Today in Politics, Bulletin 158. 6/24/25

… Trump was furious at Israel and Netanyahu this morning as he left the WH to fly to Europe for the NATO summit: “Right after we made the deal they dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I’ve never seen before! I’m not happy with Israel. You don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. We have two countries that have been fighting so hard for so long that they don’t know what they fuck they’re doing!”

… What angered Trump was after he declared that both sides agreed to a ceasefire and he started lobbying again for a Nobel Peace prize, the two countries continued bombing each other for several hours with Israel taking out some generals and senior political leaders in Iran.

… Steve Bannon: “Trump put his reputation on the line for Israel, and Netanyahu lied to his face. He asked for a stand down, went to sleep, and woke up to betrayal. If you truly support Israel, stop making excuses. Start asking hard questions. Netanyahu’s government is out of control, and Trump knows it. He worked day and night to end this conflict, only to be blindsided. That’s not how an ally acts. We need answers.”

… Trump also angrily repeated his lie that we have completely destroyed Iran’s bomb producing capabilities: "When I see CNN - all night long they're trying to say, 'Well, maybe it wasn't really as demolished as we thought'. I think CNN ought to apologize to the pilots of the B2s, I think MSDNC ought to apologize. These cable networks are real losers. You really are. You're gutless losers. MSNDC, a guy named Brian Roberts, he heads up. He's a disgrace. He's a weak, pathetic disgrace."

… WaPo: “Under DOD guidelines, it could take days or even weeks for the US military to complete a formal battle damage assessment, primarily by using overhead surveillance to collect information from the sites of the blasts. But experts caution there are limits to what information can be gathered. Hearing directly from Iranians discussing the damage, either through human intelligence gathered by sources in Tehran’s government or electronic interception of those conversations, would be among the best ways to assess the effects, although they are also among the most difficult methods.

… Rafael Grossi, Director of the Intl Atomic Energy Agency: “At this time, no one — including the IAEA — is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage.”

… WaPo: “More important is what happened to the more than 900 pounds of uranium the IAEA says Iran has already enriched to near-weapons grade, enough to make more than a dozen bombs. Earlier IAEA reports indicated that some of the enriched material may have been moved to other, undeclared locations. Iran is also believed to have additional equipment, outside of the bombed Isfahan conversion site, to convert enriched uranium hexafluoride gas into metal that can be used for constructing nuclear weapons.”

… Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear expert at the Middlebury Institute: “Why am I not impressed? The enriched uranium was largely stored in underground tunnels. Despite extensive Israeli and US attacks on the facility, there does not seem to have been any effort to destroy these tunnels or the material that was in them.”

… Sima Shine, an expert on Iran’s nukes who has worked with Israel for 30 years, to The Telegraph (UK): “I’m sure they have a hidden place somewhere with some hundreds, if not thousands of centrifuges and they have material all there in several places all over Iran. They cannot do anything now, tomorrow, but in the future, they have all the capabilities. The sites in themselves, for the time being, are not a lot of threat. The problem is, as you know, the material and the advanced centrifuges that I’m sure they have somewhere.”

… Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) was on CNN. Q - They still have enriched uranium that's not for civilian purposes? PERRY: I wouldn't be surprised if some of it still exists. Q - And they're still a terrorist regime? PERRY: They absolutely are. Q - So there's still a terrorist regime in power with enriched uranium? PERRY: That's absolutely true.”

… CNN: “Three sources tell CNN that according to an early US intelligence assessment, the US military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program and likely only set it back a few months. This DIA assessment concludes that those underground facilities, including the centrifuges, including the highly enriched uranium that everyone has been talking so much about, are largely intact.”

… Minister of Propaganda Karoline Leavitt denounced the story in a statement:

… Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was on Bannon’s show today: “Did Israel strike because of new intelligence or because Iran looked weak? That’s the real question, and now we face another: Did this stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, or did it spur them to get one?”

… Trump also inexplicably bragged about helping China buy oil from Iran by keeping the Straights of Hormuz open. Iran uses oil revenues from China to help fund their nuke program: “China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. It was my Great Honor to make this happen!”

… Jason Brodsky, Policy Director of United Against a Nuclear Iran: “China purchasing oil from Iran allows it to rearm, refinance, and rebuild making future conflict with Israel more likely. It also gives Tehran resources to rebuild its nuclear program. Also if your goal is zero enrichment in Iran, allowing China to flood Iran with resources makes that goal harder to achieve.”

… Brodsky: “The president is visibly angry, but there are limits to what can be achieved diplomatically and we need to curb any irrational exuberance of what a ceasefire means. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ideologically committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. That will continue ceasefire or no ceasefire. From Tehran's perspective, it's not ‘peace,’ but a tactical pause.”

… Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “A simple question for the Iranian regime: is it still your policy to destroy the State of Israel and refuse to acknowledge its right to exist? A ceasefire that allows Iran to regroup and re-arm is a step backwards. How can you tell the difference? If Iran recognizes Israel’s right to exist.”

… After Trump boarded the plane, he was still apparently fuming over not getting credit for supposedly “completely destroying” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. He posted this: “IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!”

… Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY): “Trump just cancelled a classified House briefing on the Iran strikes with zero explanation. The real reason? He claims he destroyed ‘all nuclear facilities and capability;’ his team knows they can’t back up his bluster and BS. Here's what they're scared we'll ask:

• Immediately after the strikes, Trump claimed the nuclear facilities were “completely and totally obliterated.” He lied. And likely still doesn’t fully know the BDA. What he does know is that an unsuccessful strike DRAMATICALLY increases the chance Iran races to break out.

• Vance admitted they have NO CLUE about the status of 900 lbs of highly enriched uranium. The entire logic of the attack was that Iran was imminently building a nuclear weapon. If that’s the case (not that they’ve shared the intel) then 900 lbs of missing HEU is a HUGE problem.

• They also can’t get their briefers on the same page. Every one of the people who was supposed to come today has a different conclusion on how close Iran was to breaking out and on how successful the operation was. Tulsi probably still doesn’t know it was cancelled.

… Rep. Buddy Carter, who is running for Senate in the GA GOP primary and desperately wants Trump’s endorsement, got on Fox after he nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace prize: "This is the golden age. I mean, look what has happened. The world is safer now. Israel is safer now. The US is safer now. Thanks to a president who understands how to use strength in order to achieve peace. I think he's deserving of it. If you look at the work he's done in Ukraine and Russia, in the Middle East.”

… Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) who is considering a run against Carter and would also want Trump’s endorsement, decided he needed to get in on the action: “President Trump sleeps 4-5 hours a night. I don't know many 79 year olds who have the stamina he has or the ability to wake up in high-energy mode ready to fight for America. It's remarkable.”

… Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) on Fox: "President Trump is gonna win the Nobel Peace Prize. No doubt."

… Donald Trump, Jr. tried to get daddy to notice him again: “Affirmative action is when Barack Obama gets the Nobel Peace Prize instead of Donald Trump.”

… Michael Weiss, Editor of The Insider: “He wants the Nobel Peace Prize and the TV to say that he deserves it. And he wants the angry half of his coalition to reconcile with him and admit they were wrong. Whether the nuclear program is gone or the war truly ends are beside the point. They’re not part of the pageantry and spectacle. He will lash out at anyone who spoils the pageantry and spectacle. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

… I posted something similar this morning on social media: “One problem is that Trump is always so anxious to declare victory and seek credit/adoration/prizes for it that he gets out in front of reality to create his fan fiction. It’s all about short-term ‘wins’ for Trump and Fox news cycles, not anything lasting, durable, or sustainable.”

… A new CNN poll shows that 56% disapprove of the US strikes on Iran.

… Gallup has Trump’s approval rating sinking to an all-time low in their poll - 40%.

… George Conway: “The last few days have truly been a low point for the American news media. And it’s all because journalists in this country, and their corporate masters, lack the courage to say what they all know and say endlessly in private: That Trump is stupid, and nuts. This shouldn’t be hard. But they make it so, for their readers, viewers, listeners, and the country as a whole. Most of the rest of the world got over this long ago.”

… Divided Trump supporters continued attacking each other. Fox host Mark Levin: “Steve Bannon, a disgusting fraud. Nobody gives a shit about what you, a confessed and convicted fraudster has to say. You’re a liar. You cheated how many people? At bottom, you’re a certified disgusting fraud. And it shows every time you open your big mouth. You and your tiny cabal of lunatics gave aide and comfort to the enemy. You stabbed the president in the back in the middle of battle despite the fact he pardoned your sorry ass for God knows what. You’re a contemptible POS. You always will be a certified, convicted, confessed fraud who ripped off patriotic Americans.”

… One big happy family!

… WIRED is reporting that Trump has cut off Big Balls from the administration, letting Elon Musk associate Edward “Big Balls” Coristine go as the last remnants of the much-hyped DOGE committee return to the private sector in the wake of Trump’s public feud with the exploding rocket man.

… NYT reported that DOJ lawyer Erez Reuveni, who was just fired, has come forward as a whistleblower to Congress and the DOJ inspector general. He states that senior DOJ official Emil Bove said that DOJ would intentionally ignore court orders on deportations. He said during a key meeting with several senior DOJ officials, Bove announced plans for Trump to invoke the Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport a group of immigrants that weekend. Bove emphasized that the removal flights needed to depart “no matter what.”

… “Anticipating possible judicial intervention, Bove reportedly raised the scenario of a federal court issuing an order to halt the removals. In response to this hypothetical, he is said to have stated that the DOJ might have to tell the courts ‘fuck you’ and proceed with the deportations regardless of any legal injunctions. According to Reuveni’s account, the statement was met with stunned silence and nervous glances among those present.”

… Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Dick Durbin to MSNBC: “The DOJ whistleblower is a career Justice Department lawyer who defended the first Trump Administration's immigration policies. Bove’s activities are part of a broader pattern by President Trump and his allies to undermine the Justice Department's commitment to the rule of law."

… Nashville Banner did a story on a horrible situation of a pregnant woman in custody who lost her baby. Iris Dayana Monterroso-Lemus was arrested by ICE in Lenoir City, TN and got sent to the Richwood Correctional Center in Louisiana. After pleading for medical help for days, she lost her mid-term pregnancy: “I had him inside here for 3 days in this LA facility, my baby dead in my stomach, inside my stomach for 3 days, dead.”

… “Once in LA, she said she often felt she was ‘starving,’ and that she wasn’t getting the nutrients she needed, adding that the food was so poor that many detainees would throw it away rather than eat it. She described spaghetti served with tube-shaped ground beef and even cockroaches. She said she repeatedly asked for an ultrasound to make sure her pregnancy was healthy, but that the staff only monitored her blood pressure and tested her urine.”

… “There’s so much pressure in jail. I started suffering from insomnia, from anxiety. Then I felt like I was having a stroke, and they still didn’t give me a medical exam. I begged the doctors. I told them, ‘Please, take me to the hospital. I don’t feel well. I’m having contractions.” But she said they dismissed her concerns, telling her the pain was normal: ‘I told them it wasn’t normal.’”

… She went through spontaneous vaginal delivery after experiencing intrauterine fetal death. The clinical notes state that the pregnancy was “complicated by no PNC,” meaning she had received no prenatal care. She gave birth under the constant watch of two federal guards by her bedside, as the clinical notes confirm: “When I was delivering my baby, they didn’t even give me a little privacy. Imagine, a guard was sitting right there, watching me day and night. One time, they even shackled my feet because they thought I might escape. Like I was some kind of criminal. I told them, ‘What you’re doing to me isn’t right.’”

… Trump lashed out again at Fed Chair Jerome Powell just prior to his testimony before Congress today: “Too Late” Jerome Powell, of the Fed, will be in Congress today in order to explain, among other things, why he is refusing to lower the Rate. Europe has had 10 cuts, we have had ZERO. No inflation, great economy - We should be at least two to three points lower. I hope Congress really works this very dumb, hardheaded person, over. We will be paying for his incompetence for many years to come. THE BOARD SHOULD ACTIVATE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

… Republicans seeking to please Dear Leader asked Powell why he won’t cut rates when EU has. He said the biggest problem is the Trump tariffs causing inflation: "The reason we’re not is because the forecast by all professional forecasters that I know of on the outside and the Fed do expect a meaningful increase in inflation over the course of this year."

… Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL): “Today’s a great day to fire Jerome Powell.”

These last 3 news days were insane, so each of the last 3 Bulletins were pretty long. I did my best to keep up with all the twists and turns. Just a reminder that there is no Bulletin on Wed because I have my podcast Uncovered where I do a deep dive into the Top 10 stories of the day, then my Ask the Editor show with Ben where I pick 5 of your questions to answer.

Your questions were great last week. Please submit any questions you have for tomorrow’s show in the comments below. If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can find it here. As always, thanks for supporting my work.

… Salon reporter Amanda Marcotte on WH Press Sec Karoline Leavitt: “In reading the comments sections of various social media posts where people were fighting about Leavitt, it became clear that conservative women find her embarrassing. No one wants to be like Leavitt, old before her time, and spending all her time around cranky, Fox News-addled senior citizens. She may make a certain kind of man happy, but to women, the ultimate message is clear: Being MAGA robs you of your youth, beauty