Today in Politics, Bulletin 422. 7/20/26

… Guardian: “Trump and Gianni Infantino were booed as they took to the field for the presentation ceremony before the US president attempted to gatecrash Spain’s victory party. Trump was briefly shown on the video screens at the stadium after the US national anthem was played. There were scattered boos from some in the crowd but nothing like the hostile reception he has received at other sporting events during his presidency.”

… “However, when the US president and Infantino came on to the field for the presentation after Spain clinched victory, boos rang out around the stadium. The WH pool report said that ambient crowd noise, which had been sitting at approximately 78 decibels before their introduction, rose to 84 decibels when Trump entered the field.”

… “Then, after Trump presented Spain with the World Cup trophy, he attempted to stand with the team at the side of the podium as they celebrated before Infantino quietly ushered him away. It was a repeat of last summer’s Club World Cup at the same stadium after Trump presented the trophy to champions Chelsea and tried to crash the celebrations.”

… “Trump has made several appearances at sporting events since his re-election. Last year, he attended the Super Bowl, tennis’s US Open, the Daytona 500 and golf’s Ryder Cup. This year, he has attended several golf events, college football’s national championship game and Game 3 of the NBA finals, where he was met with boos from the NY Knicks home crowd.”

… Daily Beast: “Trump had an awkward time at Sunday’s big game in NJ after the public provided an instant barometer of his popularity. After being booed when he appeared on screen before the match began, the boos hit fever pitch as Trump walked across the field to present victors Spain with their trophy.”

… “The WH Press Pool reported that Trump walked onto MetLife Stadium to ‘a sustained chorus’ of boos. Kash Patel attempted to cheer Trump up with a nearly 300-word social media post where he claimed the 2026 World Cup was ‘the largest sporting event in the history of the world, shattering previous attendance record by double digits.’”

… “The 2026 attendance was boosted by the fact that this year was the first time 48 teams competed on the world stage, which meant 104 matches were played, instead of 64 four years ago, and the event was spread across 6 weeks not 4.”

… “Trump’s attendance at Sunday’s game was also his first of the entire World Cup tournament. The increased security and screening processes related to his visit delayed entry for fans, with one journalist reporting they spent over 3 hours in the security line. BBC Sport reported lines stretching for 2 hours.”

… Two Argentine players, Lisandro Martínez and Cristian Romero, refused to shake hands with Trump during the silver medal ceremony after Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final. Martínez avoided shaking hands with both Trump and Gianni Infantino, while Romero greeted Infantino but bypassed Trump, instead shaking hands with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian PM Mark Carney.

… Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei: “Congratulations to Spain’s national football team. This edition of the World Cup can be regarded as the most political sporting event in history. Its political nature was evident from the discriminatory treatment of Iran’s national team all the way through to the final moments of the tournament.”

… “For the people of Iran, who associate true championship with chivalry, honor, and standing against oppression, Spain’s anti-aggression stance in recent months was highly valued. As a result, public opinion around the world genuinely hoped for Spain’s victory.”

… When the Spanish National Team released their official photo of their podium celebration, they cropped trespasser Trump out of the photo.

… The Trump Admin announced today that it was imposing an additional 50% tariffs on all Canadian products. The only justification given by Trump was that Canada supposedly “discriminates against US products.” Basically what he is mad about is Canadians boycotting American products because of his trade war and threat to make Canada the 51st state.

… AP: “The US conducted a new round of airstrikes early Monday targeting Iran after announcing the death of another American service member, and Iran fired missiles toward Jordan that risked widening the conflict into neighboring Israel. Step by step, the US and Iran have inched closer to all-out war as last month’s interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled.”

… “Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people, while benchmark Brent crude rose Monday above $90 a barrel, further fueling a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict.

… CENTCOM: The Dept of War has identified the soldiers killed in Iranian strikes on 17 and 18 July as 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19. Both were killed in strikes targeting Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.

… A 25 and 19 year old dead in another endless Republican Middle East war while Trump played golf, hosted a high dollar fundraiser, and tried to jump on a stage to act like he won the World Cup.

… Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ): “Kids dying for old men hubris.”

… Trump to reporters after the World Cup game:

• Q - “You said the war would be 4-5 weeks. Trump: This is a much bigger job we’re doing. We were doing a little job stopping them from having a certain capability. Now, we’re just ending it. So it’s really not the same thing. What we’re doing now is we’re ending any chance where they could have a nuclear missile. If you look at it, after two weeks we stopped them from probably, but I don’t want to have probably.”

• “Iran has lost everything almost militarily. They got some missiles. We control the strait. They don’t control anything. We hit them hard tonight and we did in honor of the probably three as opposed to two great patriots.”

• Q - “What are the consequences for China for meddling in the elections? Trump: We’re going to see. We’ll be speaking to them.”

… There will be no consequences because Trump is a weak coward when he has to deal with autocratic leaders. He is only tough on our allies. When Xi comes here in Sept, Trump will kiss his ass and praise him as always.

… Fox war correspondent Trey Yingst on Monday at 10 AM ET: “Kuwait and Bahrain are under Iranian attack. Sirens sounding amid incoming missiles and drones.”

… Trump then posted: “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military.”

… Trump threatened to end Iran’s civilization over 4 months ago. So I really don’t think he’s going to get Iran to surrender with his 129th Truth Social threat.

… Iranian Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf: “Americans keep bringing new military equipment to the region and claim they’re after stopping the war. They’ve bet on our intelligence being as brief as their own IQ. We’ve reached the stage of mastery in recognizing these American games, and on that basis, we’ve prepared ourselves. Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them.”

… Telegraph: “The US does not have enough missiles to return to an all-out war with Iran, an American official has warned. Trump is reportedly looking at planning for a ‘wider war’ against Tehran with the American military sending more warplanes to the Middle East. However, a US official familiar with admin discussions said the operation would be limited by dwindling stockpiles of air defense and long-range munitions.”

… Official: “We do not have enough to safely sustain operations, and I don’t think the WH is aware of that.”

… “The warning comes as the US launched a 9th consecutive night of attacks on the country, edging closer to all-out conflict in the region. Iran responded to the weekend’s attacks by continuing its strikes on American allies across the Gulf. Kuwait said it had come under missile and drone attack. It said a power station and water desalination facility had been hit, which it ‌described as ⁠a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.”

… NBC: “The national average price for regular gasoline hit $4 per gallon again Monday as the renewed conflict with Iran and Ukraine-Russia attacks rattle energy markets. It’s the first time that the national average has been at $4 or higher since June 17.”

… CNN: “In a closed-door briefing earlier this month, key Pentagon officials sat down with House spending leaders from both parties to make an urgent case to quickly deliver more cash to fund the US war in Iran. But when pressed by members of both parties for details, Pentagon officials were unable to offer any meaningful specifics about why they need the money so quickly - frustrating Republicans and Democrats alike.”

… “Now, with the Pentagon’s reserves further depleted, the admin is unfurling a full-court press on Republican lawmakers in hopes it can clinch tens of billions of dollars that officials are seeking this summer as the US continues its fight against Iran. In the last week, the Pentagon invited dozens of House members for a marathon meeting that included face time with Pete Hegseth.”

… “But several GOP members told CNN they still lack critical info about the military’s capacity and needs – and aren’t convinced by what they have heard. Even those Republicans who support the funding push fear that a fraught political gamble in the waning days of summer could lead to a legislative implosion just months before the midterm elections.”

… “For months, defense hawks in Congress have been warning the Pentagon’s munitions and funding have been badly depleted since the beginning of the war in Iran. Lawmakers anticipated they’d need to pass some kind of a supplemental funding package before the end of the fiscal year and congressional leadership has made it clear they want to move swiftly.”

… Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID): “Among the defense people, it’s an emergency that needs to get done. They’re going to run out of money in mid-August.”

… AP: “Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced they are imposing a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in response for a recent attack on Sanaa Airport. Yahya Saree, a military spokesperson for the Houthis, said in a video statement on Monday that the maritime ban against Saudi Arabia will be effective immediately in what he described as an ‘equation of an eye for an eye.’”

… “The statement did not clarify exactly what a maritime embargo would consist of. Saree’s remarks come after a fiery exchange between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen last week during which Sanaa Intl Airport and Abha airport in Saudi Arabia were struck, threatening a truce that has been in place since 2022.”

… “The decision by Yemen’s Houthi rebels could put new pressure on Saudi Arabia as it is using its East-West Pipeline to try to get oil out of the kingdom as the Strait of Hormuz remains in Iran’s chokehold. That pipeline sends oil to the Red Sea for the kingdom to send on to its customers.”

… Politico: “4 days remain until House lawmakers are scheduled to leave for summer recess, but GOP leaders are in the opposite of vacation mode. This week’s packed floor schedule includes: the annual defense policy package; a bill to fund the govt beyond the midterms; a budget resolution to unlock the reconciliation process; and a GOP-led stock trading ban measure.”

… “All that could change, of course, if Mike Johnson can’t tamp down multiple flare-ups of frustration in his ranks. We’ll be watching if Johnson has appeased hard-liners with Tues’s Judiciary markup of border security legislation, after they froze all business on the House floor for weeks, including the defense policy bill. Leaders are putting a $95 billion fiscal blueprint on the floor that includes a watered-down version of the elections bill as well as Iran war and farm aid funds.”

… House Dem Whip Katherine Clark: “House GOP‘s latest partisan budget: $73B for Trump’s war. $10B for voter suppression. $0 to lower costs. This is what they’re focused on instead of helping you.”

… NYT: “In the week leading up to the Iranian attack on Friday that killed two US soldiers and left one service member missing in Jordan, Iran carried out 3 other strikes against US forces in the country. Those attacks injured dozens of US service members and damaged several helicopters. But the Pentagon did not disclose the earlier strikes, nor the casualties and damage they inflicted.”

… “The episode is the latest example during the Iran conflict of the tension between what the Pentagon says is the need for operational security and the govt’s obligation to inform the public about the conduct of the war. In the days since the collapse of a fragile truce, the Pentagon has provided little info about the American military strategy after nearly 5 months of war. The last major Pentagon briefing on the war was in early May.”

… “In the past several months, the Trump admin has failed to disclose how the Iran war has drained US supplies of critical, costly weapons, and how Iran retained and rebuilt substantial missile capabilities. The subject of US casualties in the war is similarly sensitive. The deaths of two Army soldiers in Jordan on Friday and another service member in northern Iraq bring to 17 the total number of US military personnel killed since Feb. 28.”

… “In a statement on Sat, CENTCOM said 4 American service members wounded in Friday’s attack were taken to Jordanian hospitals and had been discharged. More American troops received minor injuries and had returned to duty, but it did not specify how many. And the statement did not mention service members injured in the 3 previous attacks in Jordan last week.”

… NYT: “Trump said on Sunday that the Boeing luxury jet donated by Qatar that he recently took overseas would soon be ‘maxed out,’ suggesting it could get additional defensive capabilities to match the standards of the older jets used for presidential travel. The president commented after returning to DC from NJ aboard the jet, which Trump has said he plans to take with him for his presidential library when he leaves office.”

Q - “Mr. President, this plane does not have antimissile defense systems on it. Why are you flying it? Trump replied: “Well, it has - it has a lot, and you know it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out. So they’re going to be sending it, and they’ll have it be maxed out. It’ll take about a month.”

Ask the Editor will also be out tonight where I answered these questions: 1. Is Troy Jackson the best nominee we could have in Maine under the circumstances? 2. Will the Trump Admin block the Tate brothers extradition? 3. Why would Trump endorse and fundraise for Mike Lindell when he has no chance of winning? 4. Why aren’t Dems and specifically Andy Beshear doing more to get to the bottom of McConnell’s health situation? 5. Is Thom Tillis going to meet with the Epstein survivors before he votes on Todd Blanche’s nomination?

If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin recapping the entire weekend, you can find it here.

… Politico: “Kash Patel is planning to visit Russia later this year, likely in mid-Oct, according to a US official and a person familiar with the situation. It would be an unusual and sensitive trip for an FBI chief to one of America’s top adversaries. The plans come as Washington and Moscow continue to be at odds over the war in Ukraine, with US lawmakers demanding the imposition of heavy new sanctions on Russia.”

… “Patel has a history of involvement in controversial Russia-related matters dating to Trump’s first term, including trying to cast doubt on investigations into whether Trump