All Activity

Soldiers Accuse Pentagon Pete of War Disaster Cover-Up Service members and their families claim injuries sustained during a horrific attack on a U.S. base have been downplayed. Soldiers wounded during the Iran war have accused military officials of trying to downplay the true extent of their injuries. Those on active duty during President Donald Trump’s deeply unpopular conflict told CBS News they believe there has been an effort to hide how badly they were hurt through official military designations. In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured reporters that “an overwhelming majority, almost 90 percent” of the 400 injured American service members had suffered “minor injuries,” and that many have since returned to duty. Chief Warrant Officer Rodney Bearman, who was blasted by shrapnel after an Iranian drone struck his command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on March 1, is one of those who was listed as “not seriously injured” by the Army. However, medical records reviewed by CBS News revealed that he suffered a concussion, damage to his lungs, and hearing and vision loss as a result of the drone strike, which killed six U.S. service members and injured 20 others. “That assessment is unacceptable,” his wife, Amy Bearman, told CBS News. “I could just hear him breathing, and then he finally said, ‘I’m going to be OK.’ I waited a few moments and then asked if he had returned to duty,” she said. “It seemed like forever before he answered me, and then he said, ‘I can’t go back.’” Sgt. 1st Class Cory Hicks, 37, was also injured in the Kuwait attack, suffering severe shrapnel wounds and requiring multiple operations as part of his recovery. He said his wife was only told by the Army that his injuries were “minor.” “They said your husband was injured, he has a minor jaw injury, and he’s going to be returned to duty,” Hicks told CBS News. He added that he “absolutely” believes the Army and the Pentagon have attempted to downplay the seriousness of the deadly Kuwait drone attack. After initially being treated in Kuwait, Hicks was airlifted to a hospital in Germany before continuing his treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Hicks said he has spent several weeks at Walter Reed in a soldier recovery unit with a “pretty severe” traumatic brain injury and could remain there for at least another six months. Trump failed to visit any of the 14 injured troops being treated at Walter Reed when he attended the medical center for his physical examination last month. In a statement to CBS News, the Army denied the claims of a cover-up and said the families were confusing the definitions of “not seriously injured” and “combat casualty.” The Army said a soldier is classified as “seriously injured” or “very seriously injured” only when there is a significant risk of death from their wounds within 72 hours. “The care and well-being of our Soldiers is of the highest priority,” an Army spokesperson added. “Any assertion that the Army seeks to downplay a soldier’s injuries is simply not true.” The Daily Beast has contacted the Army for further comment. The Pentagon referred a request for comment to the Army. https://www.thedailybeast.com/soldiers-accuse-pentagon-pete-of-war-disaster-cover-up/?

Kaitlan Collins Humiliates Trump With Brutal Reflecting Pool Receipt The president’s own comments are coming back to bite him. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins has exposed a devastating flaw in President Donald Trump’s claims on his Reflecting Pool fiasco. The star host called BS on Trump’s claim that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green with algae because “vandals” cut up its new, expensive, “American flag blue” lining. Collins began by playing a clip of the president saying on Tuesday that somebody “went in with a knife and cut it.” “They cut it up good,” Trump said. “And then they cut it 200, 350-foot slips in the form of lots of little slips, a real horrible stuff.” Collins pointed out that Trump has provided no pictures or video to back up his claim. She then reminded the president that he said in May that it would be impossible to cut the lining—chips of which are visible inside the pool—with a knife. “This will last for at least 50 years,” Trump said on May 4. “You’ll never have a leak. It’s very strong. You couldn’t, if you had a knife—I don’t want to give anybody ideas—if you had a knife, you can’t even cut it. So strong, so powerful, it’s like powerful rubber. It is beautiful. Sealed.” Now, the 80-year-old Trump is desperately trying to spin his Reflecting Pool mess as the result of Democrats trying to sabotage him. Collins noted in her segment that Trump is posting about the Reflecting Pool as much as he is about Iran this week. The pool, an iconic part of the National Mall, is now surrounded by National Guard troops, apparently patrolling for vandals. The failed Reflecting Pool renovation cost an eye-popping $16 million in taxpayer money—awarded through no-bid contracts to companies with ties to Trump, including a longtime donor—and now requires additional repairs that will be completed after the Fourth of July holiday. Trump claimed in a Truth Social post on Tuesday that six people have been arrested and seven have been cited “for the damage they did to our Country’s now beautiful Reflecting Pool.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also told Fox News on Monday that six arrests have been made. “The vandalism is very real,” she claimed, referring to the nameless perpetrators as “deranged individuals” who are “longtime donors” to Democrats. It did not take long for the president’s American flag blue pool to turn Kermit-green. Workers have since been photographed dumping chemicals into the pool in hopes of killing the algal bloom. The project now has a waterfowl body count, with a dead duckling spotted floating in the putrid green water on Sunday. Two other dead ducks, one adult and one juvenile, were also found on Sunday at a pond on the Constitution Gardens on the National Mall—about 250 feet from the Reflecting Pool. https://www.thedailybeast.com/kaitlan-collins-humiliates-trump-with-brutal-reflecting-pool-receipt/? ps:It's so pathetic how easy it's been to expose his lies

Trump Humiliates Congress’ MAGA Toadies With Wild Tantrum The president announced he was canceling a bill signing after it was passed with overwhelming support. President Donald Trump threw a huge wrench into Republicans’ celebration of the passage of a key piece of legislation on Wednesday by abruptly canceling the bill signing. “Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump wrote. The move blindsided Republicans, who have been desperate for legislative victories to tout on the campaign trail as they inch closer to the midterms in November. The president was set to sign the bill with Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson at noon on Capitol Hill. Thune offered a muted reaction when informed of the president’s abrupt cancellation. “I just heard that,” he said, according to Punchbowl News. “I guess I would say, at this point, I don’t have any observations about that.” Republicans, who were in the middle of a news conference touting the housing bill and Trump’s support of it when he made his bombshell Truth Social post, were left stunned by the move. A senior aide to a Republican senator told Punchbowl that it is as if Trump is trying to lose his Senate and House majorities in November. “We saw glimpses of this during Trump’s first administration, but never in my lifetime have I seen a president so deliberately attempt to lose majorities for his own party,” the aide said. Trump has no leverage over Congress when it comes to the housing bill if it is presented to him, but Republican leaders would have to act. Then it would automatically become law after 10 days even if the president does not act on it. If he vetoes it, the legislation has a veto proof majority, but Republicans would have to have the courage to override him. For months, Trump has pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would overhaul elections in all 50 states and add new proof-of-citizenship and voter-ID requirements. However, Republicans have been hesitant to advance the legislation, which GOP leadership says lacks even a majority of votes, never mind the necessary 60 votes it needs in the Senate. The housing bill that Trump is holding up was passed by the House and Senate this week with bipartisan support—something Trump seemed bothered by in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, in which he noted that his longtime Democratic foe, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, co-sponsored the legislation. It aims to lower housing costs by making it easier to build more homes and by restricting large investors from buying up single-family residences. The signing ceremony for the housing bill was planned as part of a lunch that Trump was set to have with Republican lawmakers. A spokesperson for Republican Sen. Rick Scott, who invited Trump to the lunch, told NBC News that Trump will still travel to the Capitol on Wednesday and attend their weekly lunch. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-humiliates-congress-maga-toadies-with-wild-tantrum/?

Did Trump's motorcade drive through newly painted reflecting pool? Claim: U.S. President Donald Trump's motorcade drove through the newly painted and sealed Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Rating: True Context Trump's motorcade passed through the empty pool on May 7, 2026, after it was painted and sealed and before it was refilled with water as part of a renovation project. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-motorcade-reflecting-pool/? Iran soccer team's message thanked LA for hospitality after World Cup match Claim: After their 2026 World Cup games at Los Angeles Stadium, the members of Iran's men's soccer team left a note in the locker room calling for peace and thanking the city for its hospitality. Rating: True In late June 2026, after Iran's men's soccer team played a World Cup match against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, an image spread (archived) online purportedly showing a message the team left in the locker room. The photograph showed a handwritten letter on a large sheet of paper calling for peace and thanking the city of Los Angeles for its hospitality. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/iran-thanked-la-world-cup/?

Trump-endorsed de la Espriella declared winner of Colombia’s presidential runoff election BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, a millionaire political neophyte, will be Colombia’s next president after electoral authorities on Wednesday declared him the winner of Sunday’s runoff election. https://apnews.com/article/colombia-election-ivan-cepeda-concedes-de-la-espriella-e0a39ed59a9d432d318e11c1e0735f4e?

Camp Mystic files for bankruptcy after catastrophic Texas floods killed 28 people at the girls’ camp DALLAS (AP) — Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization on Wednesday, nearly a year after catastrophic floods killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the Christian camp for girls along the Guadalupe River in Texas. https://apnews.com/article/camp-mystic-bankruptcy-61263980faaa31857e6f3da0e83aee41?

👋 Good morning! Happy Hump Day. It's launch day! Yahoo Sports Biz, our new sports business newsletter authored by Dylan Dittrich, launches today. Subscribe here to make sure the first edition hits your inbox later this morning. In today's edition: The first round of the NBA Draft is in the books, the NCAA's landmark decision, Ronaldo makes history, the PGA Tour introduces promotion and relegation, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🎓 Landmark decision: The NCAA Division I Cabinet has unanimously approved an age-based, five-year eligibility model to replace the existing structure that has no age restrictions. The historic change, set to take effect in 2027, will see athletes' eligibility clocks start either when they enroll or after their 19th birthday (whichever comes first). 🏈 Sorsby saga update: The NFL delivered a scathing lesson in accountability on Tuesday by denying Brendan Sorsby's request to hold a Supplemental Draft. The 22-year-old, who admitted to betting on his own team and will no longer be playing for Texas Tech this fall, may still enter the standard 2027 NFL Draft. 🏀 Coaching carousel complete: The Trail Blazers have hired longtime Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as their next head coach, filling the NBA's last remaining vacancy. 🏒 Ditto: The NHL's last remaining vacancy was also filled on Tuesday when the Oilers hired Mike Babcock, who last coached in the NHL in 2019. ⚾️ What a turnaround: The first-place White Sox improved to 41-37 with Tuesday's win over the Guardians, matching their entire win total from just two years ago when they set the modern MLB record for losses in a season (41-121).   🏀 NBA DRAFT DYBANTSA HEADLINES LOADED DRAFT CLASS (Yahoo Sports) BYU's AJ Dybantsa was selected No. 1 overall by the Wizards on Tuesday night in Brooklyn, where nearly every team earned top marks for their selections in the first round of an absolutely loaded NBA Draft. Top 4: Any of these freshman uber-prospects could have reasonably gone No. 1 in most years, so Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago should all be thrilled with the young men who are about to join their ranks. Dybantsa (Wizards): The 6-foot-9 athletic freak and scoring machine (he led the NCAA with 25.5 points per game last season) gives Washington someone who could become one of the NBA's most unstoppable shot-creators, and someone who should slot in nicely alongside veteran All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Darryn Peterson (Jazz): The 6-foot-5 guard out of Kansas is a buttery-smooth scorer and dynamic playmaker who can shine with or without the ball, and his 6-foot-11 wingspan makes him a high-impact defender, to boot. Utah got a potential superstar as long as he can avoid the cramping issue that hindered his otherwise sensational season in Lawrence. Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies): The most polished player in the class and reigning POY out of Duke made this an incredibly easy choice for Memphis, who get a 6-foot-8 forward that can score from the post with both footwork and power. Plus, second-generation players like him historically outperform their draft slot expectations by 26%. Caleb Wilson (Bulls): The most gifted athlete in the draft class is 6-foot-9 with springs for legs, and when the North Carolina big is flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That sort of defensive anchor with offensive upside is exactly what the Bulls need in the frontcourt. Next up: Those four freshman at the top were followed by four freshman guards who went in succession, as the Clippers got Illinois' Keaton Wagler, the Nets got Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., the Kings got Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., and the Hawks got Houston's Kingston Flemings. Consider this: 11 of the 14 lottery picks were freshmen, while the other three were transfers — all of whom won the national championship with Michigan. Morez Johnson Jr. went ninth to the Mavericks (where he'll reunite with Dusty May), Yaxel Lendeborg went 11th to the Warriors and Aday Mara went 12th to the Thunder. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) The Swoosh strikes again: Dybantsa's selection made him the 12th Nike athlete in the last 20 years to go No. 1 overall, or 14th if you include the Nike-owned Jordan Brand. His addition adds young dynamism to an evolving men's basketball roster at Nike, where the future is in uncertain hands. The top of the roster is aging, as LeBron James and Kevin Durant — on the 23rd and 19th iterations of their signature shoes, respectively — near the end of their playing careers. Nike added reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a signature athlete last week, plucking him from Nike-owned Converse to fortify its collection of prime-aged players. Ja Morant and Cade Cunningham headline the tier below SGA, but the former's play has taken a step back, while the latter's marketability remains a source of skepticism. Further complicating matters? The presumed face of the next generation, Victor Wembanyama, is an impending sneaker free agent, per Shams Charania. Depending on the Frenchman's decision, Dybantsa could have size 22 shoes to fill. Dylan Dittrich has a deeper dive on Nike's basketball ambitions (and stock price) in the inaugural edition of Yahoo Sports Biz, our new newsletter launching later today. Subscribe here to start receiving it.   ⚽️ WORLD CUP RONALDO JOINS THE PARTY Siuuu. (Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images) With his fading abilities the subject of question marks and jeers, Cristiano Ronaldo had to watch as his chief rival chased and achieved tournament history through the World Cup's early stages. On Tuesday, the Portuguese icon made history of his own. Two decorated decades: Ronaldo scored two first-half goals in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, adding to the parade of superstar braces that began on Monday. His first, a characteristically clinical finish in the match's sixth minute, made him the first player to score in six World Cups — a feat that it's hard to imagine anyone ever matching (Lionel Messi was shut out in the 2010 edition). His second, carefully slotted past the keeper in the 39th minute, made him the oldest player ever with a multi-goal game in the tournament (41 years, 138 days), breaking the record set by Messi twice in the past week (38 years, 363 days). More from Tuesday: England and Ghana played to a scoreless draw as the Black Stars joined Mexico, Spain and Argentina as the only teams who have yet to allow a goal; Croatia dismissed Panama from the tournament in a nervy 1-0 win; Colombia booked their trip to the Round of 32, beating DR Congo 1-0. (Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports) Where it stands: With every team having now played two of their three group stage games, the knockout round picture is beginning to come into focus. Advanced: Mexico, United States, Germany, Argentina, France, Norway, Colombia Eliminated: Haiti, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Panama Everything to play for: 36 teams (75% of the field) still have hope of advancing out of the group stage. And though such widespread uncertainty at this juncture is nothing new, the heavy proportion of those teams who will eventually secure passage into the knockouts is. In 2022, 27 of 32 teams (84%) came into Matchday No. 3 facing an uncertain outcome. However, only 13 of those nations (48%) would ultimately advance. In this year's edition — where the top-eight third-place teams will advance alongside the top two teams in each group — those 36 teams are vying for 25 remaining positions, ensuring that more than two-thirds of them will fight on past the group stage. What to watch: The group stage gets kicked up a notch beginning this afternoon, with six games per day until the preliminary round concludes on Saturday. With that in mind, here are five of the most important games to keep an eye on, headlined by Friday's dream matchup between Kylian Mbappé's France and Erling Haaland's Norway.   ⛳️ NEW FRAMEWORK THE PGA TOUR INTRODUCES PROMOTION AND RELEGATION PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp — set to take over as commissioner next year — in March before the Players Championship. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) The PGA Tour unveiled a radical new competitive model on Tuesday, featuring a series of changes that will be more substantial than any in the Tour's half-century-long history. Champions and Challengers: Beginning in 2028, the Tour will operate on two tracks — the Championship and Challenger Series — which will run concurrently from February through August and include a promotion/relegation system. Championship: The top golfers' slate includes a baseline of 15 regular-season events, each with about 120 golfers, a 36-hole cut and at least a $20 million purse. Their remaining schedule is filled out with the four majors, The Players Championship, the playoffs and an annual international team event (Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup). Challenger: Larger fields of about 144 golfers will compete in at least 20 events, each with a minimum purse of $4 million. Of note: The exact criteria for which players will slot into each Series has yet to be determined, but to be clear, this is distinct from the Korn Ferry Tour; these will be PGA Tour golfers. Promotion/relegation: The top 20 players in the season-long Challenger standings will be promoted to the Championship, with immediate promotion available to anyone who wins either two events or a major. The top 90 Championship players (at least) will remain on that track, while the remaining ~40 will be eligible for relegation. In the fall, several "last-chance" events will give fringe players an opportunity to play their way into the Championship. Plus: The postseason will be revamped to include match play, and will be contested across a rotation of courses. Further details will be revealed at the Tour Championship in August.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 (Yahoo Sports) ⚽️ World Cup, Day 14 You thought four games a day was fun? Let's try six. First up is Canada vs. Switzerland in Vancouver (3pm ET, Fox) and Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar in Seattle (3pm, FS1). Then it's Scotland vs. Brazil in Miami (6pm, Fox) and Morocco vs. Haiti in Atlanta (6pm, FS1) followed by Mexico vs. Czechia in Mexico City (9pm, Fox) and South Korea vs. South Africa in Guadalupe (9pm, FS1). Host nation bump: Mexico has already clinched Group A, while Canada has all but assured its first-ever trip to the World Cup knockout round. They'll clinch Group B with either a win or draw against the Swiss. 🏀 NBA Draft, Day 2 30 more prospects will be selected tonight in Brooklyn (8pm, ESPN) on the second and final day of the NBA Draft. Still on the board: Meleek Thomas (Arkansas), Henri Veesaar (UNC), Richie Saunders (BYU) and Isaiah Evans (Duke) headline our best players still available. More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Yankees at Tigers (6:40pm Prime) … Tarik Skubal makes his third start since returning (incredibly quickly) from a groundbreaking new procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow. 🏀 WNBA: Mercury at Fever (7:30pm, USA); Dream at Valkyries (10pm, USA) … Five of the top 11 scorers take the floor in Indiana's Caitlin Clark (21.3) and Kelsey Mitchell (20.9), Atlanta's Allisha Gray (19.5) and Rhyne Howard (19.1) and Phoenix's Kahleah Copper (19.2). Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city. Get tickets now!   🏈 ON THIS DAY NFL TRIVIA A portrait of the Oorang Indians, one of 18 teams to play in the 1922 NFL season. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images) 104 years ago today, the NFL got its modern name, rebranding to the National Football League before its third season kicked off in the fall of 1922. Question: What was the league's original name from its founding in 1920? A) American League of Professional Football American Professional Football Association C) All-America Football Conference D) Association of Professional Football Answer at the bottom.   📣 ANNOUNCEMENT LAUNCH DAY IS HERE! Yahoo Sports Biz, our new sports business newsletter authored by Dylan Dittrich, launches today! What to expect: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Dylan and the rest of our growing newsletter team will break down the deals, dollars and decisions shaping your favorite sports. Subscribe here to make sure the first edition hits your inbox later this morning.   Trivia answer: American Professional Football Association

Pentagon Pete Humiliated by Major U-Turn as Air Force Flu Outbreak Explodes The military has quietly reinstated mandatory flu jabs for recruits just two months after Hegseth scrapped the 80-year-old rule. The U.S. military has been forced into a humiliating climbdown over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s flu vaccine rules after an outbreak at a U.S. Air Force base spread to affect at least 222 recruits.Hegseth, 45, made the annual flu shot optional for troops in April, tearing up a requirement that had stood since 1945 in a move that broke with decades of public health guidance. Only about 40 percent of new trainees at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas had been jabbed when the outbreak took hold in early June, down from a previous rate of nearly 100 percent.Now the Army, Navy, and Air Force have all quietly performed a U-turn, once again requiring flu shots for basic trainees, officials told ABC News, which first reported the worsening crisis. The Pentagon has granted the services formal exceptions to Hegseth’s own policy. The numbers are getting worse by the day. As of Tuesday, at least 222 recruits at Lackland Air Force Base had been diagnosed with flu, and four had been hospitalized, two sources familiar with the matter told the network. That is up from 159 cases and two hospitalizations a week earlier. One recruit has died. Keon McDaniel was in his sixth week of basic training when he suffered a medical emergency on June 12 and was rushed to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he died on June 16, according to the Air Force. The cause remains under investigation. It is not yet clear whether the death is linked to the outbreak. Recruits are at particular risk. They live in tightly packed bays, shower communally and spend their days within arm’s reach of one another through drills and inspections—exhausted, stressed and crammed together in exactly the conditions where a respiratory virus can thrive. Hegseth showed no such caution in April. “Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should. But we will not force you,” he said, branding the old mandate “overly broad and not rational.” Rep. Joaquin Castro, 51, whose Texas district covers about half of San Antonio, including Lackland, was scathing. “After Secretary Hegseth scrapped the military’s flu vaccine mandate, it was only a matter of time before an outbreak occurred,” he wrote on X. “It was a reckless decision that put troops in harm’s way and undermined our military readiness.” The Army is now preparing to further broaden the requirement in the coming weeks—to include troops deploying overseas, first responders, child care workers, healthcare staff, prison workers, and soldiers on large-scale exercises, a spokesperson said. The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Defense for comment. In a statement, spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the undersecretary for personnel and readiness had signed off on exceptions for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency and Defense Health Agency, following what he called “thorough risk assessments” designed to “maximize operational readiness, lethality, and force generation, while safeguarding at-risk populations.” He insisted the Pentagon “remains committed to the health and readiness of our warfighters.” An Air Force spokesperson said the 37th Training Wing had spent three weeks battling the “localized influenza outbreak” alongside the 59th Medical Wing, isolating and treating sick trainees with antivirals such as Tamiflu and monitoring those who had been in close contact. Recruits return to training once medics clear them. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pete-hegseth-humiliated-by-major-u-turn-as-air-force-flu-outbreak-explodes/? ps:ibid!!!!!

Pentagon Pete’s Purge Chaos Spirals With Top General’s Shock Exit The increasingly paranoid defense secretary just canned one of the top military officials responsible for helping Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth forced out another senior military official in his paranoid purge of the Pentagon’s top brass. Four-star General Chris “C.D.” Donahue, 56, who, as the Army’s chief official in Europe and Africa, has been instrumental in helping Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion, has filed to retire and will leave his post within days. Donahue, a special forces veteran who was famously the very last service member to depart Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal under Joe Biden, had once been tipped to run the entire Army but is now one of the most senior names on a lengthening list of officers shown the door under Hegseth, as The Atlantic first reported. The general had clashed with the secretary before opting to retire, according to CBS News, which said the Army confirmed July 2 as his final day after just a year and a half leading U.S. forces in Europe and Africa. Armed forces officials thanked him for his service in a clipped statement and tapped his deputy, Major General Christopher Norrie, to fill in. Brett McGurk, a former special presidential envoy who steered the campaign against Islamic State under Obama and during Trump’s first term, told CBS that “there are few people more responsible for the defeat of ISIS than Chris Donahue,” and that “he is among the most consequential commanders of his generation.” The exit extends a clear-out that has thinned the Pentagon’s upper echelons since Trump returned to office in January 2025. Hegseth pushed out the Army’s most senior general, Randy George, in the spring—a move The Financial Times reports stirred resentment in the ranks. George’s job had notably been to rebuild air-defense stockpiles that the president’s war with Iran had depleted. The roll call of canned veteran leaders runs long. It includes Air Force General and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Charles Q. Brown, along with Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman to run the Navy, as well as ex-National Security Agency chief General Timothy Haugh and former top NATO liaison Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield. Officers are clear-eyed about the danger that Hegseth’s purges pose to national security, having cost the Defense Department decades of combined experience and expertise. “It’s interesting that the guy who says he wants to bring back the warrior culture is expunging the biggest warriors in the Army ranks,” one retired service member told The Atlantic. “This is not a war on woke,” they added. “This is a war on warriors.” Other former top officers told the FT that an increasingly paranoid Hegseth has fostered an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that has reached the highest ranks at the Pentagon. The dismissals have gathered speed since last year’s Signal leak, when Hegseth unwittingly shared sensitive airstrike details with a journalist who had accidentally been added to a group chat with multiple ranking members of the Trump cabinet. That snafu has fed what detractors describe as a hardening bunker mentality at the top of Hegseth’s department. But not all officers dismissed by the secretary have gone quietly into the night. Nancy Lacore, a 35-year Navy veteran cut loose last August as Hegseth removed officials whose intelligence assessments had irritated the president, has since secured a Democratic ticket in South Carolina and is now running for Congress, The New York Times reports. Hegseth’s stewardship has supplied no shortage of oddities to accompany the purges. He has repeatedly joined rank-and-file troops for fitness drills in front of the cameras, ordered a makeup space installed at the Pentagon for touch-ups ahead of press appearances, put up photographs of his wife in official areas, and curbed access for reporters and photographers whose work he finds unflattering. The Daily Beast contacted the Defense Department for comment on this story. The Pentagon deferred questions to the Army. “The Army thanks Gen. Donahue for his leadership of U.S. Army Europe and Africa,” spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said. https://www.thedailybeast.com/defense-secretary-pentagon-pete-hegseths-purge-chaos-spirals-with-top-general-cd-donohues-shock-exit/? ps:What a complete jerk this man is!!

Archaeologists find huge Viking textile production site in Denmark SØFTEN, Denmark (AP) — Archaeologists have discovered a huge Viking Age textile production site in Denmark that dates back more than 1,000 years and underlines the sophistication of Viking society. https://apnews.com/article/denmark-viking-textile-production-site-soeften-54f9b57b5485aa602591185ff3b911cd?

High school senior gets over 5 years in prison for setting homeless man on fire on NYC subway NEW YORK (AP) — A high school senior who admitted to setting a fire that severely burned a homeless man on the subway was sentenced Tuesday in Manhattan federal court to 5 1/2 years in prison. https://apnews.com/article/subway-fire-arson-new-york-city-87dce820960d41011f2e127fcf14c3a2? Ex-chief of staff to former NYC Mayor Eric Adams charged with taking bribes NEW YORK (AP) — A former chief of staff to ex-New York Mayor Eric Adams was arrested Wednesday in a federal bribery case about a lucrative migrant shelter contract, the latest sign that prosecutors continue to scrutinize Adams’ inner circle months after the scandal-bruised Democrat left office. https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-eric-adams-staff-bribery-be06c8266d66b2fa4b9d4e4e48e312e2?

COVID-19 vaccine study that was blocked from CDC journal is published elsewhere NEW YORK (AP) — A study on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness has finally been published after being blocked from a government health journal. https://apnews.com/article/cdc-covid-vaccine-effective-study-256e61b5ff4fcf3bfecd48826077e389?

Judge bars immigration arrests at US courthouses in a setback for Trump A judge on Tuesday barred the federal government from making arrests at immigration courts, ordering an end to a practice that took hold shortly after President Donald Trump took office last year. https://apnews.com/article/judge-rules-against-immigration-courthouse-arrests-e99e8e3a27647a716917217cc1c207ab? Federal appeals court allows the Trump administration to resume expanded use of speedy deportations A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to resume carrying out speedy deportations of undocumented migrants throughout the United States, not just near the border. https://apnews.com/article/trump-speedy-deportations-lawsuit-aclu-judge-cd0ffc2dc1df05568952e9149569bbbb? Trump berates Senate Republicans over Iran war vote after calling off bill signing WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump berated Senate Republicans face to face on Wednesday for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran, further escalating a feud that has diverted GOP efforts to focus on election-year affordability issues and brought much of the chamber’s business to a halt. https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-republican-senators-968c1454ede461d2db413790670c07df?

Immigration case dealing with green card holders, Supreme Court sides with Trump administration WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration Tuesday in an immigration case dealing with the government’s power over green card holders accused of crimes. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immigration-b9ea1079296c0d7be844213986f96e6f?

8 convicted in Texas immigration center shooting and protest are sentenced to decades in prison A former U.S. Marine reservist and seven others were sentenced Tuesday to decades in prison over a shooting last year that wounded a police officer during a demonstration outside a detention center near Dallas. Read more. Why this matters: Prosecutors called the crime an act of terrorism and said the eight were linked to the leftist militant group antifa. The defendants’ attorneys denied any antifa ties. Benjamin Song, the Marine reservist who was convicted of opening fire during the July 4 demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center, was sentenced to 100 years in prison, the maximum punishment. The seven others received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years. All but one of the eight defendants sentenced Tuesday were convicted on terrorism charges.

Trump heads to Capitol to speak with GOP senators who have grown increasingly frustrated with him President Donald Trump on Wednesday will attend a closed-door Senate GOP luncheon for the first time in more than a year. Read more. Why this matters: The president has pressured senators for months to focus on his proof-of-citizenship voting bill even though it doesn’t have the votes to pass. At the same time, he has blocked them from confirming one of his own nominees, asked them to fund parts of his White House ballroom project despite opposition and forced them to defend his Iran war even as they question the strategy and endgame. Still, senators said ahead of the meeting that they hope to focus on unity, not disagreements. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Senate for first time approves a war powers resolution in a rebuke to Trump over Iran conflict Trump administration touts Iran deal as a payday for US farmers, but Iran denies it Top Army general who was last US soldier to leave Afghanistan is suddenly leaving his post NATO’s Trump whisperer heads to the White House to soothe the president ahead of next month’s summit Troubled Reflecting Pool faces fresh scrutiny over vandalism claims and duck deaths Justice Department announces hundreds of charges in multi-billion-dollar healthcare fraud crackdown How Americans feel about the country’s 250th anniversary, according to new polls Supreme Court rules Rastafari man can’t sue Louisiana prison officials who cut his dreadlocks

Takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani waded into Democratic House primaries to boost three progressives over establishment-backed candidates. Read more. What to know: All three of Mamdani’s candidates won Tuesday, defeating two incumbents and essentially ensuring that two self-described democratic socialists will be elected to Congress in their deep blue districts. The mayor said it was a question of electing “better Democrats” who would “put working people back at the heart of politics.” RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg loses in New York City congressional primary The primary elections, in photos Alan Wilson wins South Carolina Republican governor runoff after Trump hedges his bet on race Ben McAdams defeats progressives in Utah Democratic primary as he seeks a return to US House Federal judge dismisses Justice Department lawsuit seeking detailed voter data from Maryland Georgia’s QR codes for counting votes will remain for midterms

June 24, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning from North Dakota, where I’m on a reporting trip with our architecture critic, Michael Kimmelman, to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora. I’ll tell you more about it in the coming days. For now, know that it’s windy and beautiful here on the buttes, green yet Mars-like, with pheasants exploding out of the grass. Bison for breakfast? I think so, yes. As for the news: Progressive candidates had a strong showing in New York’s primaries. The Senate voted to check President Trump’s war powers. And there’s more below. We’ll start today, though, with our mail. President Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office last year. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Your questions, answered A perk of writing this newsletter is that we get to hear directly from our readers. You all send us great questions, and we’ve gone out to find answers for them. You’ll see some of those below, and more published in the coming days. Please: Send more questions, so we can keep this going. When Trump became president again, there was a period of intense activity by his DOGE agency. Are they operating still, and if so, to what effect? — Nigel Ashton, Wirral, England Emily Badger, a reporter with The Upshot who worked on a major investigation into DOGE, answers: The executive order creating DOGE called for it to end this July 4, but it effectively wound down last fall with a whimper, having saved the government little money. Some DOGE workers have transitioned to permanent roles within the government. And the administration is still pursuing some of the same goals, including with a fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance. But DOGE as we knew it is no more. We’ll still be talking about it for a while, though, as the consequences of its cuts (and related lawsuits) may linger for years. I’ve read that Social Security benefits could be cut by more than 20 percent circa 2032. Is anyone in Washington doing something about this, or is the sentiment “que será, será”? — Barbara Nawrocki, New London, Connecticut Tara Siegel Bernard, who has reported extensively on the future of Social Security, answers: You’re right: Social Security’s annual trustee report warned earlier this month that the program’s longstanding shortfall had worsened. At the end of 2032, the trust fund that pays retiree and survivor benefits would be depleted, and incoming revenue would be enough to pay only 78 percent of benefits, which translates into a 22 percent benefit cut. Several proposals exist to shore up the program, either through tax increases, benefit cuts or some combination therein. But such a crucial program requires a fix that garners public and bipartisan support — a challenge in these polarized times. But the report appeared to inspire some movement. Two members of Congress recently introduced a bill that would create an independent commission, with members appointed by both parties, tasked with finding “commonsense solutions.” And Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Moreno said they’re working on a bipartisan plan of their own. Vincent Alban/The New York Times What or who decides gasoline prices? The price of a barrel of oil doesn’t always seem to track with prices at the pump. — Kate Eaton, Ann Arbor, Michigan Emmett Lindner, a business reporter who has been covering the recent rise and fall of gas prices, answers: There’s a saying about the cost at the pump: up like a rocket, down like a feather. Essentially, the price of gasoline shoots up when oil jumps, but takes a while to match a drop. The conflict in the Persian Gulf has caused a lack of crude supply throughout the world; at one point, oil’s price went up over 50 percent. Barrel costs have gone down, but some of the gas currently sold was refined from the older, more expensive crude. When wholesale prices go down, station owners are also slow to cut costs, hoping to make up for weeks of thin margins. And, of course, they try to draw customers while remaining competitive with the other stations in the area. We landed on the moon decades ago. Why isn’t it easy to do so again? Why are we reinventing the wheel? — Linda Hoza, Lakewood Ranch, Florida Katrina Miller, a science reporter who recently covered NASA’s announcement of the Artemis III crew, answers: The main issue is money. NASA is trying to send humans back to the moon — this time to stay — at a fraction of the cost of the Apollo program. Back then, NASA’s approach to developing rockets and vehicles suitable for a lunar landing was expensive and controlled by the federal government. Now, the agency is relying more on SpaceX and Blue Origin to do much of that work. That’s cheaper, but also more volatile. NASA has less influence over design and timelines, and its lunar aspirations depend on whether those companies can fulfill what some say are overly ambitious promises. PRIMARY NIGHT Mayor Zohran Mamdani Lexi Parra/The New York Times Left-wing candidates had a strong showing in New York, where all three contenders endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their Democratic House primaries last night: One of those candidates, the progressive former city comptroller Brad Lander, ousted an incumbent, Representative Dan Goldman, in a race in which Israel became a top issue. The other two candidates were both democratic socialists: Darializa Avila Chevalier, who defeated Representative Adriano Espaillat, and Claire Valdez, who won the nomination for an open seat. In another closely watched race, Micah Lasher, a state assemblyman, won a crowded primary for a safely Democratic district being vacated by Representative Jerrold Nadler. Its star-studded field included Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy and had prompted nearly $40 million in super PAC spending. Read more about Mamdani as a new kingmaker. (We made this link free for you, along with others below.) THE LATEST NEWS In the Courts An appeals court ruled that the Trump administration could expedite the deportations of unauthorized immigrants nationwide. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled that a Rastafarian whose dreadlocks were forcibly shaved by prison guards could not sue state officials for money. The court also cleared the way for Exxon Mobil to seek compensation for oil and gas assets that Cuba’s communist government seized in 1960. Washington Renovations Trump has blamed vandals for the state of the renovated Reflecting Pool. But internal documents don’t note any evidence of tampering with its new “American flag blue” coating. (This link is free.) The condition of the Reflecting Pool has become a favorite topic for late night hosts. Around the World The New York Times Doctors treating Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo say the symptoms may be milder than in previous outbreaks. In the video above, Apoorva Mandavilli, a health reporter, explains why that could actually make the outbreak more dangerous. Click to watch. A U.N. report accused Israel’s security forces of deliberately killing children in Gaza after a cease-fire took effect. Israeli officials called the report a “libelous sham.” Tech SpaceX shares are slumping just over a week after its blockbuster I.P.O. Times Exclusive: Mark Zuckerberg directed Meta to create a prediction markets app, similar to Polymarket and Kalshi. OPINIONS There are lessons for other populist movements in the failures of Brexit, Philip Stephens writes. (This link is free.) Here’s a column by Bret Stephens on why it’s time to cringe for America. Subscribers always win. Here’s why. You can now save 75% on your first year of a New York Times Games subscription. Discover all of our word and logic games (and play past puzzles), earn badges for your achievements, plus more. Time is running out though, so subscribe today. Subscribers always win. Here’s why. You can now save 75% on your first year of a New York Times Games subscription. Discover all of our word and logic games (and play past puzzles), earn badges for your achievements, plus more. Time is running out though, so subscribe today. MORNING READS A Barack Obama-endorsed cheeseburger. Lyndon French for The New York Times Not fancy, but good: Former President Barack Obama has strong feelings about the cheeseburgers at his presidential center. (This link is free.) Prime Day: The sales event, which used to be a single day of discounts on Amazon, now stretches over multiple days. Wirecutter is keeping track of the best deals. Searching for clues: Every villain prompts a hunt for an origin story. Times reporters went in search of Jeffrey Epstein’s. (This link is free to read). Legacy of Little Bighorn: As the 150th anniversary of the battle approaches, relatives of Sitting Bull and Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer are grappling with its meaning. Scary mommy: Jill Smokler’s warts-and-all look at parenting attracted millions of readers to her blog. She died of brain cancer at 48. YOUR PICK, YOUR VOICES The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about the increasing rate of “gray divorce” — that is, splits among those 50 and older. Readers, unsurprisingly, also had thoughts on the topic. You can join the conversation here. H Hogship Massachusetts It’s over when, “you complete me,” becomes, “you deplete me.” T Tania Oregon Marriage consists of two people deciding to stay together. That's it. That's the magic and the glue: commitment. If someone is abusive, addicted, or has a mental health disorder that they cannot or will not deal with, that's a different animal. Beyond that, marriage is just two people deciding to stay together. View all comments TODAY’S NUMBER 44.3 Celsius — That’s how hot it got in Pissos, in southwest France, yesterday. (In Fahrenheit, that’s around 112 degrees.) It was France’s hottest day on record, according to the country’s weather agency. Read more about the European heat wave. WORLD CUP Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Portugal’s 5-0 blowout win over Uzbekistan, making him the first person to score a goal in six World Cups. In other group stage action, England struggled to a draw against Ghana, Panama is out after a 0-1 loss to Croatia, and Colombia eked out a 1-0 win over Congo to ensure a spot in the knockout rounds. The United States eased travel restrictions on Iran’s team, allowing players to arrive in Seattle a day earlier than planned for their final group stage game. RECIPE OF THE DAY David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. You don’t need a recipe. You just need confidence. Get a rotisserie chicken, some baby arugula, a lot of herbs, maybe an avocado, a couple of limes. Dinner in 15 minutes, tops. I’ll walk you through it. TAKES TWO In Istanbul. Laura Boushnak for The New York Times Istanbul has become an unexpected global capital for tango. There are dance spots and tango schools all over the city. Some even say, perhaps blasphemously, that Istanbul’s tango scene rivals that of Buenos Aires, where the dance was born. That’s surprising in an overwhelmingly Muslim city where social conservatism may clash with the famously steamy dance. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Play Unhinged, an immersive horror game on Netflix that stars Zoë Kravitz and Sadie Sink. The catch is: The controller is your phone. It’s an experiment in getting audiences to use two screens in tandem, rather than as a distraction from each other. Deep-clean your air-conditioner, please. You don’t want to be blowing mold everywhere. Enjoy the simple pleasure of a breeze in your bedroom with this terrific little fan tested by the studious aerodynamicists at Wirecutter. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was marijuana. 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 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

Europe heat wave Extreme heat is gripping Europe as a powerful heat dome pushes temperatures to triple digits across much of the continent. Hundreds of records have already been shattered, with more expected as the heat intensifies today through Thursday. France, at the epicenter of the extreme conditions, also endured its hottest day on record Tuesday. Read more. THE SCIENCE: Here's what happens to your heart and brain in the heat

War powers In a rare bipartisan move, the Senate on Tuesday voted to limit President Trump's war powers by directing him to remove US military forces from the conflict in Iran. The measure sends a clear signal that many lawmakers remain uneasy about deeper US involvement. President Trump, meanwhile, called the vote "poorly timed and meaningless." Read more.

Housing affordability The dream of homeownership is slipping out of reach for many Americans as housing costs continue to outpace incomes. But relief may be on the way: Congress this week passed the largest housing affordability bill in a generation, designed to increase the number of homes on the market and remove some of the hurdles that have made them so expensive. Here's how it could affect you.

⚽ 1 for the road: World Cup scoring spree Data: Zafronix. Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios The World Cup is producing goals at a pace not seen since 1958. Each match is averaging just over 3 goals so far — 23% more scoring than the same span of games in the last World Cup. AP pinpoints three factors driving the high-scoring games: ⚽ The ball: It's built with deep seams to produce "optimal in-flight stability." Players and coaches say it's flying at goalkeepers at high velocity. ⏱️ Longer games: New hydration breaks have led to more stoppage time, opening up extra scoring chances. 🌎 A bigger tournament: The expanded 48-team format, debuting this year, has widened the talent gap between teams. Go deeper. World Cup restrictions The US government will allow Iran's national team to enter the country two days before its World Cup match against Egypt on Friday, easing previous restrictions. It marks a notable shift after weeks of uncertainty that forced the team to alter its travel plans and navigate visa hurdles tied to broader tensions between Washington and Tehran. Read more. PLUS: Team Iran thanks LA for hospitality after World Cup game

📉 Tech stock slump Data: Financial Modeling Prep. Chart: Emily Peck/Axios Investors hit pause on the AI run-up, with chip stocks slumping from their record highs, Axios Markets author Emily Peck writes. Why it matters: We're in a bit of a reality-check moment in the AI buildout — both for businesses blowing their budgets on compute, and for investors bidding up stock prices for any company engaged in the new technology. The tech-focused Nasdaq 100 index slid 3.3% yesterday. The broader S&P 500 closed 1.4% lower, after a selloff in South Korea got investors skittish about the high-flying chip stocks. Keep reading.

Data: Pew Research Center. Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios New polling shows America's standing abroad is sliding as the Trump administration threatens a wholesale reordering of the trans-Atlantic relationship, Axios' Mike Zapler and Josephine Walker write. Why it matters: Pew's findings, out yesterday, capture how allies increasingly view Washington as unreliable, self-interested and less committed to global cooperation. 🧮 By the numbers: A median of 76% of people across 36 countries have no confidence in Trump, according to Pew. About 57% view the U.S. unfavorably, and around 50% call it an unreliable partner. Among traditional allies, faith in the U.S. as a reliable partner has cratered since 2022 — down 52 points in Sweden, 48 in Canada and 47 in the Netherlands. More on the polling.

🎬 The Axios Show: Chamath's anti-doomer case AI investor and "All-In" Podcast co-host Chamath Palihapitiya tells Dan Primack on "The Axios Show" that an AI job apocalypse makes for an "incredible headline" but ignores how humans have adapted to past tech shocks. The Social Capital CEO rejected the idea that AI and robotics will wipe out work — even for plumbers. Palihapitiya asks who will run the plumbing business or the robotics company. Humans will still need shelter, food, clothing and, yes, bathrooms. Palihapitiya points to past technological transitions that let humans multiply the number of tasks they do in a day. "I suspect if you just trend it, that 35 things now goes to 300 things over the next thousand years," he said. "There's going to be more ways in which we allocate time." Watch the first clip.