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June 17, 2026
Read the 14-point draft agreement between the US and Iran
(CNN) The agreement between Iran and the US lays out the terms of the ceasefire between the bitter rivals, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, some financial relief for Iran and a reiteration from Tehran that it will never produce a nuclear weapon, according to a draft copy of the text obtained by CNN. The 14-point memorandum of understanding has not yet been officially released but a copy of it was obtained by CNN from a US official. A diplomat who saw it at the G7 summit in France this week confirmed its contents, as did two other diplomatic sources with knowledge of negotiations.
Go to discussionUS officials downplay text of the Iran agreement, saying it doesn't account for back-channel commitments
(CNN) US negotiators are working to quickly release the text of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, even as they downplay the significance of the specific language in the document, US officials told CNN. The officials described the text of the agreement as incredibly vague, mainly intended to create a more favorable environment for the highly technical, in-person talks to come. “People shouldn’t read too much into the language of the MOU,” one of the officials said, describing the agreement as a “political document.”
Go to discussionTrump delays Jay Clayton's nomination for intel director to try to push Congress on voting bill
(AP) President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he’s delaying Jay Clayton’s nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community in a bid to force Congress to act on a voter ID bill that currently lacks enough support for passage. Trump said in a lengthy post on his social media site that he will keep Bill Pulte, a top U.S. housing official, as acting director of national intelligence.
Go to discussionSecret Service disbursements raise questions on ballroom funding
(Roll Call) The White House budget office released $351.6 million to the Secret Service on Friday for “White House Security Measures,” amid mounting criticism that taxpayer dollars may be tapped to help pay for President Donald Trump’s planned East Wing ballroom. The funds came from a $1.17 billion appropriation for the Secret Service contained in last year’s reconciliation package. That law specifies that those funds “may only be used for” additional Secret Service resources, including personnel, training facilities, programming, technology, and performance, retention and signing bonuses for Secret Service agents.
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Mullin's new controversy adds to the list of troubles for the White House Cabinet
(MS NOW) For years, federal health officials have warned about the risks associated with a supplement derived from the leaves of kratom trees that adherents say can kill pain or boost energy. During his tenure as a U.S. senator, he attended a Food and Drug Administration press conference and endorsed new federal restrictions on supplements that compete with kratom for shelf space. What Mullin did not mention was his financial investment in a kratom company, Botanic Tonics, that stood to benefit from the changes he recommended.
Go to discussionNew ICE rule, requested by top contractor, ends pay requirement for migrants who work while detained
(The Independent) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement eased its operating standards for migrant detention centers after being asked by a company that runs more than a dozen facilities, according to a report Tuesday. The new rules, posted online Monday, no longer require private prison contractors to comply with state and local laws, or to pay migrants at least $1 a day to work for them, The Washington Post said.
Go to discussionChronically ill immigrant children to be reported to ICE under Tennessee law
(USA Today) About 400 disabled immigrant children who are receiving lifesaving state-paid medical care will have their immigration status reported to ICE at the end of this month, because of a new Tennessee law drafted with input from the White House. The Tennessee Department of Health Children’s Special Services program is a “payer of last resort” that ensures access to lifesaving medical care for very low-income children who are not eligible for TennCare.
Go to discussionJudicial committee votes to remove judge who threatened to 'personally have ICE' deport families during truancy hearings
(Law & Crime) A county judge in New Jersey is facing removal from the bench over a series of inflammatory threats to have Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deport truant students and their families. In February 2025, Britt J. Simon was suspended from the Bound Brook Municipal Court over what he termed "empty threats" and other "horribly unpleasant" comments during school attendance hearings.
Go to discussion'Bad Day to Be a Duck': Trump Reflecting Pool Disaster Continues With Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment
(Common Dreams) The pool in recent days has turned a bright green due to algae growth, which threatened to spoil Trump’s effort to make it appear “American flag blue” ahead of the celebrations of the country’s 250th anniversary next month. As noted by The New Republic, 12% hydrogen peroxide is strong enough to “cause problems if inhaled and burns if the chemical touches the skin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” NOTUS reporter Igor Bobic, upon seeing the chemical being dumped into the pool, remarked it was a “bad day to be a duck.”
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