Trump’s Controversial Pick to Oversee U.S. Intelligence, and a Surge in Preventable Diseases
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I gave my brother a New York Times subscription. We exchange articles. And so having read the same article, we can discuss it. She sent me a year-long subscription so I have access to all the games. The New York Times contributes to our quality time together. It enriches our relationship. It was such a cool and thoughtful gift. We're reading the same stuff. We're making the same food. We're on the same page. Learn more about giving a New York Times subscription as a gift at nytimes.com slash gift.
From The New York Times, it's The Headlines. I'm Traci Mumford. Today's Wednesday, June 3rd. Here's what we're covering.
Mr. Rubio, you keep telling us how we're winning this war. The president keeps saying completely annihilated. The war is not over. And yet the American people see how we're losing at the pump and with their costs. And yet this thing still hasn't been resolved.
On Capitol Hill yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparred with Democratic senators over the war in Iran as he offered a murky timeline about when there might be a deal between the two countries.
There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week.
Rubio said the U.S. and Iran are continuing to try and hammer out an initial agreement that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, among other things, saying, quote, we're hopeful.
Why is it taking so long to reach even a preliminary agreement with the Iranians? It's a fascinating question because time and time again in recent weeks, The president or his top officials have said an agreement is just days away.
David Sanger is a White House and national security correspondent at The Times.
One reason that this is taking so long is that it's the most inefficient form of negotiating you can imagine. Messages are being passed through Pakistan and Qatar.
What are the latest developments in the Iran War?
They then go to Iran, get put in the hands of couriers, and get taken to the new supreme leader, who is in hiding, fearing that the Israelis are looking to kill him the way they killed his father, his wife, and the rest of his family. And on top of that, we keep hearing about changes to the text. At the end of last week, we understand that President Trump added some new wording, trying to toughen up what happens to all of Iran's nuclear material. But that only encourages the Iranians to do the same thing, pulling in the other direction.
Amid the negotiations, attacks in the Middle East have continued, despite both the U.S. and Iran insisting a ceasefire is still in effect. The U.S. says it's been acting in self-defense, and Iran says it's been retaliating. Today, Kuwait, an American ally in the Gulf, said its country's main airport was damaged by Iranian drones, injuring travelers and forcing all flights to be suspended. Now, three new developments in Washington.
First... We are not moving forward with the fund.
Not moving forward ever?
Correct.
Oh. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch repeatedly told lawmakers yesterday that the president's $1.8 billion fund is not going to happen after a wave of bipartisan backlash. Still, Blanche made clear that the other piece of the deal Trump struck with the Justice Department, granting him, his family, and his businesses immunity from any ongoing tax audits, will stand. Blanche claimed that kind of arrangement wasn't out of the ordinary, but critics have called it a sweetheart deal, given that the Trump Organization was facing an investigation into its tax filings that could have resulted in a $100 million penalty.
Also, I thought I got into the stage where I could no longer be shocked by Donald Trump's choices. But this may be the most outrageous of all.
Democrats are denouncing Trump's new pick for director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte. Pulte, who currently leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has no experience in intelligence, defense or national security. The DNI position is one of the most powerful in the Cabinet. It was created after 9-11 and is responsible for coordinating the work of the CIA and a dozen-plus other agencies.
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Chapters
2 chaptersSpeakers
5 identifiedMore from The Headlines
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