Trump weighs US role amid Israel-Iran conflict

The Hill

3 hours ago

It's Tuesday. The next two weeks will be *extremely* humid for most of the U.S. Brace yourselves — and your hair. 🥵 Check out this humidity map
In today's issue:
Trump touts 'control of the skies' over Iran
Situation Room team assembled
Vance shares Team Trump's thinking
Wading through 'big, beautiful' text
Mike Lee confronted by Senate colleague
All eyes on the Situation Room:
President Trump has assembled his national security team in the Situation Room today to weigh the U.S.'s options as Israel and Iran's brewing conflict unfolds.
🚨 He just posted an update on the situation in the Middle East: 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn't compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured 'stuff.' Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA,' Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump also sent a warning to the 'so-called 'Supreme Leader,'' arguing he's an 'easy target' — and called for 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.'
^ He also rejected his own director of national intelligence's assessment of Iran's nuclear capabilities earlier this year, telling reporters this morning he 'doesn't care' what Tulsi Gabbard said and insisting Iran was close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Vice President Vance also publicly weighed in, giving what may be the clearest signal that Trump is weighing whether to get involved. 'He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment,' Vance said of Trump. 'That decision ultimately belongs to the president.' Read Vance's full post
The big question — will the U.S. get involved?: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. will send deployments to the Middle East, stressing they are to be 'defensive.' White House spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer was then quick to shut down any suggestion that the U.S. would get involved, aside from '[defending] American interests.'
Trump has urged a diplomatic solution. The Trump administration told Middle Eastern allies over the weekend that the U.S. will *not* get actively involved in the conflict unless Iran targets Americans, per Axios. He clearly wants a deal to be made with Iran, but Israel's preemptive strikes have made that much more difficult.
Who has Trump's ear?: Trump was set to meet Tuesday morning with his one-stop-shop for foreign policy advice, Secretary of State/national security adviser Marco Rubio, Vice President Vance and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Dan Caine, per Politico.
💡 Some context to Trump's team: Rubio has been fairly hawkish on foreign involvement in his career, while Vance has a more isolationist worldview. Both have closely followed Trump's 'America First' approach. Caine was not well known before his nomination — and was viewed at the time as being an unconventional pick. Plus, remember when Trump gutted his National Security Council in May, dismissing dozens of foreign policy experts? This is one of the most perilous moments for Trump's national security team since retaking office. I wonder how these shifting dynamics will affect moments like this.
Coming up later: In The Hill's Evening Report, Jonathan Easley will bring you the latest on Trump's huddle with his national security team as the day unfolds. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox.
What are the U.S.'s options?: The New York Times's David E. Sanger and Jonathan Swan argues Trump has two choices: ' Last-Chance Diplomacy or a Bunker-Busting Bomb.'
🗨️ Follow today's live blog
🍁 Isn't Trump supposed to be in Canada?: Trump cut his Group of Seven (G7) Summit trip short, abruptly flying back to Washington, D.C., late on Monday, after sending an ominous Truth Social warning to Iranians. 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' Trump posted.
Trump's reason for leaving Canada: Trump says it's easier to stay on top of the developments in the Middle East in person than by phone. 'Just to be a little bit, I think, more well versed, not having to use telephones so much,' Trump told reporters. 'Being on the scene is much better.'
➤ MEANWHILE — THE G7 IS STILL HAPPENING:
The remaining six world leaders at the G7 in Alberta, Canada, are carrying on with their last day of the summit, sans Trump.
This was a loss for Ukraine: Trump had been expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit. His sudden departure means Zelensky lost his critical face time with the U.S. president.
Lighter tidbit: Trump dropped some trade documents while standing alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 📹 Watch
The big, beautiful bill (Senate's version):
The Senate Finance Committee has unveiled its highly anticipated text of President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' That means the full Senate bill text is public — and now the monumental task of getting nearly all Senate Republicans on board begins. Here's what's in it:
🔷 Medicaid: Like the House's bill, the Senate's bill would impose work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries.
🔷 Trump's 2017 tax cuts: The Senate's bill extends the core elements of Trump's tax cuts but has a lower increase for the child tax credit (Senate: $2,200 per child, House: $2,500).
🔷 Taxes on tips: It creates a new deduction for taxes on tips, overtime pay and car loan interest but doesn't make them fully deductible.
🔷 Green energy tax credits: The Senate's bill will significantly roll back green energy tax credits but is more flexible than what the House passed.
🔷 SALT: The Senate's version nixes the deal Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) negotiated. State and local tax (SALT) deductions would be rolled back to $10,000 a year, instead of the new $40,000 limit.
🔷 Debt limit: The Senate's bill would raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, $1 trillion more than the House's bill.
Sen. Smith confronted Sen. Lee over his social media posts:
Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) confronted Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Monday over his comments about the fatal shooting of a prominent Minnesota state lawmaker.
📸 The confrontation
📹 Lee wouldn't answer questions about his posts or the confrontation
What were Lee's comments?: He blamed Democrats for the fatal shooting. 'This is what happens When Marxists don't get their way,' Lee wrote Sunday on his personal account on the social platform X. He then wrote, 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' referring to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), alongside a photo of the suspected shooter.
Democrats have fiercely condemned Lee's comments. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told MSNBC that she also plans to talk to Lee. 'What I'm going to tell him is: This isn't funny,' she said.
COMING UP
The House is out. The Senate is in. President Trump is back in Washington. (All times EST)
2:15 p.m.: Two Senate votes, one confirmation and a vote to end debate on another nominee. 📆 Today's agenda
2:30 p.m.: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a news conference. 💻 Livestream
4:30 p.m.: Two more Senate votes.
🐝 INTERNET BUZZ
🍺 Celebrate: Today is National Root Beer Day.
🍭 Jell-O may not be quite as electric blue anymore: Kraft Heinz says it will remove all artificial dyes from its U.S. products by the end of 2027.