Key facts
- Donald Trump claims he convinced Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to halt an invasion of Lebanon.
- Trump confirmed calling Netanyahu 'f***ing crazy' during a call about Lebanon operations.
- Trump wants acting DNI Bill Pulte to fire intelligence employees.
- Trump signed an AI executive order with a 30-day review period.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked eight Navy captain promotions.
- The Pentagon redesignated its press office as a SCIF, barring journalists.
- The Pentagon provided a $620 million loan to a company following a White House call.
- Negotiations are underway for a housing deregulation bill.
- US business leaders await a potential new tariff announcement.
- EPA Chief Lee Zeldin made criminal referrals.
- California primary results may be delayed past election night.
- A court paused a fund for two weeks.
Former President Donald Trump claims he personally intervened to halt a planned Israeli invasion of Lebanon, stating he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and convinced him to stop the operation. Trump also confirmed reports of calling Netanyahu 'f***ing crazy' during the call, expressing perturbation over the conflict and urging its cessation. In a separate development, Trump has expressed a desire for acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to fire intelligence employees, deeming the Office of the Director of National Intelligence 'unnecessary and or too big' and preferring a smaller organization. Trump has also signed an executive order on Artificial Intelligence that features less government scrutiny than initially intended, including a 30-day review period.
In defense matters, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked the promotion of eight Navy captains to one-star admiral, including two women and two Black officers, leading to concerns about diversity as the final nominee list reportedly includes no women and only two nonwhite men. The Pentagon has also redesignated its press office as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), barring journalists from entry, reportedly due to speechwriters handling classified material within the office, impacting media access and transparency. The White House also directed the Pentagon to loan $620 million to a company following a call from the executive branch, highlighting swift financial assistance directives.
On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson's offices are actively negotiating a bicameral bill aimed at deregulating U.S. housing construction, though specific details remain undisclosed. Top Republicans have secured substantial earmark funding from the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Interior committees. A congressional appropriations committee is holding a closed-door session to discuss the intelligence budget request. US business leaders are anticipating a potential announcement regarding new tariffs early this week.
In other news, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has not yet endorsed Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's reelection amid district controversy. EPA Chief Lee Zeldin revealed he has made several criminal referrals stemming from ongoing investigations. California's primary election results may be delayed past election night due to a large volume of mail-in ballots. A court has paused a fund for two weeks without terminating it, and a White House official clarified a previous statement regarding a fund, indicating a commitment to a different approach rather than outright termination. Trump also posted on Truth Social claiming 'fake news' is misrepresenting him, without detailing the specific outlets or nature of the misrepresentation. Separately, a social media post suggests a non-governmental organization can control protest timing, and another post references a surreptitious recording intended for public humiliation.