Today in One Sentence. A federal court blocked Alabama Republicans from using a congressional map that was “tainted by intentional race-based discrimination” the U.S. struck Iranian missile sites and boats it claimed were laying mines near the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks “self-defense” the Trump administration proposed a governmentwide nondisclosure agreement for federal employees in an effort to crackdown on leaks Trump declared that “everything checked out PERFECTLY” after what he called a “6 month physical” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center construction began on a temporary UFC octagon on the White House South Lawn for Trump’s planned fights to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. and 37% of Americans approve Trump’s job performance.

1/ A federal court blocked Alabama Republicans from using a congressional map that was “tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.” The 2023 map would’ve likely flipped a Democratic House seat. Alabama argued that the Supreme Court’s April ruling, which narrowed Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, allowed the state to reuse the map after the justices sent the case back for review. The three-judge panel, however, rejected that argument, saying the map still violated the 14th Amendment, because lawmakers intentionally diluted Black voting power. Alabama must use the court-drawn 2024 map for now, while Attorney General Steve Marshall called the blocked plan “blandly unobjectionable” and said the state would immediately appeal, adding: “It is not a matter of whether we win this case, only when.” (Politico / CNN / New York Times / CBS News / NBC News / Associated Press / ABC News / Washington Post / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal)

  • The South Carolina Senate effectively blocked a Trump-backed congressional map that aimed to give Republicans all seven House seats by dismantling Rep. Jim Clyburn’s majority-Black district. After a procedural vote failed, senators adjourned until June 10 – one day after the state’s primary. (ABC News / NBC News / Politico / NPR / New York Times / Associated Press)

2/ The U.S. struck Iranian missile sites and boats it claimed were laying mines near the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks “self-defense.” Iran called the strikes a “grave violation” of the ceasefire and warned it would not leave “any act of hostility unanswered.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said negotiators were still working through “specific language” and that a deal could take “a few days.” The working deal reportedly would stop the fighting and reopen Hormuz first, and then give negotiators 30 to 60 days to address Iran’s enriched uranium, sanctions, and missile program. (New York Times / ABC News / CBS News / Washington Post / Politico / Reuters / NBC News / The Guardian / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNN)

3/ The Trump administration proposed a governmentwide nondisclosure agreement for federal employees in an effort to crackdown on leaks. The agreement is described as voluntary, but employees who refuse to sign could face removal or debarment. The proposal preserves whistleblower protections and will face a 30-day public comment period. (Washington Post / The Hill / Politico / Bloomberg / Associated Press / The Guardian)

4/ Trump declared that “everything checked out PERFECTLY” after what he called a “6 month physical” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, his third visit to the facility in 13 months as the oldest person ever elected president. The White House described the appointment, which lasted more than three hours, as “routine annual dental and medical assessments” and part of his “regular preventative healthcare.” Trump, who turns 80 next month, has faced questions over bruised hands, swollen legs, a neck rash, and a chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis. His physician has previously described him as in “exceptional health,” with “exceptional” lab results. (New York Times / Bloomberg / NPR / CNN / Associated Press / Reuters / The Hill / CBS News)

  • Trump skipped Trump Jr.’s wedding due to “circumstances pertaining to Government.” Trump added that the timing was bad because of “a thing called Iran and other things.” (Politico / Reuters)

5/ Construction began on a temporary UFC octagon on the White House South Lawn for Trump’s planned fights to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. The June 14 event, branded “UFC Freedom Fights 250,” falls on Flag Day and Trump’s 80th birthday. Trump has claimed the South Lawn will seat about 4,000 people, with 75,000 to 100,000 more watching free on screens at the Ellipse. The White House called it “one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history.” (ABC News / New York Times / The Hill)

poll/ 37% of Americans approve Trump’s job performance, with 60% disapproving. 39% say prices are the single most important problem facing the country, and Trump’s net approval on prices and inflation has fallen to -47 – a record low. (Strength in Numbers)

The 2026 midterms are in 161 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 896 days.

🫩 From the weekend.

  1. Tulsi Gabbard will resign as director of national intelligence on June 30, citing her husband’s diagnosis with “an extremely rare form of bone cancer.” Trump said Principal Deputy Director Aaron Lukas will serve as acting DNI, temporarily overseeing the office that coordinates 18 intelligence agencies. Gabbard’s departure follows months of reported tension with the White House over Iran, national security decisions, and her role in domestic election matters. Trump, meanwhile, said Gabbard did “an incredible job.” (Fox News / Reuters / Associated Press / NPR / Politico / CNN / NBC News / Washington Post)

  2. Trump defended the Justice Department’s nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” claiming he “gave up a lot of money” by allowing it to proceed, and could have settled his IRS tax-leak case for “an absolute fortune.” Instead, he said he chose to help others get “JUSTICE!” despite his earlier claim that he “wasn’t involved” in the fund’s creation or settlement. Meanwhile, a fired Jan. 6 prosecutor, a law professor, New Haven, Common Cause, and the National Abortion Federation sued to block the fund, arguing it’s an unauthorized and politically selective payout system for Trump allies. (Associated Press / CNN / CBS News)

  3. A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s human-smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, calling it a vindictive prosecution for fighting his illegal deportation. Judge Waverly Crenshaw said prosecutors reopened a dormant 2022 traffic-stop case only after courts ordered the government to facilitate his return. Abrego Garcia still faces separate deportation proceedings. (New York Times / Washington Post / Reuters / Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News)

  4. The Secret Service fatally shot a 21-year-old after he opened fire at a White House checkpoint while Trump was inside. Nasire Best reportedly approached the checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, pulled a gun from a bag, and fired at officers. A bystander was also shot and hospitalized with a non-life-threatening wound. Best was arrested in 2025 near another White House checkpoint after entering a restricted area and telling officers he was Jesus Christ. (NBC News / Washington Post / Axios)