WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

💥 US asked Israel to stop bombing Syria. US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack phoned Israeli officials calling for de-escalation after Israel began bombing Damascus in response to reports of brutal violence against the Druze minority. America reportedly told the Israelis to "stand down and take a breath" as the new Syrian government attempts to handle the situation. The strikes could potentially jeopardize Syrian participation in the Abraham Accords.

👀 Trump called Epstein coverage a hoax. President Trump blasted what he called the "Jeffrey Epstein Hoax" in a fiery Truth Social post Wednesday, accusing "Radical Left Democrats" of launching a new smear campaign. Trump compared the Epstein narrative to previous "scams and hoaxes" and declared he no longer wants support from former backers who have "bought into this bullsh*t."

🗳️ Vance broke the tie on spending cuts. Vice President JD Vance cast the deciding vote to advance a rescissions package that would eliminate approximately $8.3 billion from USAID and $1.1 billion from public broadcasting. The bill, which already passed the House last month, targets funding for PBS and NPR. The tie-breaking vote signals that Congressional Republicans are still not fully united on cuts.

💰 Bahrain announced $17 billion in US investments. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa announced that Bahraini companies are investing $17 billion in the United States during his meeting with President Trump. A US official stated that the crown prince plans to invest in US aluminum, liquified natural gas, and AI chip production through partnerships with American tech and energy firms.

INSIDER RADAR

Rep. Lauren Boebert on investigating the Epstein files

Insiders behind the paywall: Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Robert Garcia, Tom Homan, and Tommy Tuberville.

HOAX TRACKER

“Republicans are guilty of their own ‘autopen’ scandal”

QUICK AND IMPORTANT

• President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act yesterday, increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking.

• Trump also canceled all federal funding for California's high-speed rail project.

• Iraqi parents in Washington state faced trial for an attempted honor killing of their high-school-aged daughter.

• A “genderfluid” teenager was arrested in Michigan for attempting to firebomb a GOP headquarters.

THE MAIN STORY

Homeland Security accelerates third country deportations

_WHAT’S HAPPENING_

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a new wave of third country deportations, recently sending a flight of convicted criminal aliens to the country of Eswatini.

That flight carried individuals with convictions for murder and child rape from countries that refuse to accept their own citizens back. This follows a Supreme Court decision last month giving the administration the authority to deport migrants to countries other than their own.

FACTS AND INSIGHTS

• Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the individuals "uniquely barbaric" who had been "terrorizing American communities."

• In May, the Solicitor General argued before the Supreme Court…

Exclusive analysis and uncensored facts behind the paywall: The third-party countries involved, Trump pressing leaders to take in “the worst of the worst,” and a noteworthy shift in deportation policy.

_JOIN THE DISCUSSION_

Should countries that won’t take back their criminals face consequences (like tariffs or loss of aid)?

MEDIA BIAS SPOTTER

How left and right outlets frame Israel bombing Syria

Mentioned behind the paywall: CNN, Axios, The Daily Wire, and The New York Post.

_THE DAILY DEBATE_

_POLL RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY_

Do you think there’s a good reason to keep the Epstein files hidden?

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👍 Yes (200)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 👎 No (621)
🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (216)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 💬 Other (Comment) (38)

_POP QUIZ_

🔎 Tip line: See something the media won’t touch? Got a story from your campus, community, or company that needs exposure? Send tips, questions, or ideas to [email protected].

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