Today in Politics, Bulletin 403. 6/22/26
… The Reflecting Pool fiasco continues with Trump now blaming all the issues on “vandalism” and threatening to imprison people for 10 years. He started the day with this deranged post on Truth Social:
“Of the MANY Statues and Fountains that we rebuilt, renovated, cleaned, and fixed, the only one that was Vandalized was the Reflecting Pool, which is being taken care of, ASAP! It has been given a 300 foot long gash, chemicals have been illegally placed in the water, and the beautiful new grass field has been destroyed with a gigantic 86 47 chemically carved into it (Probably inspired by Dirty Cop, James Comey!). Please remember that there is a 10 year prison sentence for the destruction, or even the attempted destruction, of such things - Which will be fully enforced!”
… Civil engineer Larry Boorstein says vandalism isn’t the issue: “Trump’s handpicked contractor’s experience was a 25 meter lap pool at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, VA. Trump picked his pool guy to apply American flag blue coating to the 2,030 ft x 166 ft pool. They applied Rhino Pipeliner 5000 polyurea over concrete already treated with Sika waterproofing admixture.”
… “The coating could not adhere properly over treated concrete. The coating began delaminating days after the pool was filled. There may have been contributing factors, like not allowing time for the coating to cure between coats or refilling the pool before the coating had fully cured. The pool has to be drained and the coating stripped.”
… James Henry: “As a DC9 union painter with 30+ years in coatings, I’m looking at the failure not a conspiracy theory. When a coating is lifting off in large sheets like this, that points to an adhesion failure: improper surface preparation, contamination left behind, the wrong coating system, poor recoat timing, or water introduced before the system fully cured.”
… “A quality 2-part epoxy system can perform well but the product is only as good as the prep and application. The substrate has to be properly profiled/cleaned, the specified primer or first coat applied correctly, recoat windows followed, and the full system allowed to cure before being put back into service. That is not ‘vandals.’ That is a coating failure that deserves a real independent inspection and an explanation of exactly what system was specified and how it was applied.”
… Fox commentator Tomi Lahren: “I’m not a scientist—the algae thing, I believe that’s what happens in bodies of water such as this so I don’t believe this is Trump’s fault. He’s trying to make a reflecting pool nicer. And they go out of their way to damage and vandalize it. It’s like the BLM Summer of Love. You have to be pretty stupid to do that.”
… Trump spoke to reporters about it today:
“It was vandalism. We had a 300’ slit of some kind. Probably a box cutter or knife. 5 people are under investigation. They also put letters on the grass that said 86 47. That’s a big thing.”
“Who would think that someone would go into a pool with a knife and do that! Reporter - What proof do you have, is there video of that? Trump: “There’s a 350’ cut - that’s my proof.”
“If you go to the reflecting pool right now, it looks very good. The vandals put fertilizer in the water. They did something to create the algae.”
“We’re going to have to let the water out to fix it.”
… DC reporter Jamie Dupree posted this photo he took today.
… Before leaving talks in Switzerland this morning, JD Vance had a brief press conference where he said the US was going to lift all sanctions on Iranian oil since he was able to secure their assurance that they would allow international inspectors back into their country. As usual, it had no specifics and was quickly followed by Iranian denials:
“What we told the Iranians yesterday is that when you guys engage in what us millennials might call trash talk, you can’t expect the president of the US not to respond and not to correct the record.”
Q: “There was a moment yesterday when Araghchi did not shake your hand, then he walked out. Did you feel snubbed by that? Vance: No. Sometimes I find the Iranians extremely confusing as negotiators.”
“It’s funny - we were trying to call some of the nuclear inspectors last night around 2 in the morning. As you can expect, not many people were answering their phone at 2 in the morning.”
… One of the criticisms of the US delegation was that it did not include a single expert on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Obviously that became an issue for them. Go figure.
… Iran state media Fars: “An informed source in a conversation with a Fars News Agency reporter: The US VP’s claim regarding the return of IAEA inspectors to Iran is false. In the Swiss negotiations, there was no discussion about the presence of inspectors in the country.”
… Iranian national security journalist Mohammed Ghaderi: “US VP‘s claim about the return of IAEA inspectors to Iran is false. There was no discussion about this in the Swiss talks.”
… National security author Michael Weiss: “IAEA inspectors were there until July
4, 2025, following the Twelve Day War, which went after… the nuclear program.”
… Laurence Norman who covers Iran for WSJ: “A reminder folks that IAEA inspectors have been back to Iran since last fall. To visit Bushehr, TRR and other sites. So the detail is what matters. Can they visit Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan? And to do what? And the new enrichment site they never got to?”
… Eric Brewer, former NSC Director for Nuclear Non-proliferation: “And which sites will they be allowed to visit? Also, is this a one-off? Or full restoration of Iran’s compliance with its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement? The answers matter for determining whether this is show or substance.”
… Middle East analyst Matthew Brodsky: “Vance is parroting Trump in claiming there are ‘Weapons Inspectors’ headed to Iran. Again there is no such thing. We have IAEA inspectors returning to look at the enrichment sites we destroyed. This should tell you that they understand finally that not including ballistic missiles or drones in the deal is a mistake. But they’re not going to include them now. They’re just going to lie and gaslight their way through.”
… Scott Bessent: “In line with the ongoing productive talks in Switzerland, Iran has committed to free and open transit in the Strait of Hormuz and to permit IAEA inspectors into their country. As part of the framework, Treasury has issued a temporary 60-day general license authorizing the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil.”
… Javier Blas, Bloomberg energy market reporter: “Treasury issues a general license waiving key Iran oil sanctions until Aug 21. It’s a rather wide ranging license, covering exports, shipping and ancillary services, and includes crude, refined products and petrochemicals. It may only last 60 days (I doubt it; likely would become permanent), but the Treasury’s waiver is effectively rolling back 40-year plus of American oil sanctions against Iran.”
… “Even US refiners are allowed to import Iranian oil and pay for it in greenback!!! Crucially, the general license not only allows importers of Iranian oil to pay Tehran (including via previously sanctioned entities), but also do so in U.S. dollars! For 60 days at least, Washington is allowing Tehran back in the dollar club to repatriate its petrodollars.”
… Open Source Intel: “Due to the sanctions waiver, Iran can quickly monetize an estimated $8–9 billion worth of oil already floating at sea. That comes on top of ongoing oil sales, access to USD transactions, and the release of frozen assets. (Which we don’t have too much info on). Ultimately, much, if not most, of the money will flow to the IRGC. Some fear that at least part of those funds could continue supporting Iran’s network of terror proxies.”
… House Oversight chair James Comer on Newsmax: “If we have inspectors going in there and that strait is open for business and oil is flowing, then I think it’s very clear the US will have won this conflict.”
… Economist Steven Rattner: “Treasury just waived oil sanctions on Iran for 60 days - citing ‘progress.’ Iran could rake in up to $10 billion off that decision alone. In contrast, the Obama admin didn’t lift sanctions until a deal was signed and the IAEA independently verified Iran’s nuclear compliance.”
… Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi: “Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction and development plan launched for Iran. 1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell.”
… Middle East expert Marc Polymeropolous: “A US-Iran deconfliction cell, re Lebanon - and no Israeli involvement. Good lord, what are we doing. The US has made a catastrophic diplomatic error. Gave Iran a prime seat at the table re Lebanon (thought we were trying to reduce Iranian influence), limits Israeli required freedom of action, gives Hezballah breathing room as pressure is on Israel to not take action, and overall unwisely links Iran nuke talks to the Lebanon war. Dumb diplomacy.”
… Foreign policy expert Rachel Brandenburg: “It continues to amaze me that Iran received waivers in selling oil and petrochemicals up front, at the beginning of negotiations - rather than as reward for a change in behavior, or even for whatever concessions they will (hopefully) need to make for a final deal.”
… Hiba Nasr with Asharq News (Saudi): “The Lebanese and Israelis were supposed to discuss deconfliction mechanisms this week at the State Dept. Instead, a new coordination cell has been announced that includes Lebanon, Iran, the US, and the mediators - but not Israel. Whether this was coordinated with Rubio remains unclear. But it raises an obvious question: if these issues are now being handled through this new mechanism, what exactly are the Lebanese and Israeli negotiators supposed to discuss this week?”
… Nadav Pollack, former Israeli intelligence officer: “This is truly new peak stupidity.
You already made progress between Israel and Lebanon in a way that strengthened Lebanon and weakened Hezbollah, and now you throw it all away for Iran?! What a terrible mistake.”
… One Belgian World Cup fan posted on X about his team’s tie with Iran last night: “We didn’t win against Iran but at least it didn’t cost us 300 billion USD.”
… Dan Shapiro, former US Amb to Israel: “The incoherence of the admin’s Iran policy is something to behold. Start a war to crush the regime. When outmaneuvered at Hormuz, sign an MOU offering massive sanctions relief and conceding Iran’s say over Lebanon. Vance talks about ending 47 years of conflict and turning over a new leaf in relations. Trump threatens to resume strikes, kill negotiators, and take over the Strait. There is no logic to any of this. Just different Trump impulses and plenty of flailing.”
Thank you again for your excellent questions submitted for this week’s Ask the Editor show. I answered 5 of them today and that video should be posted tonight. If you missed yesterday’s long crazy Bulletin, you can find it here.
Iran has dominated the news for the past couple of days with Congress out of session, but they are back tomorrow so we will see what happens. I did include several important items in the rest of this Bulletin that are not Iran or the Reflecting Pool!
… Fox host Brian Kilmeade expressed a frustration you hear from many Republicans where is Marco Rubio? To Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): “How much better would you feel if Marco Rubio was in that room or with the VP? Sheehy: It’s great to have Marco
