In November 2024, 47% of Virginia voters cast ballots for Republican congressional candidates. Under the map Virginia Democrats tried to push through, those voters would have ended up with exactly one Republican district out of 11. Going from a 6-5 to a 10-1 split was what Democrats called “restoring fairness.”
To get it done, Democrats bypassed a bipartisan redistricting commission that Virginia voters had specifically created in 2020 to end partisan map-drawing. They drafted the new map behind closed doors. They passed a constitutional amendment on Oct. 31, 2025, even though early voting for the general election had been underway since Sept. 19 – violating the state constitution’s requirement that an intervening election occur between the two legislative votes. They missed the requirement that amendments be posted publicly 90 days before a vote. And they put a ballot question before voters asking whether they wanted to “restore fairness” – language a circuit court judge called “flagrantly misleading.”
Every step of this process required ignoring a rule or deceiving a voter.
That is not a party making a policy argument. That is a party that has decided winning at any cost is more important than following the rules.
When the Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the effort was unconstitutional, Democrats did not stop and reflect. Instead, they doubled down. Rather than accept the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision, House Speaker Don Scott and Attorney General Jay Jones filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, riddled with spelling errors and mistakes. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the ruling “unprecedented and undemocratic.” U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said four unelected judges had “cast aside the will of the voters.” Most revealingly, the New York Times reported that, on a call with Jeffries, Virginia Democratic members of Congress discussed lowering the mandatory retirement age for Virginia Supreme Court justices from 73 to 54 – the exact age of the youngest justice in the majority. This would force the entire court to retire and create an opportunity to replace them with justices who would reinstate the map. Today’s Democratic politicians are showing their true colors: These are radicals in moderates’ clothing. Republicans should respond accordingly.
Republicans should not mistake what happened in Virginia for a one-off procedural accident. Democrats’ willingness to bypass a voter-approved bipartisan commission, ignore constitutional rules, mislead voters on the ballot, and then float court-packing to overcome their illegality is a window into how the modern Democratic Party operates.
But Democrats’ bizarre map was never going to solve their underlying problem.
People are voting with their feet by moving to well-run red states. The 2030 census is projected to shift eight to 10 electoral votes from blue states to red ones – a 16- to 20-point shift that will dramatically tighten the path to the White House for a Democrat candidate.
If Democrats want to compete in the years ahead, they will need to move to the middle to meet voters where they are. Instead of seeking to rig the game, Democrats should persuade voters on the issues the voters actually care about. They should support mainstream, commonsense ideas that they have too long resisted. School choice polls at roughly 74% nationally. Voter ID polls at 84%. Cracking down on welfare fraud polls at 71%, including 62% of Democrats. These are easy wins just waiting for politicians of both parties. It doesn’t take a political genius to realize that Democrats should stop their sprint to the left and side with the majority of voters instead.
Virginia’s brief attempt at gerrymandering was a disgrace and a national embarrassment. Democrats’ unhinged reaction to its defeat was even worse. But the aftermath should be a moment of reflection and readjustment for both parties. Voters are looking for leaders who listen to their concerns, make government work for them, and improve their lives. Democrats should seek to win, fair and square, by pursuing commonsense policies the people want. This is how our system is supposed to work. Otherwise, Democrats – and voters – will continue to see red.
Ryan Young is the Legal Fellow at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
Woman Fatally Stabbed “Two Dozen Times” In Brazen Daytime Attack On Atlanta’s MARTA Train
A woman riding a MARTA train in Atlanta was killed in a brutal daytime attack Saturday, suffering nearly 20 stab wounds in what investigators say was a seemingly random act of violence, according to the NY Post.
Police allege that 25-year-old John Elijah Matthews approached 66-year-old Margaret Swan after boarding the train Saturday morning. Surveillance video reportedly shows him lingering near Swan before pulling out a knife and attacking her. According to court documents, Swan cried out and attempted to get away, but the suspect allegedly restrained her and repeatedly stabbed her.
Investigators say the assault continued as the train neared Oakland City Station. Matthews allegedly forced Swan to the floor and remained over her while she lay gravely injured.
The NY Post writes that after the attack, authorities say the suspect exited the train carrying the knife, leaving Swan motionless inside the rail car. Responding officers and emergency personnel tried to save her, but she was pronounced dead. The knife believed to have been used in the attack was later recovered.
Witness descriptions helped MARTA police quickly locate and arrest Matthews on the station platform shortly after the incident.
In a statement, MARTA officials described the killing as a senseless tragedy and extended condolences to Swan’s family, as well as those who witnessed the violence firsthand.
The fatal stabbing came just days after another passenger was attacked at Georgia State Station, raising fresh concerns about safety across the transit system. Some riders argued that recent changes to fare collection have made it easier for unauthorized individuals to access trains and stations, though officials have not linked the policy to either incident.
Matthews, who reportedly has no fixed address, remains in custody at the Fulton County Jail. He has been charged with felony murder and was scheduled to appear in court Monday.
In 2021, at a time when media throughout the Western world were still in a state of agitation after the killing of George Floyd, Canadian outlets picked up a story too sensational not to be true:
Hundreds of indigenous First Nations children had been buried in unmarked graves at residential schools run by the Catholic Church in British Columbia.
The Kamloops Indian Band sent around a press release that “confirmed” it.
The statement claimed the remains of 215 children had been found with the help of an expert using ground-penetrating radar.
“We had a knowing in our community that we were able to verify,” said the band’s chief, Rosanne Casimir.
“Some were as young as three years old,” she continued, asserting “the final resting place of these children” was in the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
Only it wasn’t. No human remains have been found at Kamloops, as media that fanned the flames of the story now admit.
Even now, Canada’s biggest daily paper, The Globe and Mail, phrases its retraction in cagey terms.
“There has been no public confirmation of the discovery of any human remains,” the paper conceded on May 30.
That funny phrasing leaves one wondering, is there private confirmation of human remains – another “knowing,” perhaps?
The Globe and Mail editorial, titled “There is no reconciliation without truth,” is a masterpiece of embarrassed equivocation, lamenting conditions for First Nations children at Canada’s residential schools and even insisting the absence of bodies “does not mean children did not die there” before finally, eight paragraphs into the story, taking a smidgen of responsibility:
“The media, including The Globe and Mail, did not initially scrutinize, much less challenge” the story, the editorial board concedes.
“The initial headlines and stories in the media simply stated as fact that the remains of 215 children had been found. Many of those early stories, including in this newspaper, made references to ‘mass graves’,” a phrase that went beyond even Chief Casimir’s claims.
Yet right after admitting its failures, the paper speculates, “Perhaps it will be proven, some day, that there are hundreds of unmarked graves at Kamloops” – as if the error here was being a little too hasty to declare what will sooner or later turn out to be true.
After all, that would be the “truth” that fits the narrative The Globe and Mail lays out in the first seven paragraphs of its story, a tale of wicked residential schools and countless First Nations children doomed to a miserable death.
The narrative comes first – the facts must follow.
This time they didn’t, but next time?
The narrative isn’t going away just because its showcase story has been debunked.
The consequences of the media hype aren’t going away, either:
Canadian taxpayers footed the bill to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars – real money in U.S. dollars, too – for First Nations groups to investigate “soil anomalies.”
The government simply doesn’t know where the money went.
As enormous as the fraud here appears to be, worse is the destruction unleashed by arsonists and vandals against Catholic Churches in the story’s wake.
Canada’s state broadcaster, the CBC, cataloged 33 churches “burned to the ground” between 2021 and 2024, with 24 of those incidents “confirmed arsons.”
“A researcher and some community leaders suggest Canada’s colonial history and recent discoveries of potential burial sites at former residential schools may have lit the fuse” for these incendiary attacks, the CBC reported.
Yet the media lit the fuse – not only by hyping an outrageous story that was never backed up by evidence but also by laying down a grand narrative that stoked anger at churches.
(And, in typical fashion, although the residential schools were Catholic-run, other churches also suffered from indiscriminate attacks apparently inspired by the story.)
We see this kind of thing too often in America, too.
Unlike the unmarked graves at Kamloops, George Floyd’s death was a reality.
But the grand narrative spun by the media for years leading up to the riots perpetrated in Floyd’s memory was every bit as irresponsible as the narrative that sold the Kamloops hoax.
Black Americans were not being casually killed by white police officers, and high-profile cases like Floyd’s almost always involved individuals who were violently resisting arrest.
American media outlets, like Canada’s, have let progressive politics shape the stories they tell – and how they tell stories – and this often leads to violence.
The Globe and Mail has a long way to go before it makes amends, and the same can be said about a shameful number of America’s largest news sources, too.
Daniel McCarthy is the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review.
Our planet is drying out at a pace that is unlike anything we have ever seen before. Once massive lakes are rapidly shrinking, once mighty rivers are steadily dwindling, and colossal underground aquifers are being pumped dry all over the world. This is an absolutely enormous problem, because very soon we simply will not have enough fresh water to support 8 billion people. In fact, drought conditions are severely affecting global crop production in 2026. If current trends continue, it will become increasingly difficult to grow food. In other words, if the land on our planet doesn’t stop drying out there is no way that we will be able to avoid an era of widespread global famines.
This isn’t something that just started happening recently.
The world is losing fresh water at an unprecedented rate, two decades’ worth of satellite data has revealed.
Measurements from NASA’s twin GRACE satellites and GRACE follow-on missions have shown that since 2002, the amount of land suffering from water loss has been increasing year on year by twice the area of the state of California. That includes the loss of water from surface reservoirs such as lakes and rivers and underground aquifers, which are an important source of drinking water around the globe.
Mega-drying regions have emerged across the Northern Hemisphere with the worst-hit areas extending across the western coast of North America, Southwestern North America and Central America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Just look at what has been happening to the Great Salt Lake.
Once upon a time it was absolutely gigantic.
But now it has lost approximately 73 percent of its water and approximately 60 percent of its surface area.
Of course this isn’t just happening in the United States.
One study found that 75 percent of the population of the world currently lives in a country that is being affected by “continental drying”…
Much of the Earth is suffering a pandemic of “continental drying,” affecting the countries containing 75% of the world’s population, the new research shows.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, examined changes to Earth’s total supply of fresh water and found that nearly 6 billion people live in the 101 countries facing a net decline in water supply, posing a “critical, emerging threat to humanity.”
I was stunned when I first read that.
If 6 billion people live in nations that are steadily drying out, what does that mean for the future of humanity?
We aren’t just talking about a few isolated deserts.
The United Nations is telling us that excluding Antarctica, drylands now account for more than 40 percent of all the land on this planet.
And more than three-quarters of all the land on this planet has been getting drier over the past 30 years…
As Earth continues to warm, more and more of the planet is becoming dry. A 2024 UN report found that in the last three decades, over three-fourths of all the world’s land became drier than it had been in the previous 30 years.
Drylands now comprise 40.6% of all global land (excluding Antarctica). In addition, the number of people living in drylands doubled over the last 30 years to 2.3 billion, which represents over 25% of the global population. In a worst-case climate change scenario, this number could climb to 5 billion by 2100.
Many of us have just come to accept that drought is a normal part of life.
It’s a perfect storm of terrible conditions for wheat farmers this year. Drought, dramatic swings in temperature, the skyrocketing price of fertilizer and diesel, plus multiple viruses affecting wheat have all led to one of the most challenging years for farmers in decades.
There are different classes of winter wheat, but they’re all down when compared to last year’s crop, explained Todd Hubbs, a crop marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University Extension.
What are they supposed to do?
If it doesn’t rain, it doesn’t rain.
Unfortunately, it is being projected that the winter wheat harvest in the U.S. will be down by 21 percent compared to last year…
The most widely produced class of wheat in the U.S., Hard Red Winter wheat, has a current production forecast of 515 million bushels. That may sound like a lot, but it would end up being the lowest since 1957, Hubbs said.
Soft red winter and white wheat varieties are also having tough years, with the lowest production volume in 6 to 10 years.
In all, growers will see their smallest wheat crop in terms of production since 1972, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1.56 billion bushels this year, down 21% from 2025.
Are you going to eat 21 percent less wheat this year?
I don’t think that anyone is planning to make that kind of sacrifice.
But there simply won’t be as much wheat as normal in 2026.
Kansas is a key wheat producing state, and a lack of rain has created nightmare conditions in much of the state…
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) data, published May 28, shows 57% of Kansas suffering from drought, Sittel said.
“For the 26-year history of the USDM, the median coverage of drought in Kansas is 22%, which is another way to look at our current conditions against a historical time series,” Sittel said.
Typically, the winter wheat crop receives a few inches of rainfall in the spring, but that didn’t happen this year.
“The majority of the crop didn’t get that extra rainfall, and where we didn’t get any of that rainfall, a lot of times the crop already got terminated and insurance was called upon,” Lollato said. “Or we’re looking at very, very limited yield potentials, like 15–20 bushels per acre.”
In addition to a seemingly endless drought, U.S. farmers are also facing much higher prices for diesel fuel and fertilizer.
On top of everything else, now a “Super El Niño” is coming, and that means that drought conditions will greatly intensify in many parts of the world.
This may be a good time to remind my readers that the “Super El Niño” of 1877-1878 caused horrifying droughts that killed more than 50 million people all over the globe.
Unfortunately, scientists are warning that the “Super El Niño” that will start later this year could be even more powerful.
Yes, we really are facing a catastrophic scenario.
But for now most of the population is still pretending that everything is going to be just fine, and so they continue to party as things rapidly get worse all around them.
Shake Shack plunged on Tuesday, hitting its lowest levels since November 2023, after the burger chain slashed second-quarter guidance only about a month after issuing it.
Baird analyst David Tarantino said the new outlook is viewed as “incrementally negative” for Shake Shack.
Tarantino noted that management had set an “unusually high bar” for 2Q comparable performance with its previous outlook, implying mid- to high-single-digit comps in May and June after -.6%.
He added that the updated guidance ranges may be attributed to new CFO Michelle Hook, who started May 11, and said “desire to set a more achievable bar going forward.”
The burger chain, which has 445 stores in the U.S., now expects second-quarter revenue of $415 million to $420 million, down from its prior forecast of $424 million to $428 million.
Same-Shack sales growth is now expected to be 2.5% to 3%, down from the earlier 3% to 5% range. Shares sank 11% in the late-morning cash session, extending a nearly yearlong bear-market slide.
Here’s a snapshot of the 2Q Forecast:
Sees total revenue $415 million to $420 million, saw $424 million to $428 million, estimate $421.9 million
Sees licensing revenue $13.5 million to $13.7 million
Sees same-Shack sales 2.5% to 3%, saw 3% to 5%
Sees restaurant level operating margin 22% to 23%, estimate 24.2%
Sees Company-operating openings about 16, estimate 18
“These results are particularly encouraging in the face of a challenging macro environment and inclement weather,” Shake Shack wrote in a corporate presentation.
The downgrade adds to concerns that higher beef prices and other input prices are compressing margins. There are also concerns that cash-strapped consumers are dialing back purchases on higher-priced menu items.
Last month, Shake Shack reported a small multi-million-dollar loss in the first quarter despite a 14% revenue increase, reflecting the costs of investments to boost foot traffic.
Shares are now roughly 60% off their peak, a drawdown that has historically coincided with the stock’s bottom. That said, downside pressure could still extend toward the $40 to $50 range, which has served as support during previous selloffs.
Shake Shack’s guidance cut suggests the premium growth story is over for at least now, and the fast-casual restaurant chain may need a clearer turnaround plan to reignite Wall Street optimism. Perhaps that’s what CFO Hook is about to engineer in the quarters ahead.
The Pentagon announced Monday that reporters will no longer have open access to the War Department’s public affairs office after the space was redesignated as a classified facility to accommodate staff handling sensitive material.
The announcement marks the latest effort by the Pete Hegseth-led War Department to tighten operational security and reshape longstanding media access practices inside the Pentagon.
Under the new policy, the Pentagon’s public affairs office has been converted into a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, commonly known as a SCIF.
The office had previously allowed journalists to enter without escorts and directly approach military public affairs officials with questions.
Pentagon spokesman Joel Valdez said the change was necessary because speechwriters working in the office routinely handle classified material and require access to secure government systems.
“This is the most transparent War Department in history. No amount of spin from the Fake News media will change that,” Valdez wrote in a post on X.
This is the most transparent War Department in history. No amount of spin from the Fake News media will change that.
The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War… https://t.co/tlWb1XIeOk
— Acting Press Sec Joel Valdez (@JoelValdezDOW) June 1, 2026
“These speechwriters routinely handle classified material and require SIPRNet access. As a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space. There’s nothing controversial about that,” he added.
Valdez said reporters will still have access to the Pentagon press secretary and the Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs through scheduled appointments.
The policy change comes months after War Secretary Pete Hegseth imposed additional restrictions on media operations at the Pentagon.
Last October, the department introduced new rules allowing officials to revoke press credentials from reporters designated as security risks.
The New York Times subsequently filed two lawsuits against the Pentagon, arguing the restrictions violate First Amendment protections. Both cases remain pending in court.
HSBC Warns Of Commodity “Super-Squeeze” As Goldman Hikes Copper Forecasts
Copper is inching closer to its mid-May all-time high of $14,153 a ton on the London Metal Exchange, trading around $13,832 on Tuesday morning, as Goldman raised its year-end price targets and HSBC warned that commodities face a “super-squeeze” with the Hormuz maritime chokepoint still largely shuttered in early June.
Let’s begin with HSBC analysts, who wrote in a note to clients that “metal prices are generally in an upswing, driven by supply disruptions for some commodities due to the Middle East conflict and strong structural demand.”
They warned that commodities were facing a “super-squeeze” with the Strait of Hormuz still blocked.
HSBC’s note comes after Goldman analysts led by Aurelia Waltham told clients Monday that the core issue with copper markets right now is supply:
Year-to-date data does suggest that supply recovery from previous disruption events has trailed our expectations. Accordingly, we lower our 2026 global mine supply forecast by 350kt, equivalent to ~1.5% of global mine supply, including ~200kt less from Grasberg (Indonesia) and Kamoa-Kakula (DRC) combined, with neither returning to full capacity until 2028.
At the same time, she said stronger-than-expected US copper imports in the first half of 2026 are tightening the ex-US market:
Furthermore, US copper imports in H1 2026 have exceeded our previous forecast, tightening the ex-US balance. As a result, we now expect US inventory to build by 900kt in 2026 (vs. 550kt previously), even as our base case remains that no copper tariff will be announced this year.
The combination of soft mine supply, US stockpiling, tariff uncertainty, and long-term demand tied to AI buildout and grid-upgrade themes prompted Waltham to upgrade her end-of-year 2026 and 2027 copper price forecasts:
We raise our end-2026/average 2027 LME copper forecasts to $13,735/$13,800 from $12,465/$12,150 previously (vs. forwards at $13,630/$13,610).
She mapped out three price scenarios for copper:
1. Strait of Hormuz Remains Closed for Longer: While we would expect limited impact on the global copper balance as the demand hit from lower economic growth is largely offset by lower copper supply due to sulfur shortages, a substantial pullback in global risk appetite could push the LME price down to its fundamental support level at ~$12,600 in H2 2026, before resuming an upward trend.
2. US Copper Tariff Announced for January 2027: If a US copper tariff is announced prospectively in June 2026, to start in January 2027, we would expect US copper imports to accelerate in H2 2026 (vs. our base case of a slowdown in imports), tightening the ex-US balance and raising prices to over $14,000 in H2 2026. However, we would expect prices to retreat in 2027 as imports stop once the tariff is imposed.
3. Announcement of No Copper Tariff: A definitive decision against the tariff would reduce the size of our ex-US deficit forecast in 2026 and push the ex-US market back into surplus in 2027 as imports fall to a negligible level. In this scenario, we would expect the price to fall to an average of $12,800/t in 2027.
With Hormuz still all but shuttered and only a 22% chance that the critical waterway reopens by the end of June, according to a Polymarket bet, it would take many months, if not quarters, to normalize shipping flows. This indicates that the commodities cycle will likely remain bullish into early summer.
The State Department updated its travel advisory for Mexico on May 29, continuing to warn Americans who plan on visiting the country to be wary of terrorism and crimes.
“Many violent crimes take place in Mexico. They include homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, sexual assault, and robbery. There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico,” the advisory said.
Overall, Mexico is categorized with a “Level 2—Exercise Increased Caution” designation for travelers.
“The U.S. government has limited ability to help in many parts of Mexico, a large country in which conditions can vary widely from state to state and even within a state. U.S. government employees may not travel to certain high-risk areas, which may be within states that include low-risk areas,” the department said.
The travel restrictions on U.S. employees prohibit them from traveling between cities in the dark, waving down taxis on the street, driving between border cities and the interior of Mexico, and traveling alone, especially in remote areas.
Due to security risks, Americans visiting Mexico must follow the same restrictions as applied to U.S. government employees, the advisory said.
The State Department also published maps showing various restricted areas in Mexico.
Some states in the country are classified under “Level 4-Do Not Travel,” such as Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas. States designated as “Level 3-Reconsider Travel” are Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, and Sonora.
The department warned Americans that emergency services will be unavailable or limited in rural or remote regions. When met with a road checkpoint, visitors must comply, the advisory said, warning that “fleeing or ignoring instructions can lead to you being hurt or killed.”
There have been multiple cases of tourists being killed in Mexico. In April, a Canadian tourist was killed in the Teotihuacan archaeological zone after a gunman opened fire on tourists. Back in 2024, an American couple was shot dead in the state of Michoacán while traveling in a pickup.
According to the Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2025, there are “extremely high rates” of violent crime in Mexico.
“Security analysts estimate that around two-thirds of homicides are committed by organized crime. Two-thirds of homicides in 2023 were committed with firearms,” the report said.
The group also warned about the risk of arbitrary detention in Mexico.
“People accused of crimes often face extended periods of pre-trial detention. Approximately 37 percent of incarcerated people in 2023 were not convicted of any crime, and more than 20 percent of those in pre-trial detention had been there for more than two years,” it said.
World Cup Travel
The State Department’s travel advisory update comes as Mexico is set to host the FIFA World Cup 2026 games beginning this month, together with the United States and Canada.
In Mexico, the games will be played across three locations—five in Mexico City, four in Guadalajara, and four in Monterrey.
The U.S. Embassy and consulates in Mexico have issued guidance for Americans who wish to visit the country for the games.
“Book your transportation, accommodation, and tickets well in advance. Expect big crowds, heavy traffic, and longer travel times,” the embassy said.
“You can find game tickets on the official FIFA website. For your protection, FIFA runs an Exchange Marketplace, the only authorized way to purchase FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets on the secondary market in Mexico. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico do not sell FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets.”
In an April 23 post, the embassy said that Americans planning to travel by land to Mexico for the World Cup should review the latest State Department travel advisory, assess information for each state along their planned route, and understand the risks they may face.
While navigation apps may show the desired route, they only display the most direct driving route and fail to account for the State Department’s advice on unsafe areas.
“Do not bring weapons or ammunition into Mexico. It is a serious crime, and you could face severe penalties, including years in prison. Permits to own or carry a gun in the United States are not valid in Mexico. Do a thorough check before leaving home,” the embassy said.
“Search your belongings and clothing pockets before travel if you regularly use items prohibited in Mexico. Bringing in banned items can result in serious penalties, even if accidental.”
Trump Blasts ‘Fake’ Reports Of Iran Talks Freeze As Rubio Insists To Congress Tehran Ready To Negotiate Nuclear Curbs
Summary:
Trump insists reports that Iran & US have not been talking for days is ‘fake news’; Rubio also tells Congress talks are ongoing, despite fresh Iranian denials, and even claims the nuclear file is part of it.
Washington has seen the Lebanon partial truce as opportunity enough to press forward on broader talks, with Trump saying he expects a broader Iran deal “over the next week”.
But Fars denies this Tuesday: “exchange of messages between Iran & the US has been stopped for at least a few days” on MOU.
In Lebanon, “While the ceasefire appears to be largely holding, there was further violence overnight,” reports BBC, with more dead & wounded on both sides.
Trump: It’s ‘Fake News’ That Iran & US Stopped Speaking Days Ago
President Trump in a fresh Truth Social post has again insisted that Washington and Tehran are talking again. “The conversations between us have been going on continuously… where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal.'”
Throughout the morning Secretary of State Marco Rubio was fielding questions on Capitol Hill. He too insisted that talks are ongoing, despite a Tuesday Iranian denial. He claimed the regime is ‘fragmented’ and because of this, back-and-forth messaging is extremely slow-going. “Iranian people would make a deal tomorrow if it were up to them,” Rubio said. “The Supreme Leader and the IRGC are a bit more immune to pressures.”
He also generally acknowledged that Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, and then said this justified the US naval blockade of Iranian ports in turn. There was also this interesting exchange when he echoed Trump’s line that the war is actually ‘over’ at this point…
— You keep telling us how we’re winning this war — Senator
— Well, the war IS OVER now — Rubio
— The war IS NOT OVER. We still find ourselves spending billions of dollars a week on war — Senator pic.twitter.com/WuofatTvoQ
A potential new nuclear framework regarding Iran was also a central topic to Tuesday’s Congressional testimony:
Marco Rubio:
Iran would be like North Korea, but worse, if they got nuclear weapons.
They would destroy the State of Israel, and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it because they have a nuclear weapon. pic.twitter.com/5TDGPNBY1W
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Iran has agreed to discuss previously off-limits aspects of its nuclear program, raising hopes that ongoing negotiations could pave the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a broader diplomatic breakthrough.
Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the State Department’s budget request, Rubio said: “We are in talks… There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week, that for the first time, certainly in my memory, they have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program.”
He said the U.S. hopes such negotiations could lead to a broader understanding that would include the reopening of the strategic waterway.
“We’re hopeful that something like that could happen, in which the straits would reopen, we would enter into a period of negotiations on very specific topics, delineated negotiations, in the hope of reaching an outcome that’s acceptable to us and something they would be able to do as well,” he said.
The above was spoken with a few too many caveats… “which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week...”
Rubio in the hot seat over Iran war:
.@SecRubio shuts down @SenBooker: “No one’s ‘begging’ for anything here. The Iranians might be begging — because their economy is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a day.”
“I don’t know where you’re getting this perception that Iran is stronger. Iran has no navy left.… pic.twitter.com/XHVerZeo8D
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 2, 2026
Iran Denies Progress, Halt in Talks Still in Effect
State media has belatedly responded to Trump’s Monday claim that talks between the US and Iran are back on. Trump has even said Tuesday that he expects an agreement for an extended ceasefire to take place “over the next week” – along with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“An informed source says that the exchange of messages between Iran and the US has been stopped for at least a few days for what is called the initial memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington,” Fars reports. So this is Iran in effect saying ‘not so fast’ – as it seeks to ‘hold the cards’ and maintain some leverage. Trump has not indicated a willingness to resume bombing the Islamic Republic, but his patience has seemed to be wearing thin over the last several days, as the White House is boxed in to only choosing among several ‘bad options’ in the wake of launching a war of choice 95 days ago.
Oil spikes on the negative news from Tehran, extends:
And more confirmation via newswires:
An Iranian source says there is currently no message exchange with the U.S., contradicting claims of ongoing progress. The source reports talks on an initial understanding have stalled for several days. It also noted Iran’s last communication with Washington concerned Lebanon and drew international attention, despite President Trump stating negotiations are advancing rapidly.
Latest on the Lebanon front:
“American sources for AI Hadath: Proposal for a 60-day plan during which Israel withdraws gradually from southern Lebanon”: AI Hadath reports.
“Negotiations propose the deployment of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL in southern Lebanon after Israel’s withdrawal.”
“Lebanon seeks to resolve Hezbollah’s weapons file politically, but after Israel’s complete withdrawal.”
Lebanon Fighting Persists Amid Nominal Ceasefire
Various regional and international reports have documented serious ongoing fighting in Lebanon, despite President Trump the day prior having declared that the shooting will cease and that Hezbollah and Israel were forging a limited ceasefire. Trump had said of both sides that “they agreed that all shooting will stop” – after Iran announcing it had suspended peace talks with the US over Israeli military action in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did affirm he would adhere to the agreement, and reports say that planned new airstrikes on Beirut were called off, but he also warned the attacks on the capital would go ahead “if Hezbollah does not stop attacking our cities and civilians” – and that forces in the south would continue operating.
BBC has freshly written that “While the ceasefire appears to be largely holding, there was further violence overnight.” The same report details:
Hezbollah said its fighters had targeted Israeli tanks in the southern Lebanese towns of Haddatha and Bayada with missiles and shells. The Israeli military said it had intercepted two projectiles that had been fired from Lebanon in the early hours of Tuesday. No injuries have been reported.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Israeli strikes on several southern areas and said a “very violent” explosion from a large-scale demolition rocked the town of Debbine.
Tuesday has witnessed some ongoing attacks on south Lebanon, as well as Hezbollah drone attacks on Israeli troop positions, wounding some. According to some of the latest from Al Jazeera:
Israeli forces have carried out multiple air raids on the city of Nabatieh, one of the largest in southern Lebanon, our colleagues on the ground report. The city, a strategic hub for Hezbollah, has been encircled by Israeli forces in recent days as troops continue pushing north.
Israeli attacks were also reported across the wider Nabatieh district as Israel deepens its occupation of surrounding areas. Drones hit the towns of Kafr Sir and Aabba, while a strike targeted the road leading to Houmine al-Fawqa. The outskirts of Yahmour al-Shaqif were also hit.
There’s also been a lot of explosions in the southern city of Tyre, with Israeli jets active in the airspace above on Tuesday. And rescuers have recovered six bodies from another town, with Lebanese civil defense agency having said in a statement: “Since yesterday evening and continuing until this morning … personnel have been carrying out search and rescue operations in a residential building that was targeted in the town of Marwaniyah – Sidon district.”
Hezbollah’s fiber-optic drone attacks have at the same time not ceased: “Two Israeli soldiers have been wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in southern Lebanon, the military says, describing their injuries as minor,” Al Jazeera reports Tuesday. This is after “Two other Israeli soldiers were killed over the weekend, also in drone attacks, bringing to 26 the number of soldiers killed since fighting escalated three months ago. Four Israeli civilians have also been killed.”
Impact of Trump’s ‘Steamrolling’ Netanyahu in Monday Call
President Trump’s angry dressing down of Netanyahu may have had very limited effect, it appears. To review, per Axios during a Monday call Trump was reportedly heard cussing at the Israeli leader and essentially ‘steamrolled’ him – angry over breaking the Lebanon truce and demanding that Israel’s military not attack Beirut.
Trump is said to have told Netanyahu “you’re fucking crazy’” while demanding Lebanon truce: “I’m saving your ass,” he also reportedly said. Iran early Monday said it halted talks with Washington because of Israel’s escalation in Lebanon.
There’s been some reaction from Iran to the Axios report, with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi having remarked, “In this regard, the US president’s claim of having dissuaded Netanyahu from launching a major attack on Beirut is more than a sign of Washington’s peace-seeking, it’s confirmation of America’s direct role in managing the Zionist regime’s aggressions.”
How many times have they sold and resold this same story about Biden and now Trump being secretly VERY VERY mad at Netanyahu https://t.co/uGpSULbhhM
The Iranian official continued to offer Tehran’s vew: “If the decision to attack the capital of an independent state can be changed with a single phone call the main question is: why did months of ceasefire violations, aggression against Lebanon, the displacement of its people, and threats to this country’s sovereignty – backed by Western political and military support – continue unabated?” he remarked.
Mark Levin rages over White House leaks of Trump-Netanyahu call…
Mark R. Levin, a close ally of both U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appears to confirm the veracity of the report earlier by Axios on today’s heated call between Trump and Netanyahu regarding peace negations with Iran as well as… pic.twitter.com/46qmYBJsJZ
Trump Returns to Optimism: Agreement ‘Over the Next Week’
But Washington has seen the Lebanon partial truce as opportunity enough to press forward on broader talks. While there’s hasn’t been full confirmation from Tehran’s side, Trump has declared the talks as back on:
US President Trump told ABC News he thinks he will have an agreement with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz over the next week, while he also stated that a peace agreement with Iran could be better than a military victory. Trump also stated that it’s not simple for both sides, but they’re getting what they need to get and that he still has to get a few more points.
The very same network points on Tuesday morning:
Israeli and Hezbollah forces continued their attacks on Tuesday despite President Donald Trump’s claim that the warring sides had “stopped shooting each other” after his intervention to prevent escalation on Monday.
Lebanon’s state-run news agency, NNA, reported three Israeli strikes in separate areas in southern Lebanon. One person was killed, NNA reported. ABC News has contacted the Israel Defense Forces to request comment.
So, once again Trump touting the likelihood of a deal to reopen Hormuz by next week seems extremely wishful and ambitious, to say the least. And we’ve heard all this before, and been here many times over the past 95 days of war.
Tech advocacy group blames visa programs for enabling corporate tribalism.
A terminated software engineer is accusing Facebook parent company Meta of allowing Chinese migrants to take over entire departments while American employees face systematic exclusion and layoffs, Neil Munro of Breitbart News reported.
Jeremy Bernier, who graduated from Virginia Tech in 2012, lost his software engineering job at the company and has gone public with allegations of widespread discrimination. “At Meta, 90% of my coworkers were Chinese, and non-Chinese were routinely excluded, disadvantaged, and targeted for layoffs,” Bernier said. He continued that “6 out of the 7 layoffs I observed targeted non-Chinese despite non-Chinese being the vast minority. Certain org[anizations] like ads and MRS [Meta Recommendation Systems for prioritizing Facebook posts] are notorious for being Chinese dominated.”
The former employee shared his account through multiple social media posts. “On Wednesdays and Fridays I’d often be the only non-Chinese person on my team in the office, and they’d all get lunch together without inviting me,” Bernier recounted.
Meta was easily the most toxic company I’ve worked for. There’s a reason the Chinese call it “Squid Game”. Others refer to it as “Hunger Games” or “Lord of the Flies”. I think they’re all accurate.
The company culture is basically every man/woman for themselves. The performance…
He expressed frustration at the broader pattern he witnessed. “I think Americans would be outraged if they knew that their own citizens were getting marginalized and laid off at their own companies, while Chinese promote themselves up, conquer entire orgs, and reap millions [in pay and bonuses],” Bernier said. “Americans are practically non-existent in the most coveted, high paying tech jobs in the world at American companies in America.”
Kevin Lynn, who founded the advocacy organization U.S. TechWorkers, provided context for why corporations permit such arrangements. “Tribalism is a [C-Suite] tool that tamps down potential [internal executive] competitors because it changes incentives. If you’re either leading a tribe or you’re part of a tribe, you know you’re secure. Your position isn’t merit-based – it’s based on your race, your ethnicity, who you’re friends with, family, that kind of thing.”
According to Lynn, this dynamic stifles creativity and progress. “Innovation, inventiveness, novel ideas take a backseat to tribalism,” he explained, noting that “When 40 percent or more of your coworkers are from another country, from another culture, and prefer to speak another language, there’s not going to be any trust, any ability to bond to build something [innovative].”
The Trump administration has taken aim at workforce visa programs that channel foreign nationals into American corporations. Vice President JD Vance and other officials have criticized these initiatives for displacing domestic workers, per a report by Breitbart. Facebook previously paid a $14 million settlement in 2021 following extensive documentation of bias against American job candidates, as Breitbart previously reported.
Bernier offered nuance in his criticism. “Just to be clear, most Chinese are very kind so don’t take this as an attack,” he stated. However, he described the broader workplace atmosphere as brutal. “Meta was easily the most toxic company I’ve worked for. There’s a reason the Chinese call it ‘Squid Game’. Others refer to it as ‘Hunger Games’ or ‘Lord of the Flies’. I think they’re all accurate.”
Meta offered no response to Bernier’s claims.
Jose Nino is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino.
