Disney sued the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, saying freedom of speech is threatened by the Trump administration鈥檚 retaliation over 鈥檚 satire. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has said the country should have a 鈥渢rusted, respected news media, and we鈥檙e not there.鈥�
The U.S. and Canada are negotiating ahead of Trump鈥檚 midnight deadline on $20 billion worth of Canadian products starting Wednesday. remains unclear after Jared Kushner left a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with no firm Israeli commitment to the latest . And is raising about U.S. security interests in Asia and elsewhere.
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Congresswoman says target of ICE operation in fatal Maine shooting wasn鈥檛 up for removal
The person an ICE agent shot and killed in Maine last month was not subject to a final removal order, a Democratic congresswoman said.
Johan Sebasti谩n Dur谩n Guerrero, a 25-year-old Colombian national, by an ICE agent near his Biddeford home. Rep. Chellie Pingree said during a hearing that ICE鈥檚 intended target was Dur谩n Guerrero鈥檚 roommate, who owns the car Dur谩n Guerrero was driving.
Pingree called the discovery a 鈥渟hocking revelation in clear contradiction to what ICE鈥� and DHS have said about the shooting.
鈥淛ohan Sebasti谩n Dur谩n Guerrero should be alive today,鈥� Pingree said during the hearing. 鈥淢ore than a month later, there are still so many basic questions that remain unanswered by ICE and the Trump administration.鈥�
DHS said in a statement late Monday that it stands by its prior assessment of the shooting.
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Woman accused of plotting to kill Treasury Secretary is sentenced
A Massachusetts woman who told police that she brought homemade firebombs to the U.S. Capitol to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was sentenced on Tuesday to just over six years in prison.
Riley English, a 26-year-old transgender woman, said she was in the grips of a mental health crisis and abusing drugs when she drove to Washington in January 2025 and told Capitol Police that she was there to kill Bessent on the day of .
鈥淚 never wanted to hurt anyone,鈥� she told U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. 鈥淚鈥檓 not a political person. I鈥檓 not a violent person.鈥�
Contreras, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, sentenced English to six years and one month of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. English has remained jailed since her arrest and will get credit for the nearly 20 months that she already has spent in custody.
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Trump to lead tech event
The U.S. president is hosting an event on Wednesday with various leaders in the tech industry, according to a White House official.
The event is meant to 鈥渟trengthen America鈥檚 innovative and technological dominance,鈥� said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a meeting that has not been publicized.
The official offered few other details about the gathering except to say that prediction markets would not be participating in the White House event.
US hits ICC president and senior prosecutor with sanctions in another move against the court
The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on the president of the International Criminal Court and one its top prosecutors as it continues a campaign to dismantle the tribunal that it accuses of trying to unfairly prosecute U.S. and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza.
The State Department said Tuesday it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in U.S. jurisdictions or come into contact with the U.S. financial system.
The move is the latest by the Trump administration against the ICC, which it says has exceeding its mandate by investigating or trying soldiers, commanders and political officials from countries, like Israel and the United States, that are not members of the court.
Minnesota attorney general sues Texas governor to compel extradition of ICE agent for trial
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday, seeking to compel the extradition of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent to stand trial for assault and falsely reporting a crime in the wounding of a man during the agency鈥檚 crackdown in Minneapolis.
Ellison said he would request a temporary restraining order barring the Cameron County Sheriff鈥檚 Office in Texas from releasing ICE agent Christian Castro and requiring Abbott to sign the extradition warrant allowing Minnesota law enforcement agents to take custody of him.
11 days after Minneapolis prosecutors and falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 nonfatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.
Ellison said at a news conference that Castro faces release from jail next week — 90 days since he was detained — under Texas law unless he鈥檚 extradited to Minnesota.
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CDC has zombie programs that are funded but don鈥檛 have staff
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has several programs that have turned into zombies: They appear to be alive, at least according to legislation and congressional appropriations. But functionally they are dead or nearly dead, because the CDC experts who did the work were laid off by President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration or remain on leave 鈥� paid but not allowed to do their jobs.
These programs include initiatives for Alzheimer鈥檚, smoking prevention and epilepsy.
Trump鈥檚 Republican administration laid off thousands of employees as a cost-cutting move beginning in April 2025. While some cuts were reversed, many experts remain on paid leave due to ongoing legal battles.
The lone Democrat on the FCC praises the lawsuit
Anna Gomez, commended ABC and Disney for pushing back against the FCC鈥檚 actions.
鈥淔or months, the FCC has waged a campaign of censorship and control against Disney鈥檚 ABC stations,鈥� she said in a statement, 鈥渦sing the threat of broadcast license revocations to punish a company for speech this administration doesn鈥檛 like.鈥�
鈥淚 have long called on companies to push back against this kind of government intimidation, and I鈥檓 glad Disney has shown courage and stepped up,鈥� Gomez said. 鈥淭his should be a welcome sign for every broadcaster who has felt the weight of this overreaching government pressure in silence.鈥�
ABC says FCC鈥檚 challenge of its broadcast licenses present an 鈥榚xistential threat鈥�
The FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr cited the network鈥檚 diversity practices as a reason for a rare early review of some of its local broadcast licenses, but it took the action shortly after a joke by ABC鈥檚 late-night host Jimmy Kimmel had infuriated the president.
鈥淎gain and again, the Administration has attacked ABC鈥檚 speech 鈥� the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programs air,鈥� the network alleges in its lawsuit filed Tuesday seeking to block the FCC action. 鈥淭hose attacks have escalated into express demands that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses because of its speech.鈥�
鈥淚f the Administration gets its way, the message to every media company in the country will be unmistakable: tell only the stories the Administration deems favorable, or face the coercive machinery of the federal government. In such a world, the press could in no way be described as free,鈥� it says.
Forced out of the Kennedy Center, National Symphony Orchestra is going on the road
Forced from its concert hall, the orchestra announced Tuesday that it鈥檚 splitting its 2026-27 season among six venues in and around Washington, D.C.
Trump loyalists took control of the center named by Congress after President John F. Kennedy and added his name to the complex before a federal judge . Now the board plans a two-year renovation and : 鈥淭he John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.鈥�
鈥淔or us to perform and to be somehow disconnected with the Kennedy Center probably will convince some of the audience who stayed away from the center to come back to our concerts, and not only that, even to increase the number of the audience,鈥� music director Gianandrea Noseda said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Hormuz ship traffic is down sharply, despite Trump鈥檚 claims
While Trump insists the Strait of Hormuz remains 鈥渙pen and operating,鈥� the numbers show vessel transit dropped significantly last week, with confirmed crossings falling 19.5% to 95, including just three on Sunday, according to shipping data platform Kpler.
The platform said the transited vessels used the Iranian-designated route, while no crossings were recorded through the Omani routes.
Iran refers to Trump鈥檚 鈥榙elusion鈥� about the strait
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi appeared to respond to Trump鈥檚 post on social media depicting the strait as American territory.
鈥淛ust as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be corrected, or we will correct this deluded man鈥檚 delusions for him,鈥� Gharibabadi wrote on X.
Trump floats idea of declaring Strait of Hormuz a US territory
He posted a map on social media Tuesday depicting the strait as a U.S. territory. The president first mentioned the idea in an offhand comment last week. On Monday, he told reporters in the Oval Office, 鈥淚 like the idea of declaring it a territory,鈥� without providing details.
The White House on Tuesday referred to Trump鈥檚 remarks in the Oval Office and declined to comment further about Oman.
Tankers and cargo vessels are seen in the Gulf of Oman, along shipping routes linking the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo)
US believes Oman has not been tough enough with Iran
The reason Trump Oman is because he鈥檚 unhappy the country is close to a deal with to manage ship traffic through the , two regional officials said Tuesday.
The officials said the administration has told Oman it is opposed to parts of the , including the joint Iranian and Omani management of the exit route out of the passage that鈥檚 critical to global supplies of oil and natural gas. The officials were briefed on the U.S. position and how the administration views Oman鈥檚 position.
The U.S. believes Oman has not been tough enough in its negotiations with Iran and is unhappy with Oman鈥檚 agreement to collect voluntary fees from vessels, even if the charges are related to security and maritime environmental protection, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists.
Whistleblower alleges political pressure, lack of evidence in antisemitism probes
A whistleblower is alleging that a Trump administration task force has rushed to push for settlements with , despite incomplete investigations that failed to establish any violations of the law.
The complaint obtained by The Associated Press before it was made public Tuesday details allegations made by a former Justice Department attorney who was involved in the task force. It alleges that the investigations were designed to strong-arm the schools into cutting deals for political purposes.
Spokespeople for the Justice and Health and Human Services Departments did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment Tuesday.
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Trump says US has no planned talks with Iran
The president asserted that even as U.S. has no planned talks with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz remains 鈥渙pen and operating,鈥� despite limited traffic and an attack Tuesday on a ship trying to exit the waterway.
Trump also wrote on social media Tuesday that a U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping remains 鈥渋n full force and effect,鈥� and asserted that all water mines have been removed.
His post comes after a 60-day negotiating period ended this week between the U.S. and Iran with no clear end to the war in sight.
Disney sues FCC, claiming broadcast licenses challenge is retaliation over 鈥楯immy Kimmel鈥�
Disney鈥檚 suit filed Tuesday against the Trump administration鈥檚 Federal Communications Commission alleges a violation of its First Amendment rights.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr defended the agency鈥檚 early review of eight ABC local broadcast licenses well before they expire, that broadcasters have a duty to 鈥渙perate in the public interest鈥� and the FCC is merely trying to restore that standard.
Carr has said the country should have a 鈥渢rusted, respected news media, and we鈥檙e not there.鈥�
ABC has of a brazen attempt to chill its constitutionally protected free speech 鈥� and by extension, that of every media outlet in the country.
The 1930 tariff law Trump invoked against Canada made the Great Depression worse
After the Supreme Court ruled the president overstepped his authority by imposing double-digit import taxes on almost every country on earth as a national emergency, Trump last month imposed new 鈥� which together account for 99% of U.S. imports, accusing them of allowing forced labor.
And to whack Canada, he invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose 50% tariffs, starting Wednesday.
These so-called Smoot-Hawley tariffs are notorious among economists and historians for limiting world commerce and making the Great Depression worse. Never before used, Section 338 allows for import taxes on products from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses.
Trump claimed Canada discriminates against U.S. exports of autos, alcohol and cheese.
US criticizes Israeli strikes on Syrian air base
Syrian state TV said eight Israeli airstrikes hit the runway of the Abu Duhur air base early Tuesday, causing damage without inflicting any casualties.
U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack posted on X that Washington is 鈥渄eeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes鈥� constitute 鈥渁n unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.鈥�
There was no comment from the Israeli military on the attack and Turkish officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said foreign fighters used to stay at the base before they were recently asked to leave, and that Turkey, of Syria鈥檚 government, has been rehabilitating the base after the Syrian conflict left nearly half a million people dead.
Ship attacked in Hormuz strait as Iran throttles key waterway
A projectile has hit a ship sailing out of the , according to the British military鈥檚 UK Maritime Trade Operations center, causing 鈥渁 crew casualty鈥� but no environmental damage.
Iranian threats to shipping effectively closed the strait after Israel and the U.S. started the war nearly six months ago.
An Iranian official said Tuesday that the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. meets Tehran鈥檚 conditions, which include ending a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping, 鈥渞eleasing frozen assets, lifting oil sanctions (and) ending threats and military operations on all fronts.鈥�
Turkey urges Trump to seek a diplomatic solution to the war
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump in a telephone call to continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran.
The call came late Monday as the 60-day negotiating period to find a peace deal between the United States and Iran , with no word of an extension and both sides seemingly as far apart as they were at the start.
鈥淧resident Erdogan said it is important to make maximum use of diplomacy amid tensions between Iran and the United States,鈥� according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office.
The 60-day deadline for an Iran peace deal is expiring. Here鈥檚 where things stand
The deal that Trump in June set an ambitious 60-day deadline for ending and reaching an accord on its .
The deadline was Monday, and the two sides are further apart than they were then.
Talks, , have focused on reopening the and lifting a U.S. blockade on Iran, both of which were under the interim deal. There has been no sign of any compromise on the strait, or that detailed nuclear talks have even begun.
The U.S., meanwhile, has no good options for getting out of the war it started alongside Israel.
Acceding to Iran鈥檚 latest demands would mean giving it control over a critical international waterway that carried a fifth of the world鈥檚 traded oil and gas before the war 鈥� . Escalating the would further draw down U.S. supplies of , jolt the world economy, and drive up gas prices ahead of U.S. congressional elections.
So both sides have dug in, hoping the other will blink first. So far, neither has.
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Trump鈥檚 slight of South Korea in favor of the North raises broader US security concerns
Trump on Sunday ordered the U.S. military to downsize the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which began Monday as scheduled. It wasn鈥檛 known which parts of the training were being scaled back.
His announcement baffled many in South Korea, which has been closely allied with the U.S. for decades and where national security is a top priority due to threats from nuclear-armed North Korea.
Trump by citing South Korea鈥檚 refusal to join his war against Iran and pointing to what he said was his good relationship with North Korea鈥檚 reclusive dictator, a transactional and personal approach to foreign policy that has defined the Republican鈥檚 presidency.
鈥淭here is no American interest that I can see in this,鈥� said Dan Fried, an assistant secretary of state for European affairs in the George W. Bush administration. 鈥淥n all levels it makes no sense. It undermines the South Koreans, undermines the Japanese, frightens the Taiwanese, unnerves NATO and emboldens the Chinese, not to mention the North Koreans.鈥�
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