Chicagoans are still dealing with the trauma from Operation Midway Blitz, where only 3% of detainees were the kinds of criminals Trump said they targeted. / The New York Times [$] “The world’s first border wall failed. It now lies buried beneath Iraq’s desert sands.” On the futility of borders.
A new report finds “credible sexual harassment allegations against 162 sitting [US] state officials, in 424 incidents between 2013 and 2026.” / Mother Jones See also: The US Constitution says it’s Congress’s job to police its members, yet time and again current leaders refuse to do anything that might
“In my view, Russia played the Americans again—played the president of the United States.” Ukraine has finally given up on Trump. / The Atlantic [$] Trump has long cultivated a belief that he’s “fucking crazy,” only now his irrationality has gone beyond even what Kissinger would have recommended. / The New
Some immigrant taxpayers subject to deportation are choosing not to file this year—a trend that would mean a loss of $479 billion in tax revenue over the next decade. / The Washington Post [$] See also: Of the more than $65 billion in tax write-offs for charitable donations every year,
An interactive explainer of how, despite the US blockade, Iran has geography on its side in the Strait of Hormuz. / The Washington Post [$] Yesterday, two members of Congress—Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzales—resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. / The 19th See also: If every congressman facing credible rape
Further escalating its war with Iran, the United States begins a military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. / Politico What makes Iran’s Lego-themed propaganda videos so effective? Because AI is trained on so much Western content, it’s the perfect tool to reach American audiences. / BBC News See
The US says the ceasefire didn’t include Lebanon, but Iran says it did, a contention that could end the agreement before it even gets started. / The New York Times [$] Related: Did Israel attack Lebanon to spoil the ceasefire? / The Guardian The war with Iran may wreak havoc on markets
Iran is escalating its attacks on Gulf countries, and the strikes are “increasingly precise and lethal, and able to avoid interception.” / Semafor Visualizing the scale of the war shows the extent of the countries attacked so far would cover much of the United States or Europe. / The New York Times
Iran’s hacking of medical-equipment firm Stryker is likely the largest wartime cyberattack on the US in history. / The Wall Street Journal [$] For Iranians, suddenly being forced into war means wondering “which violence they are more likely to survive”—that from the regime or the attackers. / Vox The US
With little warning, Kansas has voided trans residents’ drivers licenses, and yes, “the persecution is the point.” / Erin in the Morning, the Kansas City Star Amid the Epstein fallout—Bill Gates apologizing, Larry Summers and Richard Axel resigning—memos connected to Trump’s accuser are missing. / The Wall Street Journal
