Key facts
- President Trump claims Iran shot down a U.S. helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
- The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to limit President Trump's war powers against Iran.
- The House vote to limit President Trump's war powers was 215 to 208.
- President Trump will attend the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8.
- President Trump signed an executive order creating Schedule F, moving approximately 8,000 federal employees into 'at-will' employment.
- President Trump claimed gas prices will fall to $1.85 per gallon after the Iran war ends.
- President Trump confirmed calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'f***ing crazy'.
- President Trump claimed there was 'cheating' in the California vote and a federal probe is underway.
- Switzerland will deploy approximately 4,000 troops for security during the G7 summit in France.
- President Trump stated that Iran's assets will remain frozen and sanctions will stay in place until a final peace deal is reached.
- President Trump expressed openness to meeting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, if a deal could be made.
- US Vice President JD Vance stated any nuclear agreement with Iran must be verifiable.
President Donald Trump has asserted that Iran shot down a U.S. Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz, initially vowing retaliation before downplaying the incident. Iran's Foreign Minister subsequently urged foreign forces to depart its territory. In a separate development, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to limit President Trump's war powers against Iran with a vote of 215 to 208, invoking the War Powers Resolution of 1973, though the measure requires Senate approval. President Trump is slated to attend the NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio describing it as potentially the most important in NATO's history, despite President Trump's expressed frustrations with allies regarding support for the war in Iran.
Domestically, President Trump signed an executive order establishing Schedule F, a new classification that moves approximately 8,000 federal employees into 'at-will' employment. These policy-focused roles, with salaries up to $200,000, will lose traditional job protections, leading to criticism that career employees are being turned into political appointees. President Trump also claimed that gas prices would fall to $1.85 per gallon after the Iran war concludes, stating they had already decreased significantly. He confirmed reports of calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'f***ing crazy' during a phone call concerning Israel's operations in Lebanon, urging Netanyahu to cease conflict and warning that "Everybody hates Israel" due to these actions.
President Trump also alleged 'cheating' in the California vote, stating a federal probe is underway, a claim dismissed by election experts and Democratic leaders as baseless. He is leveraging California's slow mail-in ballot count to question the legitimacy of midterm elections, with allies characterizing the process as a "slow-motion heist." President Trump has also intensified calls for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, pressuring Governor Jerome Powell. Furthermore, he announced plans to support the U.S. coal industry, including federal grants to restart the Warrior Run coal power plant in Maryland, a move applauded by the Maryland Freedom Caucus for potentially lowering energy bills and increasing reliability.
In foreign policy discussions regarding Iran, President Trump stated that Iran's assets would remain frozen and sanctions would stay in place until a final peace deal is reached. He expressed openness to meeting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, if a deal could be made to end the war, with an adviser to Iran's supreme leader indicating the decision rests with President Trump. He also stated that the U.S. does not require an agreement with Iran to secure enriched uranium, though he noted a potential meeting with Iran's leader was possible if a deal were reached. Earlier, President Trump had considered, but ultimately rejected, a high-risk military mission to Iran to secure uranium due to significant risks and the need for a large military effort, estimated to take at least two days. US Vice President JD Vance stated that any nuclear agreement with Iran must be verifiable, and that the U.S. is in a strong position to achieve President Trump's objectives through negotiations. US Representative Mike Johnson described recent strikes targeting Iran as "proportional and limited" responses to "unjustified Iranian aggression."
President Trump also alleged that India has exploited U.S. policies for years by imposing significant tariffs, stating his policies aim to rectify this imbalance and expressing confidence in reaching a trade deal soon, despite a proposed new U.S. tariff complicating negotiations. He has publicly criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul concerning a specific pipeline agreement. President Trump has described two individuals as 'terrible' due to their opposition to his policies, particularly his immigration crackdown. His cultural movement is reportedly encountering resistance from established institutions, indicated by sparsely attended events and internal divisions. President Trump also stated that his administration operated 'like pirates.' He is continuing his defense of the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund.' He also announced that major artificial intelligence companies will visit the White House to explore AI benefits, and expressed interest in the U.S. government holding equity stakes in leading AI developers, planning to discuss this with executives soon. Donald Trump Jr. promoted cryptocurrencies and AI at a forum in Zurich, expressing optimism about his father securing a deal with Iran. President Trump expanded his TrumpRx.gov initiative, adding 160 new prescription drugs to the program, offering discounts on over 800 medications based on 'most-favored-nation' agreements. He highlighted stock market gains and lower inflation as key economic achievements. He declared the U.S. economy is booming using the phrase "IT'S RAINING JOBS," despite ongoing affordability concerns. He pledged to support farmers facing financial pressure due to elevated fuel and fertilizer costs, with specific support measures yet to be announced. President Trump stated he does not know the origin of his false claim regarding Black unemployment. He also stated he never promised to avoid initiating new wars. Democrats have nicknamed Donald Trump 'Commander-in-Sleep' after he appeared to nod off during a White House event, a claim denied by the White House. Mexico is resisting President Trump's pressure campaign regarding drug cartels, marking a shift in the bilateral relationship. A federal judge ruled against President Trump in a lawsuit challenging the legality of tariffs he imposed on Chinese goods, though he may still retain some revenue. President Trump participated in an exclusive interview, though details were not disclosed. His lawyers argued in court that he could bulldoze the Statue of Liberty on a whim. President Trump claimed gas prices will fall to $1.85/gallon post-Iran war.