J: Argentina, Austria Group K: Colombia Group L: England, Ghana Question: Which of the 15 countries above has the smallest population? Answer at the bottom.   ⚾️ SUMMER SOLSTICE BASEBALL UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN This photo was taken around midnight. (Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) One of the quirkiest traditions in baseball (and that's saying something) takes place tomorrow night in Fairbanks, Alaska, where the annual Midnight Sun Game will be played in the middle of the night… without any artificial lights. Wait, what? That's right. Fairbanks, which is just 140 miles south of the Arctic Circle, gets 24 hours of daily sunlight from mid-May to mid-July. The inaugural summer solstice game took place in 1906, and since 1960 it's been hosted by the Alaska Goldpanners, a collegiate summer ball team whose alumni include Barry Bonds, Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield and more. Tune in: The game starts Friday night at 2am ET (10pm local time), and will be broadcast live on YouTube.   Trivia answer: Scotland (5.6 million)

US gas prices dip below $4 for 1st time since March but remain 25% higher than last year NEW YORK (AP) — The average U.S. price for a gallon of gas fell below $4 on Thursday, hitting a level not seen since the first full month of the war with Iran and providing a bit of relief to consumers squeezed by soaring costs. https://apnews.com/article/gas-iran-trump-aaa-72d8e7d7c9dcd0795c37a51864fce8a6?

Florida still owes $603 million on immigration enforcement contracts Florida still owes at least $603 million to 27 companies that helped build the state’s migrant lockups and carry out an undocumented immigration crackdown, according to dozens of contracts reviewed by the Phoenix. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/17/florida-still-owes-603-million-on-immigration-enforcement-contracts/? ICE empties ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ amid hurricane season. Activists aren’t buying it. Federal immigration authorities say they’ve emptied the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” lockup amid hurricane fears, transferring detainees to other facilities. But advocacy groups suing the state aren’t buying their explanation. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/17/ice-empties-alligator-alcatraz-amid-hurricane-season-activists-arent-buying-it/? Hillsborough GOP congressional candidates are no on Ukraine funding or taking AIPAC funds TAMPA — One of the congressional seats that Ron DeSantis’ designed redistricted map is supposed to flip from blue to red this fall is Florida’s 14th Congressional District in Hillsborough County, which Democrat Kathy Castor has held for nearly 20 years. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/17/hillsborough-gop-congressional-candidates-are-no-on-ukraine-funding-or-taking-aipac-funds/?

June 18, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. We finally got a look at the terms of the preliminary peace agreement between the United States and Iran yesterday. We’ll tell you all about it below. But first I’d like to turn to my colleague Ann Marimow, who covers the Supreme Court. The justices could release some important rulings today. Ann’s going to tell you about what’s at stake. Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Decisions, decisions By Ann E. Marimow The final weeks of June are traditionally when the Supreme Court issues the biggest decisions of its term. This year is no exception. My colleague Abbie VanSickle and I, along with our editor Roz Helderman, have been prepping for a pile of consequential rulings that the justices will announce before their summer break. By our count, there are still 19 cases to be decided. At least a few are slated to come out at 10 a.m. today. Abbie and I take turns fielding opinions from the press room on the bottom floor of the Supreme Court. Near the end of the term, reporters cram into that small room and await the day’s decisions. We don’t know ahead of time which cases will be decided, and the room buzzes with anxious speculation. We do, however, get some indication of how many opinions are coming. Five minutes before the justices take the bench, members of the public information office staff lug in gray boxes holding stacks of paper booklets — the day’s opinions. This time of year, there are multiple boxes. Since each box holds about two opinions, we can use the number of boxes to guess how many decisions we’ll be flipping through that morning. At the sound of a buzzer, the room goes quiet. Chief Justice John Roberts announces which of his colleagues has authored each majority decision, and press officers quickly hand out the booklets to reporters, who race back to their desks to write. Unlike the court’s oral arguments, the justices’ opinion announcements are not livestreamed. But audio from the courtroom is pumped into the press room, allowing reporters to take notes — but not record — as the author of the majority opinion reads a summary. Occasionally, justices who disagree with a decision will read a summary of their dissent. Such a move indicates strong disapproval of the majority’s view, and the dissenting justice’s voice and mannerisms can sometimes give us a sense of the emotion of the moment. The big cases to come Ulysses Ortega for The New York Times, Mehmet Eser/Anadolu, Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images A major question of this term is how much the court’s six-member conservative majority is willing to push back on President Trump’s agenda to expand presidential power. Back in February, three Republican-nominated justices joined the court’s three Democratic nominees to invalidate the president’s sweeping tariffs. Trump has been railing against the court ever since. But will the justices let Trump oust Lisa Cook, a member of the influential and independent Federal Reserve Board? And what will they say about the president’s attempt to eliminate birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants? The justices’ questions during oral arguments gave us some insight into the likely outcomes in those cases. In both, a majority seemed skeptical of the government’s claims, which suggests they are likely to rule against the administration. Less clear from oral arguments is whether the court will sign off on the administration’s decision to end humanitarian protections for Haitian and Syrian migrants that have allowed hundreds of thousands of people to live and work legally in the United States. And there’s one major executive power case that Trump seems poised to win, involving the Federal Trade Commission. A ruling in his favor would give the president more power to fire independent government regulators throughout the federal bureaucracy despite laws passed by Congress intended to insulate them from political pressure. Apart from Trump’s agenda, other high-profile cases remain undecided. There are two Second Amendment cases — one involving a Hawaii gun control measure, and another about whether the government can prohibit people who use illegal drugs from possessing guns. There is also a dispute over whether Mississippi can accept mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day but received up to five days later. And there is a challenge to laws in West Virginia and Idaho that bar transgender women from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams. Based on the oral arguments, the court seems likely to uphold those laws — which could establish ground rules for the 25 other states with similar restrictions. For more: We are keeping track of every case, both those already decided and those still to come. See the cases. (As we did yesterday, we’re making some stories in the newsletter free to read. This tracker is one of them.) THE IRAN DEAL In France. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Days after Trump announced an agreement to end the war in Iran, we finally have some of the details. A U.S. official yesterday released what was described as the preliminary deal. (You can read the full text here.) Here’s what you need to know: It calls for all fighting to stop — not just between the U.S. and Iran, but also in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been at war. Israel has said it is not a party to the deal. It will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. will end its naval blockade, and Iran will use “its best efforts” to allow for safe passage of commercial vessels at no charge in the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days. It calls for a $300 billion plan for Iran’s reconstruction, though is does not make clear who would pay. Trump said that the U.S. would not directly pay Iran. The U.S. also agreed to lift restrictions of Iran’s oil exports and release its frozen assets. It pushes off some thorny issues, like the future of Iran’s nuclear program, to negotiate in the next 60 days. Iran reaffirmed in the text that it would not procure or develop nuclear weapons (though it has long held that position). Trump said the U.S. would sign the agreement in the coming days. But he also asserted the right to attack Iran again: “We’re going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement.” Some officials are skeptical that the two sides can reach a permanent deal in the allotted 60-day period, given that they have already spent months negotiating over the nuclear program. More on the war These top stories are free to read. The average gasoline price in the U.S. fell below $4 for the first time in months. See prices where you live. In the war, Iran proved it can use economic chaos as a weapon. Read about the strategy. At the Group of 7 gathering in France, Trump’s oscillations on his Iran deal and Ukraine left European leaders scrambling. Trump brushed aside questions about who was responsible for U.S. strikes that hit an Iranian school on the first day of the war and that Iranian officials said killed 175 people, mostly children. He told reporters: “Mistakes are made. War is nasty.” THE LATEST NEWS Director of National Intelligence Trump blindsided Republican allies by pulling back his nominee for national intelligence director, Jay Clayton, and by demanding that Congress instead pass a voter ID law. By delaying that nomination, Trump cleared the way for Bill Pulte, who has no national security experience, to act in the role. He has been condemned by lawmakers in both parties. Politics The Fed announced that it was holding interest rates steady after Kevin Warsh’s first meeting as chairman. Trump has relentlessly pressured the central bank to lower rates. Republican leaders in Georgia announced that they would not redraw House districts held by Black Democrats, at least for now. The Trump administration said it would pay $765 million to cancel four more offshore wind projects. The Obama Presidential Center opens today in Chicago. Four former presidents, Bruce Springsteen and Bono will be there. N.B.A. New York City is holding a parade this morning to celebrate the Knicks’ N.B.A. championship. The N.Y.P.D. is sending more than 10,000 officers, the most for any planned event in the city’s history. People lined up before dawn today. The Knicks accepted a White House invitation, which would make it the first N.B.A. team to visit during Trump’s presidency. Other Big Stories Ukrainian drones hit a Moscow refinery in a large-scale assault. Luigi Mangione plans to argue in his trial that he was experiencing “extreme emotional disturbance” when he killed a UnitedHealthcare executive, a New York State judge said. Read more about his defense. Rex Heuermann, the Gilgo Beach serial killer, who pleaded guilty to murdering eight women, was sentenced to life in prison. OPINIONS The New York Times Ross Douthat and Vice President JD Vance discuss the Iran deal, Christianity and Vance’s new book. The Knicks taught us about resilience, dedication and self-mastery, James Traub writes. It’s on: The Wordle challenge. Celebrate 5 years of the game. Solve each day’s puzzle through Friday and earn a special badge. Play now MORNING READS We’ve made all these stories free for you. Nicole Franzen for Amuneal Your pick: The Morning’s most clicked story yesterday let you peek inside luxury kitchens — where every appliance is hidden. Quiz: Do you know how to keep your home cool? Ask Vanessa: A reader asks our fashion critic, “Is there a timeless jeans style for those of us who simply cannot keep up?” Aging: Millions of adult children are caring for parents who didn’t really care for them. Read their stories. TODAY’S NUMBER 465 — That is the newest area code for New York City, covering the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Marble Hill section of Manhattan. It is the city’s eighth area code since 212 was introduced in 1947 and the first to contain the number five. WORLD CUP Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut in this World Cup was a dud. Portugal drew 1-1 against the Democratic Republic of Congo. (See Congo’s very cool outfits arriving to the games.) England looked brilliant for most of its 4-2 win over Croatia. Harry Kane scored twice, and Jude Bellingham was nearly perfect. Ghana pulled out a 1-0 win over Panama with a 95th-minute goal. Colombia rolled to a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan. Look at this ball from Colombia forward Cucho Hernández to Jaminton Campaz for the final goal. FOX Soccer RECIPE OF THE DAY Taylor Miller for The New York Times The comedian and actor Bowen Yang visited our cooking studio recently to share his mother’s recipe for mapo tofu. It calls for ground pork and firm tofu in a tingly, not-too-saucy sauce amped up with Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang chile paste. There’s nothing funny about it. Just pure deliciousness. Watch him make it on our YouTube channel. THE ART OF CRAFT The New York Times As the nation’s 250th birthday approaches, shipwrights, printers and textile workers are commemorating George Washington’s legacy, using 18th-century techniques to craft the past in the present. Amazing visuals by our Hannah Yoon show the artisans at work. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Listen to “Sunburn,” the new bro-country single from Tucker Wetmore. It’s Jon Caramanica’s “Song of the Week.” Hide a spare key, or a roll of $20s, in one of these diversion safes discovered by the wary security guards at Wirecutter. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was rollback. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam Correction: Yesterday’s newsletter listed nuclear, solar and wind as renewable energy sources. As several readers wrote in to remind us, nuclear power is not renewable. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

Hegseth lashes out at NATO allies and announces a review of US forces in Europe Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized NATO allies for not taking more responsibility for their own security on Thursday in Brussels. He also announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe. Read more. What to know: Hegseth lambasted European allies for failing to provide U.S. forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling it “shameful.” He also called for a reboot of the alliance to turn it into a “NATO 3.0” capable of deterring any threat. Hegseth said the United States would be investing $1.5 trillion in its own defense in 2027, sending “a message to the world” that America is building an “arsenal of freedom.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US is interested in a Polish offer for a permanent US military base, Polish official says NATO chief downplays US military cutbacks as top commander makes backup plans Macron deploys Versailles’ gold, mirrors and history in a high-stakes courtship of Trump Ukraine hits Moscow oil refinery, disrupting commercial flights in major drone attack Takeaways from the G7: Trump’s new attitude toward allies buoyed by their praise for Iran deal Photo highlights from the G7 WATCH: Trump says he’s ‘the boss’ on final day at G7 summit French president urges US to share cutting-edge AI and democracies to cooperate on regulation

US and Iran sign initial deal to end war, ease sanctions and open strait as nuclear talks continue President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran on Wednesday, much of which would restore the status quo before the war, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending hostilities, though Trump left the door open to resume attacks. Read more. What to know: The agreement starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program. The deal also opens the strait without tolls for two months, but does not preclude fees in the future, according to the drafts from both countries. Major concessions have been offered to Iran. The U.S. will issue waivers to sanctions that will immediately allow Iran to sell its oil freely. Other concessions — including the full lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets — would happen gradually and be linked to progress in the nuclear talks, according to Pakistani officials. The accord would also provide Iran with at least $300 billion to rebuild — an extraordinary figure and another major benefit for Iran. The money also appears dependent on the progress of further negotiations. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Read the transcript of the deal WATCH: Trump says ‘we signed it in Versailles’ Vance, skeptical of foreign wars, becomes the face of Trump’s tentative deal to end war with Iran The interim US-Iran deal leaves the fate of Tehran’s nuclear program still to be negotiated A primer on uranium enrichment as Iran’s nuclear program faces scrutiny What do Iran and the US stand to gain from their deal? Here’s what to know

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 18 1812 War of 1812 begins President James Madison signs a declaration of war into law—and the War of 1812 officially begins. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1972 Jet crashes after takeoff at Heathrow, killing 118 people 21st Century 2023 Submersible Titan implodes on its way to tour the Titanic wreckage American Revolution 1778 British abandon Philadelphia Arts & Entertainment 1967 The Monterey Pop Festival reaches its climax Cold War 1979 Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev sign the SALT-II nuclear treaty Crime 1984 Denver radio host gunned down by white supremacists European History 1815 Napoleon defeated at Waterloo Native American History 1934 Indian Reorganization Act is signed into law Space Exploration 1983 Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space Sports 1960 Arnold Palmer wins U.S. Open U.S. Presidents 1798 President John Adams oversees passage of first of Alien and Sedition Acts World War II 1940 Hitler and Mussolini meet in Munich

👮 1 for the road: NYPD's parade surge Map: NYC Mayor's Office The NYPD will deploy more than 10,000 officers to protect the ticker-tape parade for the Knicks in Lower Manhattan this morning — the largest number ever assigned for a planned event. The deployment, "roughly as large as one-third of the total uniformed force, will far exceed that of recent major events, including New Year's Eve at Times Square," the N.Y. Times notes. The parade route — along the "Canyon of Heroes" — starts at Bowling Green in the Financial District and continues to City Hall. Knicks fans take pictures outside City Hall yesterday before the parade. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images 🏀 Stunning stats: New Yorkers are paying line sitters as much as $950 to hold their place at the parade. (Bloomberg) The New York Post, on a page branded KNICK YORK POST, reports that more than 1.25 tons of confetti (2,500+ pounds) will be dumped. Keep reading.

📉 Charted: Wind energy slowdown Data: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Chart: Ben Geman/Axios The U.S. wind sector was already lagging behind solar before the second Trump administration began piling on new restrictions, Axios' Ben Geman writes. Headwinds in recent years have included high interest rates, not enough power lines to carry electricity where it's needed, supply chain snags and stiff competition from solar and gas. Trump is now squeezing the industry on multiple fronts. That includes the Pentagon allegedly stalling once-routine reviews that wind projects need for FAA approval.

🗳️ Trump obsession ties Senate in knots President Trump won't let go of the SAVE America Act voting bill, no matter how many times Senate Republicans make it known it's never going to happen, Axios' Mike Zapler writes. Why it matters: Trump's refusal to relent on his voter ID/proof of citizenship plan shows how far removed he is from the vote-counting realities of Congress — and how that disconnect is starting to carry real consequences. Trump dropped a bombshell Truth Social post early yesterday, declaring he wouldn't allow the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to be renewed until the SAVE America Act passes as well. The move means Bill Pulte, a Trump bulldog with no national security or intelligence experience, will likely take the helm as acting director of national intelligence tomorrow. Senators had been eager to prevent that by quickly confirming Trump nominee Jay Clayton — the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York — in the intelligence job. Keep reading.

🤖 The White House's AI power center Silicon Valley stars David Sacks and Sriram Krishnan have been key architects of White House AI policy. With Sacks stepping back and Krishnan preparing to leave, here are current AI power players, via Axios' Maria Curi: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signed the letter leading to the takedown of Anthropic's Fable model (still unavailable this morning). Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was the contact when Amazon raised concerns about Anthropic safety issues. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was receptive to Bessent's concerns about how Mythos could hit the financial sector, helping reopen communication with the company. National Economic Council's Ryan Baasch is said to be carrying the torch for Sacks and Krishnan, having worked alongside them to push federal preemption of state AI laws.

Trump's Iran climbdown President Trump made the case for his deal with Iran during an hourlong press conference yesterday, while seeming to lower his own bar for success and warning he could bomb Iran again if nuclear talks fail, Axios' Barak Ravid writes. Why it matters: For two months, Trump has been seeking a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stabilize global energy markets. This deal should achieve that. But some of Trump's critics argue that making concessions just to return to status quo ante shows the war itself was a costly mistake. 🖼️ The big picture: Before the war and as it got underway, Trump laid out highly ambitious parameters for any successful resolution with Iran. That included "total surrender" and the full dismantlement of Iran's nuclear program. No enrichment, no ballistic missiles, no funding for proxies. Trump even wanted a say in picking the supreme leader. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) — which Trump signed yesterday and senior administration officials finally unveiled on a call with reporters — is a much more modest agreement. Breaking it down: Iran gets sanctions relief to sell oil, the strait reopens, the blockade lifts. The parties also give themselves 60 days to negotiate a nuclear deal. Iran could see all sanctions lifted and receive billions in frozen funds and investments, if it agrees to limit its nuclear program and "dispose of" its stockpile. Trump and his team acknowledge a final deal may never happen. But he claimed yesterday that "if it doesn't get done in 60 days, we go back to bombing." (He later said the deadline could shift.) Uncharacteristically, Trump downplayed the deal somewhat, noting that it was just a memorandum. He further enraged hawks by expressing sympathy for Iran's desire to possess missiles and pursue nuclear energy. 💥 Friction point: There's plenty in the deal for critics to sink their teeth into. It only calls on Iran to open the strait without restrictions for 60 days, leaving open the possibility of tolls after that. A senior U.S. official told reporters that wouldn't happen, because Gulf countries wouldn't sign up to any deal that allowed it. The MOU calls for a plan to establish a $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran. Trump denied that the U.S. would contribute money to such a fund. The text makes clear that Iran will receive sanctions waivers to sell oil freely as long as negotiations are ongoing. The MOU says nothing about Iran's ballistic missiles or support for terrorist organizations and militias in the region, despite Trump's insistence — dating back to his first term — that any deal with Iran would have to cover those issues. 📱 Watch the White House's 35-second video of Trump signing the Iran memo of understanding at Versailles.

BBC News to cut 550 jobs and ax "The World Tonight"—a 56-year-old radio show; 1,800 to 2,000 cuts expected over the next three years to drive nearly $670M in cost savings (More) | Listen to the latest episodes of "The World Tonight" (More) > US Open Golf Championship begins today, with record $22.5M in prize money, matching the Masters Tournament purse (More) | WNBA to expand regular-season schedule from 44 to 50 games per team next year, the most in league history (More) > Democratic Republic of the Congo draws World Cup favorite Portugal after scoring its first-ever tournament goal (More) | Second round of group-stage matches begins as Canada takes on Qatar in Vancouver at 6 pm ET (More, w/full schedule)

Artifacts of Independence An archaeological dig to uncover artifacts from a fort critical to the Battle of Bunker Hill ended yesterday, on the 251st anniversary of the fight. Archaeologists found musket balls, teacups, tobacco pipes, and even a wig curler. Watch the excavation process here. Although the Americans ultimately retreated, the Massachusetts-based battle is said to have bolstered colonists' confidence (explore battle map). The night before the battle, more than 1,000 people dug a 3-foot-deep, 6-foot-wide trench protected by a 6-foot-high wall, a structure that proved critical to slowing the British advance. The dimensions, recorded two months after the battle by cartographer Henry Pelham, were confirmed by the dig. Archaeologists did not find human remains, despite nearly 150 soldiers dying in the fort. The city of Boston carried out the dig in partnership with American Veterans Archaeological Recovery, a nonprofit introducing veterans to careers in archaeology. Learn about the organization's impact here (w/video).

Some people are like clouds - when they go away, the day gets brighter. (this one made me chuckle) James