Today in Politics, Bulletin 424. 7/23/26

… Fox host Bret Baier to Brit Hume: “You look at our polls and you look at the condition of the economy. This is the one we look at closely for midterms - Excellent/good only 24%, fair/poor 76%. Hume: The truth is there’s not much good news for Republicans in this whole poll we did. Underwater on the economy, on affordability - everywhere you look Republicans are down.”

… Trump’s approval rating is 39% in the Fox poll with 33% approval on his handling of the economy and 34% approving of the Iran war.

… Fox: “If the election were today, 53% of voters would back the Democratic candidate in their House district and 46% the Republican. That 7-point edge is just outside the poll’s margin of error. Democrats were up by 5 points in April. Notably, 53% is the highest percentage either party has received on the generic House ballot in Fox polling since 1996.”

… Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) to Meidas reporter Pablo Manriquez: “Groceries are up, electricity is up, mortgages, interest rates, and rent are up. Pablo: But Trump said he was going to bring down electricity prices. Mace: By 50%. It hasn’t happened yet, has it?”

… Right-wing TV host Eric Bolling on Steve Bannon’s podcast: “Inflation is here. It’s going to get really bad. What the hell are we doing in Iran? It’s time to just get out. We have so many problems here. We are going to have a huge problems if we don’t win the midterms. For a while it looked like it was getting a little better, but now I don’t know. At $4.50 a gallon gas at the end of the summer going into the midterms, it’s going to be tough.”

… Fox host Stuart Varney to Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT): “Should the Senate step in and exercise more control over the war? Daines: I was at VP Vance’s residence having dinner, talking about Iran, so we have lots of opportunity to do oversight.”

… Quality oversight.

… Politico: “Tariffs are back - and they couldn’t come at a worse time for the GOP. Some Republicans fear the eye-popping new levies Trump threatened to slap on Canada and generic drug makers this week will aggravate Americans who were already blaming the tariffs for stubborn inflation ahead of a midterm election dominated by economic issues.”

… “The president’s allies argue the new tariffs - which could raise the prices of popular goods like alcohol and bacon, and the heart pills necessary to mitigate their effects - threaten to undercut the long list of victories Republicans would rather be touting.”

… Republican close to the WH: “Everything that you do that’s not focused on affordability is not helpful.”

… NYT: “The price of oil surged to $98 a barrel on Thursday morning, as Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen claimed strikes on two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, and neither the US nor Iran showed any letup in their fighting. The Houthis strikes were the first since the Yemeni militia announced a blockade this week on Saudi ships. It threatened to broaden the conflict by creating a second choke point on global shipping, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed.”

… “The Iranian-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen claimed on Wed that it had targeted two Saudi oil tankers with missiles and drones in the Red Sea. It would be the first such attack since the group announced a blockade aimed at Saudi Arabia. The Houthis said in a statement that the Encelia and the Layla were violating the blockade. The group claimed that the strikes had caused large fires to break out on both vessels.”

… “Saudi Arabia’s transportation authority confirmed an attack the Encelia in a statement published by state media, and said the ship’s crew was safe after a fire broke out. It did not specify the attack’s origin or mention the other tanker the Houthis claimed to have struck. The escalation has threatened to open a new front in the broader Iran war.”

… CNN a few hours later: “Oil tops $100 a barrel for the first time since May as widening conflict in the Middle East threatens a further squeeze on global supplies.”

… Trump posted: “A year ago the USA attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night. Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the US will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart.”

… This is what Trump said in the Oval Office on May 7, 2025: “We had a very good outcome with the Houthis, and we honor their word.. They took tremendous punishment. You could say there’s a lot of bravery there. But we honor their commitment and their word. They gave us their word that they wouldn’t be shooting ships anymore and we honor that.”

… NBC: “Oil prices rose Thursday to their highest level since early June after the latest Iran war escalation threatened severe new disruption to global supplies. Brent crude oil, one of two key global benchmarks, rose more than 5% to nearly $99 per barrel in early trading. That is its highest level in 7 weeks.”

… “US crude oil also jumped for a second straight day, rising more than 4% to almost $91 per barrel and its highest since June 11. The new surge in prices comes after the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, following their announcement of a naval blockade on the kingdom.”

… “The Houthi threat is so unsettling to oil markets because millions of barrels per day pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in order to reach global markets. About 12% to 15% of global maritime trade worth more than $1 trillion transits the waterway every year.”

… Marco Rubio: “I hope that the Houthis stop. They shouldn’t really do that. They got suckered into this by the Iranians. The Houthis largely were smart and stayed out of all this throughout the conflict. They now apparently have gotten themselves suckered into this by going after Saudi Arabia and their ships. Obviously, it’s not a positive development. We’ll see what happens.”

… Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) to Meidas report Scott Macfarlane: “I sit on both the Armed Services Committee and Foreign Affairs, so I’m about as briefed as a member of Congress can be. And the fact of the matter is, despite it being months into what they said was going to be a 4-5 week war, despite now 18 service members having been killed, we still have no real answer on an endgame, on a strategy, on an exit plan, on even how we are any better off now than we were before they started the war.”

… “Now that Trump has gotten us into this war, there are only bad options left. But the least bad option is to end the war and bring our troops home.”

… Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to CNN: “I think the Iran war has not been a success. By any objective measure, we’re worse off than we were before the war. Q - Will there be backlash in November? Paul: Probably.”

… WSJ: “The US is surging forces, medics and weaponry to the Middle East to give Trump more muscular military options as he considers expanding the conflict against Iran, according to people familiar with the matter. In the past week, special-operations forces have deployed to the region from their US bases. Squadrons of jet fighters have been staged across the Middle East, and bomber aircraft at bases in the US and UK are on high alert to ramp up operations.”

… Washington Examiner: “While the DHS and WH have focused on whether to continue traffic stops, the debate inside ICE’s ranks is instead focusing at times on whether the job is even worth doing. In a bizarre turn of events, officers who spoke with the Washington Examiner this week said morale is lower under Trump than it was during the Biden admin.”

… “Current ICE officers, as well as retired senior ICE officials still dialed into daily operations, said the WH’s approach to immigration enforcement may prove detrimental to its mass deportation operation because it puts new recruits on the street who were not adequately trained. They say that officers have burnt out while working overtime month after month - all on top of functioning in an already tense and dangerous environment, likening the situation to a powder keg ready to blow.”

… One ICE agent: “Mistakes are made because we’re overworked” on top of “pressure” from leadership “to get new recruits guns and badges quick.”

… A second ICE agent: “We’re being pushed to a breaking point. I don’t know where it will go, but it’s nowhere good.”

… The second ICE officer said this admin had managed to upset some agency employees who celebrated Trump’s 2024 electoral win: “Many on the right will think this is an attack on Trump. I voted for Trump. I believe in immigration enforcement. But man, it’s so disorganized and chaotic. I’ve talked to many officers who said that at least Mayorkas showed appreciation by giving us admin leave.”

… The first officer said requests for time off were regularly refused or canceled after initially being approved: “No one is happy. If you hear Tom Homan saying, ‘Morale’s stronger than ever,’ I say, ‘No, it’s not. No, it’s not.’ I see it. I’ve been out in the field. I see it. I’ve seen senior officers quit.”

… He said some of their facilities don’t even have bathrooms: “We would have to walk to a nearby business establishment to use the restroom, sometimes having to walk past protesters. The media and the public typically demonizes ICE. Meanwhile, our employees are also being treated like crap from management and from this admin.”

… The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act which had the controversial Section 219 in it which requires the US military to share sensitivity technology with Israel.

… Democrats who voted for the bill were: Reps. Henry Cuellar (TX), Donald Davis (NC), Jared Golden (ME), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Adam Gray (CA) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA). The Republicans who voted against the bill were: Josh Brecheen (OK), Tim Burchett (TN), Elijah Crane (AZ), Harriet Hageman (WY), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), Thomas Massie (KY), and Chip Roy (TX).

… Massie: “The NDAA tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s. Let’s hope this version fails in the Senate because Section 219 is a betrayal of our sovereignty.”

… TMZ asked Lauren Boebert why she missed the vote on the NDAA: “I got a whole bunch of men trying to muscle me to vote for the NDAA. Staffers. But section 219 is still in there - a big military tech swap between us and Israel. We don’t do that with anyone. My constituents don’t want this provision in the bill. I was waiting for a call from Secretary Hegseth and they closed the vote.”

… She then said she’s been trying to avoid reporters this week because she just got Botox injections: “I don’t want to be on camera this week and talking out of one side of my mouth because my botox hasn’t caught up on this side (points to left side of her face). Maybe in two days the other side will catch up with this side.”

… A sweaty Trump slurred his way through another deranged speech at a campaign rally in GA for Republican candidates in that crucial swing state:

• “The radical left is actively trying to destroy our children’s future with the disaster known as communism. The communists want to take Mount Rushmore down. They want to blow it up and take it down.”

… I missed the meeting when that plot was planned.

• Trump had the group of Front Row Joes (who follow him around the country and attend every rally) stand up to be recognized, but they don’t seem to be happy today with his comments where he said they make money from it: “The Front Row Joes, I really love these people. I think they make a lot of money too, they’re very rich. They’ve been with me from the beginning.”

… Trisha Hope: “I was a Front Row Joe and this really bothers me. Trump calls out the Front Row Joe’ today at a rally in GA, which he should, they are incredibly loyal and are deserving of much more than they have been given by Trump. While I disagree with the Front Row Joe’s on Trump’s performance and chose to leave the group in July of last year because of his Epstein comments, I have to call out something completely fictional that he said about them today.”

… “Trump WRONGLY says to them ‘you’ve made a lot of money, you’re rich’. This shows me how absolutely clueless he is on what these folks have sacrificed in order to support him. They DO NOT MAKE MONEY!! In fact it costs them a GREAT deal of money and time to attend. They drive sometimes all night to get in line, they spend money on flights when driving isn’t an option.”

… “They sleep outside the venue sometimes for days often sleeping on pop up cots or just a pallet on the ground. They rely on whatever facilities they can find to relieve themselves. The founder of the Front Row Joe’s, Randall Thom made me a Front Row Joe, he was a Marine, he was a survivor of the Beruit bombing in 1983. He passed away in a car accident while driving home after a rally just before the 2020 election.”

… “Randall never got any recognition from the Trump crew, he had hoped to get a job with the rally team but he could never get them to commit to him. I just couldn’t remain silent when I heard Trump talk as if the Front Row Joe’s are profiting from their rally attendance, it is the exact opposite.”

… It’s a cult.

… Bill O’Reilly: “As you know, I’ve known the president 35 years and he’s 80 years old right now. OK. Now, I’ve noticed that he is hunching over a little bit and, that’s normal. you get older, every malady in the world is going to visit you. So my advice to Donald Trump is to take the next month off if you can get into an environment where you like golf, and relax a little bit.”

… Karoline Leavitt held a press conference today:

• “The US is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, as we all know. Look, this is a condition that the President has spoken about many times, with our Gulf and Arab allies. He wants to see these countries sign the Abraham Accords. It was one of the most historic accomplishments of his first term, and it continues to be a long-term goal of his to expand those accords, to ultimately come to a place where the Middle East can be a peaceful and stable region. And, yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, the energy deal is contingent on this condition as far as the President is concerned.”

• Q - “Why was that condition not mentioned yesterday when the Energy Secretary announced it? Leavitt: Look, the President is always the final deal maker. He has said if they don’t join the Abraham Accords the deal is off.”

• Q: “Does President Trump or the admin have any plans to intervene in the extradition process of the Tate brothers? Leavitt: No.”

• Q: “Is his patience with Leader Thune running out? Leavitt: His patience is running out. He wants to see the SAVE Act passed by the Aug recess.

… Punchbowl asked Thune about Leavitt’s comment: “She or somebody else ought to get on the phone and get the votes. Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans, they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats. And if there are Republicans that they think are gettable, get on the phone. Let’s get them to yes.”

… “John Thune’s allies say he’s choosing to reflect the will of his conference rather than give in to Trump’s political whims, which they believe would hurt the most vulnerable R’s.”

… Sen. Thom Tillis: “He’s not responsible for the SAVE Act not passing. People like me are. But he gets criticized for it. And you can see some opportunistic Republican candidate using that to build a wedge. So I think he’s just showing some wisdom.”

… AOC spoke to reporters outside the Capitol today:

• On Mitch McConnell: “If he can’t give us an update, he should resign. It’s been very clear to people across KY that his ‘update’ was not sufficient. We need to know if you’re capable of doing the job for the foreseeable future.”

• Q - One of your colleagues says the DSA is a communist organization. AOC: I just don’t care. I think these folks call everyone they don’t like a communist. People can do what they want. I’m not here to be the belief police.”

• Q - “Isn’t there concern that this slippery slope to socialism inevitably ends up as full-blown communism? AOC: “No. I think that’s very silly. We can’t even raise the minimum wage. Do they really think communism is going to happen? No. They’re trying to scare people because they don’t want us talking about the fact that we all have a right to health care. So they want to call everything they don’t like communist because if people actually wake up to the fact that their elected officials are screwing them over when they get here, they’re going to realize they deserve better and that health care as a right isn’t crazy.”

• “They want to call this stuff communist because they don’t want us to realize that the rest of the developed world has guaranteed health care. They want to call it communist because they don’t want you to know that Germany, Italy, the UK, Canada—everybody else—has it better than us, and we spend the most money for the worst care in the developed world.”

• “They’re trying to inject conversations about communism in order to scare people. But at the end of the day, the thing that’s most important are the policies that we believe in. I believe in guaranteeing health care to every American. I believe in raising the minimum wage. I believe in strong unions. And so, yeah, if a Republican wants to call a stronger union communist, they’re more than welcome to do that. I’m not going to be deterred.”

Yesterday on Uncovered we did a deep dive on Elon Musk’s Odyssey obsession, Pete Hegseth’s senate testimony, Tom Homan’s Maine meltdown, Markwayne Mullin threatening election officials with prison, Jesse Watters gross misogyny and the culture at Fox, Christian nationalism in the military, Trump at World Cup, and quite a bit more. If you missed the show you can find it here.

If you missed the last Bulletin, you can find it here.

… Daily Beast: “JD Vance has suspended a Secret Service agent suspected of leaking his diva demands to the press. A damning report earlier this month revealed that Vance’s security detail was ‘fed up’ with his erratic travel plans, which require agents to drop everything to accompany the vice president’s family, as well as ‘inappropriate’ use of taxpayer-funded protection.”

… “Now, insiders have told CNN that the person believed to be responsible for leaking this detail to the press has been put on administrative leave. Vance’s whole security