The to respond to a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a provocation that U.S. President Donald Trump said violated the ceasefire.
The British military said Thursday that a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman. This comes at a fragile time for the U.S. and Iranian negotiations over .
Trump also on imports from any nation that taxes digital services from U.S. companies, specifically singling out Europe. His post on social media said those nations are considering 鈥渋mminent鈥� taxes, and that the tariff would override any previously negotiated trade agreements.
Here’s the latest:
Vance warns Iran 鈥榲iolence will be met with violence鈥�
The vice president said on social media that Iran should 鈥減ick up the phone鈥� if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement.
鈥淏ut violence will be met with violence,鈥� Vance said on X after the U.S. strikes.
US retaliatory strikes in Iran have concluded, official says
The U.S. strikes on Iran in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship have concluded, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The confirmation comes about an hour after U.S. Central Command announced the military action on social media.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing military operation.
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By Konstantin Toropin
US strikes against Iran are ongoing, official says
The American strikes in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship are still ongoing, even as U.S. Central Command released a statement confirming the action, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing military operation.
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Soot pollution rule stays in effect as court blocks Trump EPA effort to scrap it
A federal appeals court has rejected the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 attempt to abandon a Biden-era rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution.
The unanimous ruling Friday by a three-judge panel is a setback for Trump鈥檚 deregulatory agenda.
The decision by the Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals leaves intact a tighter standard set in 2024 on pollution from coal-fired power plants, factories and other industrial sources.
The EPA had asked the appeals court to invalidate the 2024 rule, arguing that the agency under previous leaders had exceeded its statutory authority and did not consider costs to businesses.
The appeals court denied the request, saying the EPA鈥檚 arguments 鈥渓ack merit.鈥�
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Trump won鈥檛 say whether Iran will face consequences for attacks
Asked if Iran would face consequences for a recent drone attack on a ship, Trump said: 鈥淲ell, you鈥檒l find out.鈥�
The president did not lay out options on how he could respond, or the status of technical talks between the United States and Iran on trying to end the war.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 like the fact that they took a shot yesterday,鈥� Trump said.
The president did not answer a direct question about whether he thought the ceasefire was still in place.
Bible stories are approved as required reading in Texas public schools
The required reading list approved Friday by the Texas State Board of Education widens conservative efforts to bring more Christian teachings into U.S. classrooms.
The push in Texas has been closely followed by education observers, who say the required reading list appears to be the first of its kind in the nation.
The mandate required more than 5 million public school students in Texas must read traditional literary works such as E.B. White鈥檚 鈥淐harlotte鈥檚 Web.鈥� Also on the list are Bible stories, including passages from the New Testament and excerpts from the Book of Job.
The Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list of over critics who argued the titles lacked diversity and and blurs the separation of church and state.
Supporters say Judeo-Christian traditions were fundamental to the nation鈥檚 founding and that should be reflected in the public school curriculum.
Trump panel calls for bridges, not a wall, between church and state
The assertion 鈥� challenging a longstanding concept in American law 鈥� comes amid a raft of recommendations in a of the Religious Liberty Commission, released Friday afternoon.
The was created by Trump last year and was filled almost entirely by . The report recommends a stronger role for religion in government, schools and the public square.
The report calls for eliminating the 鈥� ,鈥� which forbids political activities by tax-exempt religious groups. It calls for compensating military service members who were discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines on religious grounds.
Trump says Venezuelans are now 鈥榙ancing in the streets鈥�
The president celebrated the U.S. military mission he ordered to .
He brought up the South American nation happily before interrupting himself to reference the back-to-back earthquakes that have devastated Caracas.
鈥淏y the way, we鈥檙e helping Venezuela鈥� after the 鈥渢remendous鈥� natural disaster, Trump said, before resuming his original thought on U.S. actions there.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a great relationship鈥� since the mission to depose Maduro, he said. 鈥淲as a one-day war.鈥�
He said oil processed since the action has 鈥減aid for the war many times over鈥� and boosted Venezuela鈥檚 economy.
Trump said the earthquake 鈥渨as terrible鈥� but that, otherwise, 鈥渢he people are happy; they鈥檙e dancing in the streets.鈥�
Trump says 鈥榥obody saw鈥� drone that hit cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz
Describing the U.S. response to a drone strike that Trump blamed on Iran, the president said one got through unnoticed and struck a ship on Thursday.
鈥淲e knocked down three of them. One of them, I guess 鈥� we didn鈥檛 miss it. Nobody saw it coming,鈥� Trump said on Friday.
He made the comment after remarking that Iran still has 鈥渟ome capability, not much.鈥�
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do that stuff,鈥� he added. Earlier on Friday he called the strike between Iran and the United States.
Trump says Zohran Mamdani鈥檚 housing efforts will tank New York City
The New York City mayor 鈥渟eems like a nice guy鈥� but his push to make rent more affordable will backfire, the president insists.
鈥淭hese buildings will soon turn into ghettos and slums,鈥� Trump says, suggesting landlords won鈥檛 get enough revenue to take care of their properties. Trump argued, 鈥淚t will be third world.鈥�
Trump was referring to the city鈥檚 Rent Guidelines Board approving a for certain lease renewals beginning this fall. It affects nearly a million rent-stabilized apartments and helps fulfill one of Mamdani鈥檚 signature campaign promises to make housing more affordable.
Trump warns that the left鈥檚 election victories is a movement that 鈥榠sn鈥檛 stopping with New York鈥�
The president said the this week show that 鈥渢he Democrat Party is in big trouble.鈥�
He also described the winners as not 鈥渟ocial democrats鈥� but 鈥渉ardcore, godless communists.鈥�
Trump bashes Alaska Sen. Murkowski for opposing his bill to create stricter ID standards for voters
The president used his speech to the Faith & Freedom Coalition to attack a Republican lawmaker who has opposed his SAVE America Act.
鈥淲e have a few Republicans that are fighting it 鈥� Lisa Murkowski of Alaska,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淵ou should call her and tell her to get on the ball. She鈥檒l never win another election. I can tell you.鈥�
The crowd, in support of Trump, booed the mention of Murkowski鈥檚 name.
Murkowski has said that the bill being championed by Trump could undermine state oversight of elections. She said the required proof of U.S. citizenship could deny legitimate voters the chance to cast their ballots or mandate states to change their driver鈥檚 licenses to conform to Trump鈥檚 interests.
Trump credits his presidencies with returning God to America
The president claimed that 鈥渞eligion is back in our country, bigger and stronger than it has been in many, many years.鈥�
He referred generally to 鈥渁ll of these reports鈥� he鈥檚 read suggesting religious practice is 鈥済oing up.鈥�
He ticked through steps his administration has taken, including establishing a White House Faith Office and ending what he described as persecution of Christians by the government. He also took credit for restoring Christmas.
And he insisted none of that would have happened if the 2016 and 2024 elections were won by Democrats. He described Democratic President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration as 鈥渟o bad鈥� and 鈥渟o evil.鈥�
Biden is a practicing Catholic who regular attended Mass while in office. Trump does not regularly attended services.
Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in 鈥榝irst step鈥� toward peace, Rubio says
Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced a framework agreement Friday that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The officials did not share details on the agreement that was signed by Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, ambassador of Lebanon to the United States.
Evangelical group founder touts Trump鈥檚 conservative record
In introducing Trump at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, founder Ralph Reed sought to remind the audience of the president鈥檚 conservative track record.
鈥淭his is a man who, alone among all the leaders that we have had, gave us the most conservative Supreme Court in over a century,鈥� Reed said.
He also noted Trump鈥檚 efforts to lower taxes and move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Evangelicals are a crucial part of Trump鈥檚 political coalition. Reed noted that the president has spoken to the group 10 times.
鈥淚 want to thank Ralph for the introduction,鈥� Trump said as he took the stage. 鈥淭hank you to all of the true American patriots of Faith and Freedom Coalition. You鈥檝e been with me from the beginning.鈥�
Trump returns to hotel where correspondents鈥� dinner was held
The president on Friday appeared at an event at the Washington Hilton, where two months earlier he was when a gunman charged at the ballroom during the White House Correspondents鈥� Association dinner.
Trump was speaking on Friday to a gathering of Christian conservatives at the Faith & Freedom Coalition鈥檚 annual conference, where he鈥檚 made previous appearances.
Security at the event was tighter than in the past, including officers in tactical gear stationed right outside the ballroom doors.
Trump says communism is 鈥榯he most serious threat to our Country since its existence鈥� but says 鈥業鈥檇 be the Greatest Communist in History鈥�
The president wrote in a post on social media that his speech Friday afternoon to conservative Christians would include a warning about communism.
Trump and Republicans have been seizing on by candidates endorsed by New York City鈥檚 democratic socialist Mayor .
鈥淐ommunism is very easy to sell. I鈥檇 be the Greatest Communist in History. I鈥檇 give free rent, free houses, free food, everything is free,鈥� Trump wrote in his lengthy post.
But, he said, after a few years, the country 鈥渨ould fail.鈥�
Man is charged with obstruction of justice in connection with White House UFC attack plot
An eighth person has been arrested in connection with what authorities say was a planned attack on Trump鈥檚 at the White House earlier this month.
Law enforcement disrupted the plan a few days before the June 14 event, officials say.
Authorities say Alexander Iniguez Mercado of Chicago was an administrator of Signal messaging groups with members who are accused of plotting the attack. When an FBI agent called Mercado on June 13 and asked whether he planned to travel to Washington D.C. to help with an attack, Mercado denied it, the indictment says. He then deleted the Signal app from his phone, prosecutors allege.
Mercado, 20, is charged with obstruction of justice. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf and phone numbers for relatives could not immediately be located.
Trump threatens a 100% tax on European imports if countries tax digital services
Trump took aim at European countries that he said are discussing 鈥渋mminent鈥� implementation of taxes on American companies.
鈥淧lease let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,鈥� Trump wrote in a post Friday on social media.
He added that the new tax would supersede any previously negotiated trade deals. Trump said the penalty would apply to any country that moves forward with such a tax, but he singled out European nations in his post.
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Trump blames Iran for a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz
The president called the alleged strike a 鈥渇oolish violation鈥� of the ceasefire agreement with the U.S.
Trump said one drone hit the upper deck of the ship and 鈥渄amage was done,鈥� but the ship was able to proceed. He added that the U.S. shot down three other drones.
His post on social media did not identify the ship or the time of the strike, but on Thursday the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman.
It comes during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war.
Bolton also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million
He can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer prison sentence or a larger fine.
Bolton must pay half of the fine within five days of his plea and the balance within 90 days. He agreed to forfeit his retirement pay for his federal service. The plea deal also requires him to submit to a debriefing with federal intelligence officials and perform up to 100 hours of community service.
After a prosecutor read aloud a summary of his offenses, Bolton agreed it was accurate.
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry for it,鈥� he told the judge.
Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said Bolton 鈥渄id what real leaders do鈥� by pleading guilty.
Other Trump adversaries have been charged with federal crimes during his second term
While some of those cases have collapsed under judicial scrutiny and amid claims of political retribution, Bolton didn鈥檛 mount a vigorous defense against his charges before cutting a deal.
FBI agents searched Bolton鈥檚 Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office last August, but the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
Bolton was charged with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classified information
That included diary-like notes he shared with relatives as he wrote a memoir about his career in government.
Bolton served for more than a year in Trump鈥檚 first administration before getting . He later published a book called that presented an unflattering portrait of Trump鈥檚 leadership.
The Trump administration fought unsuccessfully to block the book鈥檚 release, claiming it contained classified information that could jeopardize national security. Trump derided Bolton as a 鈥渃razy鈥� warmonger who would have led the country into 鈥淲orld War Six.鈥�
Bolton鈥檚 indictment focused on notes he shared with his wife and daughter rather than the contents of his book. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, 鈥淣one of which we talk about!!!鈥� In response, one of his relatives wrote, 鈥淪hhhhh,鈥� prosecutors said.
Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information
Former Trump administration national security adviser pleaded guilty Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term.
Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of Trump after serving in the Republican鈥檚 first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28 by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Bolton pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining classified information. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment.
The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years but the judge isn鈥檛 bound by that part of the deal.
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DNC plans weekend of events to focus on affordability concerns
The Democratic National Committee is organizing hundreds of community events across the country this weekend in hopes of harnessing the same concerns about affordability that Trump capitalized on to return to the White House.
The events include school supply giveaways, food bank drives, neighborhood door knockings and organizer trainings.
鈥淓verything costs too damn much under Donald Trump and the Republicans,鈥� Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.
Martin said party members planned 鈥渢o reach, engage, register, and mobilize voters who will make the difference in races up and down the ballot.鈥�
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Touring Trump鈥檚 Washington: How the president is putting his imprint on the nation鈥檚 capital
The United States is . And what better way to mark that anniversary than with an American summer staple 鈥� a trip to the nation鈥檚 capital.
But visitors to Washington will find that the city is undergoing tremendous change, courtesy of Trump鈥檚 takeover makeover.
Since returning to office 17 months ago, Trump has demonstrated a continuing fixation with the District of Columbia. The Republican president has slapped his image and , , , and .
The traditional tourist sights remain. But with slight detours, an open mind and a critical eye, the ambitious walker can see all the ways the president has pushed to remake the capital.
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988鈥檚 LGBTQ+ hotline to relaunch this year. But the group that helped start it might be excluded
The Trump administration is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline, but the group that helped pioneer the idea is being shut out.
, the leading nonprofit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ young people, may not be allowed to offer the service it had helped develop for the 988 Lifeline just a few years ago.
The 988 hotline, which has been dubbed the , is credited with reducing suicide deaths. It offers specialized options for certain groups, such as veterans and Spanish speakers, but in July the Trump administration stopped offering the 鈥減ress 3鈥� option for LGBTQ+ youth .
The administration said it ended the service because the funding ran out. It鈥檚 now working to bring it back by the end of the year because Congress directed officials to allocate $33 million toward LGBTQ+-specific interventions for youth.
However, The Trevor Project might not be allowed to offer the services it developed and specializes in.
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Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling to end protections for Haitian, Syrian immigrants could have broader impact
The reach of the decision allowing to end temporary legal protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants may extend to many other countries.
Thursday麓s decision directly applies to about 350,000 and 6,000 but may be a sign of what麓s in store for nearly 1.3 million on Temporary Protected Status. Many have lived and worked in the United States for decades and have American children.
The decision exposes TPS holders from Haiti and Syria to potential detention and deportation. It could also pave the way for hundreds of thousands of other beneficiaries with pending asylum claims or other immigration relief to be forced to leave the country.
People of all nationalities whose TPS was ended by the Trump administration have filed dozens of lawsuits. Many of these cases are still ongoing, and judges will closely examine the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision.
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Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says
A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million a top official at the National Park Service says.
The U.S. Park Police responded June 9 to a complaint by the park service, said Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service. Lands in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the Trump administration鈥檚 work on the project.
His statement does not say when exactly the damage occurred or whether it was a suspected case of vandalism and does not identify anyone who might have been involved.
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Vance, an admirer of Richard Nixon, says Watergate would be 鈥榓 12-hour news story鈥� today
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon would have been a blip in today鈥檚 news cycle, and he drew parallels between Nixon and President Donald Trump 鈥� arguing that both were targeted by 鈥渄eep state鈥� forces.
Vance described his admiration for Nixon during a conversation at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. Widely expected to be a presidential contender in 2028, Vance spoke at the library while promoting his , 鈥淐ommunion.鈥�
After talking about the book and his faith journey, Vance shifted to Nixon, saying the legacy of the 37th president is 鈥渆njoying a bit of a renaissance.鈥�
鈥淚f Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12-hour news story. The idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy,鈥� Vance said.
He went on: 鈥淚f you look at the story of how the deep state took down Richard Nixon, it鈥檚 not all that different from what the same groups of people, the same institutions tried to do to Donald Trump in the first Trump administration.鈥�
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Federal judge halts Trump鈥檚 election executive order seeking to create a federal voter list
A federal judge on Thursday halted President Donald Trump鈥檚 that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that challenged the Republican president鈥檚 order in granting a summary judgment. Her ruling applies to this year鈥檚 midterm election cycle.
Plaintiffs , both filed in federal court in Boston, that Trump鈥檚 order should be because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules.
It was the second ruling in as many days against executive orders Trump has signed seeking oversight of the nation鈥檚 elections. A prohibited an executive order he had signed last year that would have required people to show documents proving their citizenship when registering to vote.
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