Thursday, June 26th, 2025 - Trump’s NATO highlights; GOP budget bill pressure; Mamdani wins NYC primary; New US visa rules; RFK Jr. eyes vax cuts

Morning Announcements

Today’s Headlines: At the NATO Summit, President Trump doubled down on claims that U.S. strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear sites, despite his own intel saying otherwise. In response to internal leaks, the administration is limiting intelligence access for congressional Democrats. Trump also celebrated NATO’s new pledge to raise military spending to 5% of GDP by 2035—except for Spain’s carveout—and falsely claimed the NATO chief called him “Daddy Trump.” Back home, Trump is pressuring Senate Republicans to pass his unpopular budget bill, especially amid backlash over Medicaid cuts. Protesters in wheelchairs were zip-tied and arrested at the Capitol. In NYC, 33-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary, defeating a field including Andrew Cuomo and Anthony Weiner, both of whom lost big. Meanwhile, all U.S. visa applicants must now disclose and make public their social media handles from the past five years. This comes after a Norwegian tourist was denied entry and allegedly harassed by ICE agents over a JD Vance meme on his phone. And finally, RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisory board may recommend changes to federal childhood vaccine schedules—potentially affecting insurance coverage and pediatric guidance.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Axios: Democrats rage as Trump limits classified intel sharing with Congress

• WSJ: How ‘Daddy’ Trump Learned to Love NATO

• NBC News: Senate Republicans scramble to resolve tense divisions as Trump threatens their vacation over his big bill

• NYT: NYC Mayoral Primary Live Updates: Polls Are Open in Tight Race Between Cuomo and Mamdani

• The Hacker News: New U.S. Visa Rule Requires Applicants to Set Social Media Account Privacy to Public

• Dublin Live: Man 'refused entry into US' as border control catch him with bald JD Vance meme

• Axios: RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisors to re-examine childhood vax schedule

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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