Good morning.
Republicans are clashing behind closed doors over President Trump’s Iran diplomacy, a major bipartisan housing bill is now caught in an election-law standoff, and American forces are ramping up airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia after weeks of relative quiet.
GOP Tensions Erupt Over Trump’s Iran Deal
A closed-door lunch between President Trump and Senate Republicans reportedly turned into a shouting match Wednesday, exposing growing fractures inside the GOP over the administration’s Iran policy.
The most dramatic clash came between Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of four Republicans who supported a nonbinding war powers resolution challenging the president’s authority to continue the war in Iran. Cassidy reportedly confronted Trump over the recently signed Iran memorandum of understanding, a 14-point framework meant to halt fighting and open broader negotiations with Tehran.
For many Republicans, the deal has become difficult to defend. Several senators have privately complained that elements of Trump’s agreement resemble the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal that conservatives spent years condemning.
The meeting grew tense enough that Trump reportedly called Cassidy a “lunatic” after the senator repeatedly addressed him as “brother.” Trump later insisted publicly that the party remains unified, though he acknowledged, “I don’t like a few people.”
The confrontation underscores a real policy divide: Trump argues the deal prevented a wider war and reopened the Strait of Hormuz, while critics say it gives Tehran too much relief without permanently eliminating its nuclear or proxy threats.
Trump Puts Housing Bill on Hold Over Voting Fight
President Trump abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for a major bipartisan housing bill Wednesday, saying he will not move forward until Congress passes his administration’s proof-of-citizenship voting proposal.
The housing package, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, had been one of the rare bipartisan successes of the year. It was designed to boost housing supply, reduce regulatory barriers, modernize federal housing programs, and address affordability problems that have become a major concern for voters.
The bill passed after months of negotiations led by Sens. Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren and had broad support from both parties.
But Trump said the legislation will remain on hold until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The move frustrated some Republicans who hoped to highlight action on housing affordability ahead of the midterms. For now, a bipartisan housing win has been sidelined by a larger fight over election law.
Airstrikes Resume Against al-Shabab in Somalia
The American military has resumed a heavier pace of operations in Somalia, launching four airstrikes against al-Shabab militants between June 14 and June 19.
The strikes, conducted in support of Somali forces, mark the first American air operations in Somalia since early May. U.S. Africa Command said the missions were intended to degrade al-Shabab’s ability to threaten American personnel and citizens abroad.
AFRICOM released few details, citing operational security, but local Somali reports said the strikes targeted militant bases and supply depots in the country’s south, including areas near Kismayo and the lower Juba region.
The renewed strikes follow a broader expansion of American activity in East Africa. American forces have conducted dozens of operations in Somalia this year and have also stepped up pressure against ISIS-linked networks elsewhere on the continent.
The military is also investing in intelligence and cultural support for operations in Somalia, including advisers to help United States special operations forces better navigate local politics, tribal dynamics, and government relationships.
Together, the strikes suggest Washington is again prioritizing counterterrorism pressure in Somalia as al-Shabab remains one of al-Qaeda’s most persistent and dangerous affiliates.
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