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June 13, 2026 Good morning. We like it when projects are completed, but what if we could abide comfortably in the toiling and striving it takes to get them there? María Jesús Contreras Unfinished business By Melissa Kirsch When the architect Antoni Gaudí died at the age of 73 on June 10, 1926, the Sagrada Familia, the soaring basilica in Barcelona that he worked on for more than 40 years, was only fractionally complete. Construction has been continual and contentious over the intervening 100 years, but in February, work on the central tower was completed, making it the tallest church in the world. This week, on the anniversary of Gaudí’s death, Pope Leo held a Mass in the nave to bless the spire. But still, La Sagrada Familia is not complete, and construction will continue for years to come. This is as Gaudí expected; he did not intend for it to be finished in his lifetime. “My client is in no hurry,” he is reputed to have said. He expected that future generations would work on his masterpiece, as had been the case with the great European cathedrals. This kind of patience is essential when one is building cathedrals, but leaving things unfinished doesn’t jibe with our productivity-fixated culture. We’re our own clients, and we’re in spectacular hurries to get things done, to optimize and perfect and polish off so we can move on to the next. We like our projects shipped, our Apple Watch rings closed, our past relationships resolved. I wrote recently about putting together a summer reading list to ensure 10 books completed by Labor Day. It wouldn’t feel satisfying to suggest we might spend the summer grazing on books and never finish them. I feel antsy when the app icon shows I have an unread email. The poet John Keats coined the term “negative capability” to describe “when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” Negative capability isn’t comfortable. It’s a liminal place, a zone of questions and ongoing work rather than a clean arrival at knowing. I feel a gnawing in my stomach when I consider dwelling here too long. For the person who likes to check things off a list, it seems at first like the existential equivalent of a sink of dirty dishes. But a capability to sit with uncertainty doesn’t mean you’re not still working. Indeed, Keats saw negative capability as the hallmark of “a Man of Achievement.” You’re in the middle of doing the dishes, not leaving them to grow mold. I told someone recently that I needed some worry resolved in order to be OK, and that until it was, I might experience moments of happiness, but I wouldn’t truly rest. I realized immediately how silly this sounded. I’d put living on hold until I’d solved this problem. But the time during which the problem is unresolved is life, too. We do this all the time: suspend living until some future moment when work is done, closure is achieved, some desired state is attained. We perceive “uncertainties, mysteries, doubts” as things we must endure, rather than someplace we can abide. My friend Daniel, frustrated with the way he and everyone he knows turn to their phones when they forget the name of a movie or book, created a rule: When you’re in a group of people, if it’s not essential to the progression of the conversation, don’t look it up. It’s uncomfortable to sit with the name of that actor on the tip of your tongue, but you’ll get it eventually. Let your memory do its thing. That “irritable reaching” is often for our devices, the source of all answers and all distraction. I’m not suggesting you leave your to-do list unfinished for your children’s children to complete. But it’s worth looking at all the ways we postpone being OK in pursuit of completion. There’s virtue in being done with things, but we spend a far greater amount of our lives in the making and toiling and striving it takes to get there. We might try to get more comfortable with the process. THE LATEST NEWS Business Karsten Moran for The New York Times SpaceX shares rose nearly 20 percent during the company’s first day on the stock market. That made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. The Justice Department cleared the way for Paramount’s $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal would consolidate not just the studios, but also two major news networks, CNN and CBS News. War in the Middle East Officials in Washington and Tehran say they’re close to reaching a deal to end the war in Iran. President Trump indicated that a signing ceremony could happen as soon as this weekend. Officials said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to a preliminary deal that would end the fighting, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the U.S. naval blockade. Kennedy Center Pete Kiehart for The New York Times Workers began taking down President Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center’s facade after a judge’s order. The Washington National Opera, which recently severed its longstanding relationship with the Kennedy Center, filed a lawsuit demanding more than $17 million from the center. More Politics A federal judge indefinitely banned the creation of the president’s $1.8 billion payout fund, citing mixed messages from the administration about the fund’s future. The Trump administration said it would comply with a court order to restart processing asylum and other immigration applications. Other Big Stories A Times investigation found that sexual assault and harassment were often ignored in the United Farm Workers union under the leadership of Cesar Chavez. Gene Shalit, the film critic known for his handlebar mustache and penchant for puns, died at 100. HISTORY, REWRITTEN The New York Times President Trump has adorned a well-trafficked walkway at the White House with 47 gold-lettered plaques summarizing each of the U.S. presidencies. They are peppered with falsehoods, insults, self-promotion and erratic capitalization. The Times photographed each plaque and asked eight historians to explain what the White House got right or wrong. You can read the entire project, with the historian’s annotations, here. THE WEEK IN CULTURE David Hockney The New York Times David Hockney has died at 88. Though he was born in England, his bright paintings captured the sun-soaked atmosphere of Los Angeles as surely as Joan Didion did in prose. Holland Cotter, our art critic, annotates some of Hockney’s greatest works. As with his paintings, Hockney favored bold colors for his clothes. Jacob Gallagher, who covers men’s fashion, described it as a “madcap maximalism in his approach to style.” Music On “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” Olivia Rodrigo delivers a polished, solemn breakup chronicle that misses her signature adrenaline rush, Lindsay Zoladz writes. It was a battle of the bands at Lincoln Center this past week when two orchestras performed the same symphony. Was it a coincidence or a miscommunication? Taylor Swift’s voice cracked repeatedly during her Songwriters Hall of Fame induction speech — and not just because she was screaming at the Knicks game the night before. More Culture Watch Steven Spielberg break down a suspenseful scene from his new movie, “Disclosure Day.” Trump brings a particular brand of reality-TV-style renovations to the nation’s capital. He may be inspired by HGTV. Human made. Human played. 75% off. Subscribe to New York Times Games for 75% off your first year. Our best offer is only available for a limited time. Relax and recharge with our full portfolio of games, including Wordle, Spelling Bee, Connections, the Crossword and more — all mindfully made by humans. REAL ESTATE From left, Inali Dreyer, Maria Walker and Michelle Flood, with their dog, Harry Styles. Emon Hassan for The New York Times The Hunt: A retired math teacher, her daughter and granddaughter put together about $1 million to find a house in New Rochelle, N.Y., for their extended family. What did they find? Play our game. What you get for $525,000: A pair of Spanish-style bungalows in Twentynine Palms, Calif. A farmhouse in Whitestown, Ind. A Craftsman in Tampa, Fla. A Manhattan aerie: A home in the gables of the iconic Dakota building is full of architectural flourishes. It’s now on the market for $8 million. Take a look inside. Gone native: For homeowners who have “rewilded” their gardens with native plants, a moment of truth arrives when they prepare to sell. LIVING Joseph Buduo gets some final adjustments from his stylist, Lee Alexander. CityLux Glam it up: Pre-wedding makeovers aren’t just for brides. Grooms want in on the hair, makeup and manicures. Get more space: Removing built-in and unused apps on your tablet can help free up storage and reduce screen clutter. Here’s how to do it. Tech-free time: You know you should look at your phone less. It could also help you sleep better. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER Eye cream actually works — with patience We embarked on our brand-new guide to eye creams with skepticism. To our surprise, a few standouts made notable differences for our testers. But consistency and patience are just as important as the ingredients. In fact, some of our testers only began to see differences at the 30-day mark. (Not that instant gratification is impossible to come by: Our testers found that a cooling applicator helped depuff morning eyes on contact.) And in the meantime, a really great concealer can make a big difference. — Abbie Kozolchyk ANOTHER BIG SPORTS WEEKEND Folarin Balogun, right, celebrates with Chris Richards after scoring last night. Andre Penner/Associated Press World Cup: The U.S. won its first match handily last night, jumping out to a 3-0 lead over Paraguay in the first half and never looking back. The tournament will continue, basically nonstop, over the coming weeks. Some picks for this weekend: Brazil vs. Morocco (to see if Vinicius Junior can bring a spark back to Brazil) and Netherlands vs. Japan (to see if Japan, a popular dark-horse pick, is capable of cracking into its first quarterfinal). N.B.A. finals: Knicks fans are ready to erect a statue of OG Anunoby outside the Garden. Spurs fans are seeking therapy after the biggest collapse in finals history. New York is one game away from its first title in half a century. Watch this video and get hyped for tonight. Stanley Cup final: After four frantic, back-and-forth games, the Hurricanes took control in Game 5. “The Carolina Hurricanes continue to improve in this N.H.L. championship series, while the Golden Knights look stuck in neutral,” The Athletic wrote. Carolina is up 3-2 and can clinch its first title in two decades on Sunday night. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was applicant. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Crossplay, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. 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

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 13 1966 The Miranda rights are established The U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1805 Meriwether Lewis reaches the Great Falls 21st Century 2017 Otto Warmbier returns from North Korean prison in a coma American Revolution 1777 Lafayette arrives in South Carolina to serve alongside General Washington Arts & Entertainment 1962 Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita” premieres in New York Black History 1967 Thurgood Marshall nominated to Supreme Court Crime 2006 Jurors begin deliberations in Susan Polk trial Middle Ages 1381 Peasant army marches into London Space Exploration 1983 Pioneer 10 crosses the orbit of Neptune U.S. Presidents 1807 Thomas Jefferson subpoenaed in Aaron Burr’s treason trial Vietnam War 1971 The New York Times publishes the “Pentagon Papers”

Couple asks their grandmothers to be flower girls; see Mimi, Grandma, and Nana's reactions. (More, w/video) NICU nurse comes home to Post-it note dinner instructions from her husband who usually cooks after her 12-hour shifts. (More, w/video) Ballerina who uses a wheelchair teaches other dancers with disabilities how to pirouette. (More, w/video) Young woman promises to help an 81-year-old return to her native Puerto Rico after an impromptu conversation on the New York subway—an encounter that happened only because she took her AirPods out. (More) "When my elementary teachers needed a bus driver for field trips, my dad volunteered. He'd worked as a bus driver in high school, but that was before a Commercial Driver's License was required in our state. When I was 8 years old, my dad, then 38, studied road manuals for weeks in preparation for his CDL test. He passed it and spent the next three years driving my classmates and me all over South Carolina anytime we had a field trip, including some overnights. I loved going with him to pick up the buses in the morning, and I always felt so cool being the driver's kid." — Joey H. in Durham, North Carolina "I grew up in the 1960s on a small island in north Florida. My dad was the editor, publisher, photographer, and reporter for the weekly newspaper. He was widely admired for his dedication to the community and for his integrity. I was a teenage daughter, and he raised me alone. I'm sure that was quite the challenge. There is one memory I have thought about a lot. In gym class, we were told to ask our mothers to embroider our names on the pocket of the white shirt given to us along with the regulation blue shorts. All the other girls' names were beautifully embroidered, but mine was special. Daddy had carefully stitched my name with blue thread in a staccato connection of short in-and-out stitches—each done with love and perseverance." — Candy D. in Maitland, Florida "When I was about 4 years old, we went to the airport to see my uncle, who had been visiting, leave by airplane. We walked around watching planes flying and landing. After my uncle's plane departed, we walked back to the car. My dad laughed when he let go of my hand. There was a puddle of sweat in his hand. That was because he’d never let go of my hand the whole time." — Peg L. in Wells, Maine

Pentagon releases third batch of declassified UFO files. More than 70 newly released files, spanning the 1940s through this year, contain reports from the public, Defense Department, CIA, and other agencies. Among the more recent files is a rendering depicting an alleged 2022 sighting of an object some have compared to a pale, scaly potato. The Pentagon says it is preparing to release another batch soon. (More, w/images) Read about five of the biggest revelations here.

US beats Paraguay 4-1 in 2026 World Cup debut. The win moves the US Men's National Team one step closer to advancing to the Round of 32. To secure automatic qualification, the US must finish first or second in its group after playing the other three teams (bracket format explained). The team's next match is against Australia on Friday, June 19, in Seattle, at 3 pm ET. (More, w/highlights)

Trees may store less planet-heating carbon than hoped, study suggests Trees may not be able to store as much planet-heating carbon as hoped, a study suggests, with researchers finding photosynthesis does not always lead to wood growth.

Swiss wait to hear result of ballot on capping population at 10 million A national ballot on an unprecedented far-right proposal to limit Switzerland’s population to 10 million concludes this weekend, amid warnings of devastating consequences for the country’s economy if voters back the initiative. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/13/swiss-wait-to-hear-result-of-ballot-on-capping-population-at-10-million?

‘Looks like Chornobyl’: life in Kyiv’s most bombed neighbourhood as Ukraine braced for new mass strike On Lukianivska Square, in Kyiv’s most bombed neighbourhood, the white letters on a busy McDonald’s have melted from a fire that engulfed a nearby shopping centre during the last major attack, on 24 May. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/13/lukianivska-square-kyiv-most-bombed-neighbourhood-ukraine?

Trump says US military strike killed leader of Tren de Aragua gang with help from Venezuela WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that a “swift and lethal kinetic” U.S. strike has killed Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, whom he called “the infamous leader” of the Tren de Aragua gang. https://apnews.com/article/trump-tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-344db66dfac87df7ca93d57ea77cd520? Trump’s name is gone from the Kennedy Center’s facade after court rulings WASHINGTON (AP) — The curtain may have come down for President Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center but the tarp stays up for now. https://apnews.com/article/trump-name-removal-kennedy-center-5a32c569d72c333e9d65c76b4224b617?

State lawmakers continued to weaken child labor protections in 2026 Efforts to strengthen protections have stalled https://www.epi.org/blog/state-lawmakers-continued-to-weaken-child-labor-protections-in-2026-efforts-to-strengthen-protections-have-stalled/? New research reveals how work permits reduce child labor violations In recent years, child labor violations have been on the rise across the country. At the same time, lawmakers in many states have proposed bills to reverse long-standing state child labor standards that prohibit employers from exposing youth under 18 to hazardous jobs or overly long work hours that interfere with their health and well-being. Youth work permits—which many states have historically required—have been a repeated target of this coordinated, industry-backed campaign to weaken child labor laws. Such permits typically require employers to outline the potential hours and work duties for a minor worker, as well as parental approval and verification that the minor is attending school. https://www.epi.org/blog/new-research-reveals-how-work-permits-reduce-child-labor-violations/?

🛑 House Republicans hit a ceiling Data: Axios research; Chart: Kathleen Hunter/Axios The next viability test for House Republicans seeking statewide office comes Tuesday with Senate contests in Georgia and Oklahoma. In Georgia, Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), who finished first in the May 19 Senate GOP primary, is facing former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley in the runoff. The winner will challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. In Oklahoma, Rep. Kevin Hern is favored to win the GOP nomination to replace Markwayne Mullin, who President Trump named as DHS secretary in March. That race could go to an Aug. 25 runoff if no candidate wins a majority on Tuesday. Why it matters: At least seven House Republicans who opted against seeking reelection to pursue statewide office this year have fallen short in their primaries. That should flash warning bells for incumbents across the board. Serving in the House has historically been viewed as a solid stepping stone to higher office. The House has broken the record this year for the most retirements in the 2000s (you'd have to go back to 1992 to find more). — Kathleen Hunter

☢️ Budget nuke House conservatives are pushing GOP leaders to test the limits of budget rules in "reconciliation 3.0," according to lawmakers involved in the talks. Why it matters: Some Republicans want to take a pre-midterms government shutdown off the table by passing TSA and SNAP funding this summer. "It takes away their political ability to hold it hostage," Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) told us, referring to the Democrats. But appropriators in both chambers are wary of eroding the annual, bipartisan funding process. For Speaker Mike Johnson, it's a familiar pain point: He's got to keep his conference united when conservatives and appropriators are pulling in opposite directions. Zoom in: President Trump called on Congress this week to pass $350 billion for the Pentagon, and the SAVE America Act. The president's public push gave new momentum to discussions that have been taking place for months. The big picture: Using reconciliation — which allows legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority — to fund parts of the government would mark a significant departure from the traditional bipartisan appropriations process. Congressional Republicans used reconciliation this year to provide funding for ICE and the Border Patrol after Democrats refused to fund those agencies without reforms. "It's just the reality of what the Democrats have demonstrated, is that they're willing to shut down the government for political reasons, and we can't let that happen this time," Burlison told us. There have been "lots of discussions" around including elements of traditional government funding, House Republican Study Committee chair August Pfluger (R-Texas) told us. "What we have seen the last year is something that's completely opposite of anything that's happened before, where they're just obstructing, you know, all the funding," Pfluger said. "I think the reality is that we want to be bipartisan in the appropriations process, but I think it demonstrates that that's not possible." The other side: "I've heard it talked about and I think it's a bad idea," Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), who sits on the Appropriations Committee, told us. "What we just passed for parts of Homeland, sadly, was done out of necessity." Between the lines: Republicans are deeply skeptical they can pass another reconciliation bill. "I think it's safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill, so it's really not an option," former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said during a hearing Tuesday. "I agree with that assessment," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) replied. "If it's not good for our district, I'm not going to vote for it," Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) told us. The bottom line: Republicans agree on at least one thing. If there's going to be a reconciliation 3.0, they need to move fast. House Freedom Caucus members are expected to roll out a framework for reconciliation 3.0 as soon as next week. — Kate Santaliz

Workers at the Kennedy Center this afternoon. Photo: Andrew Leyden/Bloomberg via Getty Images 🏗️ Workers were seen removing President Trump's name from the Kennedy Center this afternoon. A judge denied Trump's request to pause a ruling requiring his name to be pulled from the iconic venue.

🚀 SpaceX IPO takes off Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Johannes Neudecker/picture alliance via Getty Images SpaceX shares were up over 25% in initial trading by midafternoon, launching it into the pantheon of the largest U.S. companies, Axios' Madison Mills reports. Shares were trading at about $170 this afternoon, indicating a $2.22 trillion market cap. 💰 The offering made CEO Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire, Forbes declared. Data: Financial Modeling Prep; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios SpaceX went into its IPO trading at 90 times its sales (not profits — sales). Adam Johnson, portfolio manager of the Bullseye American Ingenuity Fund, says that suggests the company's valuation is divorced from its underlying fundamentals. 👀 What we're watching: What happens after the lock-up period ends. Once the company's next earnings report drops, early investors can sell up to 20% of their initial holdings to realize some gains. Get the latest.

New UFO records released Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios The Trump administration released a sweeping cache of government records and videos today that include colorful UFO-like orbs flying across the sky in seemingly impossible ways, Axios' Alex Isenstadt reports. The disclosure is part of a wave of releases aimed at shedding light on the government's probes into such sightings. 🕵️‍♂️ The documents indicate that government agents have spent years monitoring, investigating and documenting suspected unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) incidents — the modern term for UFOs. Among the items: Videos showing orbs emitting red and yellow light, some of which appear to split apart and reattach as they fly across the sky. Memos from government agents describing their UAP sightings. An illustration of a grayish-white, balloon-like object hovering near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Another illustration depicting incidents that took place in the "western United States" where government officials reported UAP sightings in 2023. 👽 The new records don't indicate whether the government believes the UAPs represent the existence of alien life. Nor do they indicate conclusions regarding any national security threat. Go deeper.

Faith Amid the Shaking: Adventists Respond to Major Earthquake in Mindanao Several Seventh-day Adventist churches and educational institutions sustained significant damage after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao on June 8, prompting damage assessments and relief efforts across the region. This, according to an article released by the Southeastern Philippine Union Mission. https://atoday.org/faith-amid-the-shaking-adventists-respond-to-major-earthquake-in-mindanao/

ADRA Serves Vulnerable Communities as Ebola Spreads in Central Africa DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is strengthening prevention and community education efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as health officials battle an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo Disease, according to an article in adra.org. https://atoday.org/adra-serves-vulnerable-communities-as-ebola-spreads-in-central-africa/

Shooter kills 1 and injures 10 in Texas days after firing at a police officer, officials say A man who opened fire in the West Texas city of Midland in an attack Friday morning that left one person dead and 10 injured had shot at a police officer just days earlier during a chase, authorities said. https://apnews.com/article/midland-texas-shooting-1b4308bda97427c695623ed5cf988eee?

SpaceX stock soars in debut and makes Elon Musk the first trillionaire NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire after shares of his rocket company SpaceX soared in Wall Street’s biggest initial public offering of stock. https://apnews.com/article/musk-spacex-tesla-ipo-trillionaire-billionaire-worth-rockets-7723f82b6063a9a17c194e25982cd66d? ps:Going to have to change this threads name to include trillionaire's!

Diehard Trump Voters Turn on Him With Furious ‘Buyer’s Remorse’ Republicans have blasted the man they voted for over his poor handling of the economy and broken promises. Some diehard Donald Trump supporters have finally had enough of the 79-year-old president, saying he has broken his promises during his second term. In a segment on MS Now’s The Briefing with Jen Psaki, voters who backed Trump in the past three elections told reporter Alex Tabet that they regret voting for him in 2024 because of his poor handling of the economy and other issues. While introducing the segment and noting Trump’s poor polling numbers on the economy and inflation, Psaki suggested that some Trump supporters are experiencing “buyer’s remorse” as his second term enters its 18th month. “I actually have panic attacks. I’ve had a couple this past week, and I get very emotional over it,” Annette Dombrowski, a three-time Trump voter from Ohio who is at risk of losing her job because the power plant where she works as a janitor is closing at the end of the month, said. “I don’t want to work anymore, but I can’t afford to retire.” When Tabet asked whether she believes Trump, who has an estimated net worth of around $6.5 billion, understands the financial hardships facing tens of millions of Americans, Dombrowski immediately replied, “No.” “He hasn’t lived it to understand it. He sees it, he has not lived it. He needs to live it. Wear the clothes. Wear the shoes. Wear your Walmart clothes. Wear your Walmart shoes. Do your thrift store shopping. Don’t eat steaks. I don’t get to go out to dinner,” Dombrowski said. “It’s been two years now. You said you’d bring down the grocery prices. I must be the most angry person when I grocery shop because I buy the same things every week and I see it jump every week. It is not every couple of months. It’s literally every week.” Chris Tackett, a truck driver from Ohio who also voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024, expressed similar frustration that the president has failed to keep his pledge to tackle food prices, inflation, and the cost-of-living crisis.Instead, the 79-year-old has exacerbated these hardships by launching a war with Iran, which has sent gas prices soaring in the U.S. “He’s backtracked on every single pitch point he had during his election,” Tackett said. “All we heard was drill, drill, drill during the election, and now all we’re getting is drilled into the dirt with these prices. “So I’m not a fan of him,” Tackett added. “I voted for Trump all three terms. To be honest with you, I’m not a big supporter of him at this point.” When asked by Tabet what he would say to Trump if he had the chance, Tackett replied: “Get it together, man.” “The average American is struggling to make ends meet right now. And nobody wants to hear ‘the war’s almost over.’ Nobody wants to hear ‘it’s gonna get better,’" he said. “You’ve had a year to make it better at this point. Make it better. ‘Make America Great Again,’ right?” Finally, Psaki introduced Rob Couch, a one-time Trump voter, who said he had a “more explicit message” for Trump that “encapsulates the buyer’s remorse we’ve been seeing lately.” “You want me to really say it on air? I’d say f--- you,” Couch said. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful to any leader, but he’s disrespectful to us, and he doesn’t care.” The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/diehard-trump-voters-turn-on-him-with-furious-buyers-remorse/?

Republicans Freak Out About Trump’s Chaotic Plan From centrists to MAGA loyalists, Hill Republicans are privately—and not so privately—alarmed. Republican lawmakers are losing their patience with President Donald Trump’s flip-flopping Iran strategy. A growing number are now openly warning that the war, and the inflation it’s fueling, could cost them their congressional majority in the November midterms. Trump said last month during a Cabinet meeting that he does not “care about the midterms,” but Republicans on Capitol Hill certainly do. Hours after Trump threatened to seize a major Iranian oil hub, several key Republicans told CNN they were deeply uncomfortable with the president’s willingness to escalate without a coherent endgame. The anxiety spans the party’s spectrum, from centrists to leadership allies to die-hard MAGA loyalists, and is rapidly growing as gas prices and consumer costs continue to climb. This is another concern that the 79-year-old billionaire has downplayed, calling the affordability crisis a “hoax” cooked up by political foes. “I think people are really feeling it,” said Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. “It’s not just gas prices, food prices, and other things, and I think there’s a level of frustration. So I think the pressure is for the president to reach a peace solution and move on.” Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a centrist from New Jersey who says he supports the broader goal of neutralizing Iran’s nuclear capabilities, was more blunt. “Get it done. Get out,” he said. “We need an exit strategy.” Trump’s main domestic response to the economic fallout has been a push to temporarily freeze the federal gas tax, a proposal widely panned by his own party as offering negligible relief. Republicans say the White House isn’t helping itself with recent side projects, either, and his “I love the inflation” comment this week landed like a grenade in the camp. “Makes absolutely no sense to me,” said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who was beaten by Trump’s hand-picked candidate, controversial Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a runoff election last month. “The fact that we’re not talking about or focused on the things that most people care about at election time, kitchen table issues, I think, is a problem,” he said. Behind the scenes, the frustration runs deeper. Several senior lawmakers, including the House GOP’s top spending leader, Rep. Tom Cole, have complained they’ve been left in the dark about the war’s total cost. Trump has floated a Pentagon funding request of up to $350 billion, due sometime by August, and Republicans are already balking. Others say Trump has failed to make a convincing public case—or a private one—for the conflict. “I think we can lay out the case right, but we haven’t done a good job at it,” said retiring Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who has made a habit in his last days in office of dissenting against the MAGA figurehead. The prospect of ground troops is where Republican alarm reaches its crescendo. Trump’s threat to seize Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub, drew swift warnings from within his own party. “I don’t support boots on the ground. I don’t think America has the stomach for that,” said Rep. Nick LaLota of New York, who declined to rule out backing a formal congressional vote to authorize the conflict—against party leaders’ wishes. Even Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, one of Trump’s most reliable allies, said he was “worried” about the Kharg Island idea, offering a stark historical warning: “This is how it started in Vietnam.” Kennedy acknowledged the economic toll but stopped short of condemning the strategy outright, noting he’s not privy to classified briefings. “I think the president has clearly decided to take the pain,” Kennedy said. “I think he’s decided that long-term, the benefits of crippling Iran permanently, if possible, are worth the costs to our economy, to our inflation rate, and the world’s economy. I think he’s made that decision, and it has been painful.” One Republican lawmaker, granted anonymity to speak candidly, offered a grim outlook for the party. “It needed to happen even if it costs us our majority. And it might.” Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota framed the electoral stakes plainly. “People often vote their pocketbook,” he said. “If people don’t feel secure financially, they oftentimes obviously respond by choosing somebody else.” He added, with unusual candor, “I don’t think people have a great deal of confidence in any of us right now, quite honestly.” Sen. Josh Hawley called this week’s inflation numbers a “wake-up call.” “If Congress doesn’t deliver the relief,” he warned, “I think voters are not going to be pleased.” The White House has been approached for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/republicans-freak-out-about-trumps-chaotic-iran-strategy/?

Did the Euphrates Originally Empty into the Mediterranean? The Euphrates River was one of the great arteries of the ancient Near East. Flowing from modern-day Turkey through Syria and Iraq before joining the Tigris and emptying into the Persian Gulf, it supported some of the world’s earliest cities and empires. Many of the cultures that emerged along its banks intersect with the historical and literary background of the Bible. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/did-the-euphrates-originally-empty-into-the-mediterranean/?

A Pentagon list overhaul puts Mormon church’s Christian identity back in the spotlight The Pentagon’s revision to its list of Christian religions this week has reignited a nearly 200-year-old debate: Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a Christian denomination? Most Latter-day Saints do see themselves as Christians. But there are many prominent Christian clergy and scholars who disagree, citing core differences in how they view God and the Trinity and revere a scripture that is not part of the two-testament Christian Bible. Read more. Why this matters: Utah U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, both Republicans and Latter-day Saints, challenged the Pentagon’s exclusion of their faith from its list of Christian religions. It was part of the Department of Defense’s recent effort to significantly pare down a list of more than 200 religious affiliations that troops could choose from, deleting categories such as Unitarian Universalists, pagans, atheists and Wiccans. The Pentagon responded by removing the Christian label from 20 other traditions, including Catholic, Lutheran and Pentecostal, and stayed away from labeling Latter-day Saints as Christian. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Defense Department slashes its religious designations list from more than 200 choices to 31 Mormon church lowers minimum age for women missionaries to 18 Russell M. Nelson, oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies

As UFOs go mainstream, the jury is out on what the existence of alien life might mean for religion In his new film “Disclosure Day,” Steven Spielberg is once again inviting audiences to ponder the existence of extraterrestrial life — and the implications it would have for religion on Earth. But Spielberg isn't the only one making headlines of late about UFOs and the possibility of life on other planets. What was once considered fringe or conspiratorial has in recent months popped up everywhere from the White House to the Catholic Church, as public fascination with unidentified anomalous phenomena — or UAPs, as the government calls them — becomes more mainstream. Read more. Why this matters: The Pentagon in May made public large swaths of UFO files with very little context, leaving curious sleuths to piece together their own interpretations. The dump came just weeks after former President Barack Obama set off a media frenzy for stating that aliens are real. Some religious adherents, as well as some nonbelievers, maintain that the existence of life on other planets might undermine many faiths because it would complicate assertions that humans are unique. But others argue the opposite. UFOs are often thought of as hostile. But some religions see them as good or even part of a divine plan. Some adherents to the Nation of Islam, for example, believe that its founder will inaugurate an apocalyptic return to Earth on a spaceship. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Bright lights and hot orbs: UFO files shed light on sightings but leave interpretation to the public Washington archbishop removes priest as exorcist after comments on UFOs and demons Movie Review: ‘Disclosure Day’ is classic Spielberg

Pope tells traffickers of migrants in the Canary Islands: Stop, repent or face God's wrath Pope Leo XIV warned human traffickers that they will face God's wrath for exploiting the desperation of migrants, demanding they stop and repent during his final day in the epicenter of the African migration route to Europe. The American pope insisted on the inherent dignity and rights of migrants and demanded they be welcomed and integrated into society, in some of his strongest comments on the divisive issue. Read more. Why this matters: Leo wrapped up his weeklong trip to Spain in the Canary Islands, an archipelago which is closer to Africa than the Iberian Peninsula. It is a key point of entry for migrants who make the perilous Atlantic crossing from West Africa. He was fulfilling Pope Francis' wish to visit the islands to commemorate the thousands of lives lost at sea. He was also drawing attention to the Catholic Church’s biblically-mandated mantra to “welcome the stranger,” amid anti-migrant sentiment in Europe and the Trump administration's mass deportation program in his native United States. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pope honors Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia as masterpiece of stone, color and light on Gaudí centenary Catalonia’s famed human tower climbers greet Pope Leo in Barcelona Pope’s youth rally in Spain gets raw, with frank discussion of depression and domestic violence Pope gets caught up in Spain’s great debates over soccer and language