U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that to travel through the Strait of Hormuz and America would charge a 20% toll on other countries’ eligible cargo, escalating tensions after weekend of attacks by both nations to assert control of the .
Trump also said he鈥檚 recommended Lindsey Graham鈥檚 sister be named as his temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate. , one of Trump鈥檚 closest allies in Congress and an in Iran, died Saturday at 71 after a tear in his aorta.
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Rubio has previously said the US wouldn鈥檛 allow tolls in the Strait of Hormuz
Trump鈥檚 announcement comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Gulf leaders late last month and said the U.S. would not support Iran charging fees for ships to go through the Strait of Hormuz.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 international waterway. There isn鈥檛 a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the Straits,鈥� Rubio told reporters in Bahrain on June 25.
Rubio also said there was 鈥渮ero support among the Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees or anything that charges for the use of international waters. The president鈥檚 made it clear that鈥檚 not going to happen. It鈥檚 not going to be a part of this. It cannot be a part of this.鈥�
Judge blasts Trump鈥檚 IRS lawsuit as filed for 鈥榠mproper purpose,鈥� recommends attorney discipline
A federal judge said Monday that Trump鈥檚 lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns was filed for an 鈥渋mproper purpose鈥� as she referred attorneys for disciplinary actions.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams amounts to a stinging rebuke of , characterizing it as an exercise in self-dealing in which he sued an entity that is effectively under his control.
The suit concluded in May with a settlement agreement that created a since-abandoned $1.776 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president, as well as immunity from tax audits.
鈥淭his was an attempt to use the Court to provide some legitimacy to an agreement to confer immunity to people and entities affiliated with the President and to earmark billions of dollars from American taxpayers to redress grievances not defined in the law,鈥� the judge wrote.
US military uses drone boats in a first-of-its-kind attack
U.S. Central Command says it used drone ships to hit an Iranian ship maintenance facility and submarine, calling it first.
鈥淭hree Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations,鈥� the command said on social media Monday.
The post featured video of the drone boats approaching a dock that had a submarine sitting on top of it followed by aerial footage of the explosion on Sunday.
The strike comes despite the Trump administration鈥檚 claim that it has completely destroyed Iran鈥檚 navy.
The Corsair drones also were used from the waters off Oman early in June after their Apache helicopter was struck by an Iranian drone.
ICE involved in fatal shooting in Maine, state House speaker says
Democrat Ryan Fecteau posted on Facebook that the shooting Monday in Biddeford, outside Portland, involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, that the State Police and Maine Department of Public Safety were at the scene, and that he expects the FBI to investigate.
Few details are available. ICE, the FBI and the Maine Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Project Relief, an immigrant rights advocacy group, posted that 鈥渁 young person鈥� from its community was killed 鈥渄uring an encounter with ICE in Biddeford.鈥� Protesters have already begun gathering at Mechanics Park in Biddeford.
This would be at least the ninth death from an encounter with federal immigration officials since the start of the Trump administration鈥檚 mass and the second in a week, following the killing of a Houston man.
EU rallies dozens of nations to pledge $1 billion for recovery fund in Gaza
The European Union coordinated efforts to raise 900 million euros ($1 billion) in aid for Gaza, working with 65 governments and organizations including the White House and the United Nations, the bloc鈥檚 top diplomat said Monday.
Kaja Kallas announced the fund after a meeting of the Palestine Donors Group in Brussels.
鈥淭he EU is the most credible supporter, for the Palestinian people. We are the largest donor and the strongest backer of the two-state solution,鈥� she said.
The meeting was the second gathering of the Team Gaza Initiative, an effort by the EU to rally support for recovery projects like sanitation and farming in the destitute and war-ravaged coastal enclave of some 2 million people.
Ukraine fears Graham鈥檚 death leaves weaker link to Trump
Just days before his death, was standing in Kyiv鈥檚 St. Michael鈥檚 Square, giving Ukrainians reason for optimism: He said new hard-hitting bipartisan economic sanctions against Russia were within reach back in Washington.
Now Ukraine鈥檚 leaders are devastated. Graham had been one of Kyiv鈥檚 closest allies in Washington and a trusted intermediary with Trump, who had a strained relationship with Zelenskyy. They fear that without Graham, Ukraine鈥檚 ability to influence could be diminished across a broad range of issues.
鈥淗uge and absolutely unexpected loss,鈥� said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy鈥檚 party. 鈥淗e was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump,鈥� he added. 鈥淥ur position in Trump鈥檚 entourage might be weaker.鈥�
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Ukraine and nine other countries announce a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles
Ukraine and nine other countries have formed a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles. The 10 countries announced the agreement at talks with Ukrainian President in Paris on Monday, taking advantage of Kyiv鈥檚 experience of fighting Russia.
鈥淥ur goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,鈥� their statement said.
went to France seeking help against Russia鈥檚 ballistic missiles, which have in the more than four years since Moscow launched a .
Putin was unyielding after Kyiv鈥檚 long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals have caused widespread fuel shortages. 鈥淲herever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,鈥� Putin told pro-Kremlin activists.
Trump says all but Iran will have 鈥榝air and open鈥� use of strait 鈥� after paying US a 20% toll
A fifth of the world鈥檚 oil and gas passed through the strait without paying any fees before Iran asserted control over it after the start of the war.
Iran says it has the right to manage traffic through the strait and potentially charge fees in accordance with an reached last month. The U.S. and others dispute that, citing international law on freedom of navigation, and the American military has tried to establish an alternative route outside of Iranian control.
The European Union鈥檚 top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called for the strait to be open, as it was before the war. 鈥淔reedom of navigation has to be respected,鈥� she said.
Trump says Gov. McMaster should appoint Graham鈥檚 sister to finish his term
Trump says he鈥檚 recommended that Lindsey Graham鈥檚 sister be named as his temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate.
Trump posted on social media Monday that Gov. Henry McMaster should appoint Darline Graham Nordone to fulfill the rest of Graham鈥檚 term, which expires in January.
Graham died over the weekend at age 71, and McMaster is expected to announce his pick later Monday afternoon.
After their parents died at a young age, Graham was left to raise his sister, whom he later adopted. The pair were very close, and Graham鈥檚 sister was by his side as he filed reelection paperwork earlier this year.
The Democratic Party鈥檚 direction also is at stake in Michigan and Wisconsin
Following the in Maine, progressives view the Upper Midwest Senate races as their last chance to shape the Democrats鈥� Senate caucus and prove their theory of the case in the midterm elections.
In Michigan, is running against progressive for the state鈥檚 Democratic Senate nomination in a race Democrats must win to hold the seat held by Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring and has .
In Wisconsin, democratic socialist state has surged in the state鈥檚 Democratic gubernatorial primary against more conventional Democratic lawmakers, including former Lt. Gov. and current Lt. Gov. .
Michigan voters choose nominees on Aug. 4. The primaries in Minnesota and Wisconsin are Aug. 11.
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What happened to Minnesota nice?
In Minnesota, have clashed over electability, their ties to corporate interests and willingness to fight Trump鈥檚 administration.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, backed by progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, says her opponent, Rep. Angie Craig, is backed by 鈥渟ecretive dark money groups.鈥�
鈥淭he very folks who are standing in the way of the things that people need to be able to afford their lives, who are Democrats, are funded by these corporate special interests,鈥� Flanagan told The Associated Press.
Craig counters that Flanagan has raised campaign funds from major companies, and that if she becomes the Democratic nominee, Republicans would focus on her ties to into the state鈥檚 鈥淭o stop Donald Trump, we鈥檝e got to win elections,鈥� Craig told the AP.
The next big races between moderates and progressives are in pivotal Midwestern states
Progressives hope to prove economic populism resonates beyond deep blue enclaves. Democratic Party leaders worry progressive candidates could damage their brand and imperil their chances of retaking .
August primaries in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota will be another gauge of Democratic voters鈥� frustration with the establishment. The Upper Midwest is a battleground for progressives and moderates. The outcomes could impact Democrats鈥� chances in the upcoming midterms and shape their party鈥檚 future direction.
How will a special primary work?
South Carolina law requires a one-week filing period beginning July 21, for a special primary to be held on Aug. 11. A runoff if necessary would be held on Aug. 25, leaving the nominee just over two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.
All of this is problematic according to federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before any federal election. For the general election primary, that would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials didn鈥檛 immediately return a message seeking clarity.
Does Graham鈥檚 death provide more of an opening for Democrats?
No Democrat has won a Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double digits. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by . But Republicans are carefully surveying the landscape after margins have tightened in other races.
Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews won the Democratic nomination last month and has raised more than $8 million, with just under $3 million cash on hand at the end of May, according to federal filings. Graham had taken in $6 million, with just over $4 million on hand.
In a statement Sunday, Andrews called on South Carolinians to join her 鈥渋n setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude鈥� to Graham for his service.
Who could replace Graham?
Here鈥檚 how Graham鈥檚 death is scrambling South Carolina politics
on Saturday as he was begins a tumultuous new chapter in South Carolina politics. As the conservative state鈥檚 senior senator and an influential Trump ally, Graham was presumed to be on a glide path toward reelection.
Now, Gov. Henry McMaster must choose a temporary replacement to serve until January while the state also prepares a special primary so voters can choose a new Republican nominee for November鈥檚 general election. That appointed temporary caretaker could be a top contender in the special primary.
The rare open Senate seat has ignited a scramble among South Carolina鈥檚 most ambitious conservatives, who just finished a sprawling and bruising contest to succeed McMaster. State Attorney General Alan Wilson . Also-rans including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman are all now eyeing Graham鈥檚 seat following his death over the weekend.
Top Iran adviser says Iran won’t retreat from controlling the strait
Mohammed Mokhber, an adviser to Iran鈥檚 supreme leader says Tehran will fight for the Strait of Hormuz.
鈥淲e defend it so that in the future, for the passage of our ships, we are not forced to pay tribute to the enemy!鈥� he wrote on X. 鈥淩etreating from this vital matter has no place in the mind of any friend of Iran.鈥�
Trump says 鈥榳e鈥檙e taking over the Strait鈥� of Hormuz
That鈥檚 what Trump said Monday on Fox News Channel鈥檚 鈥淔ox and Friends.鈥�
Both the U.S. and asserted Monday that they controlled after a weekend of attacks stretching across the wider Middle East, further threatening any diplomacy to end the war.
Trump also said that 鈥渆verything was agreed to鈥� in an 11-hour meeting Sunday, but Iranian negotiators called back later 鈥渁nd they say, 鈥檞e had to make a couple of changes.鈥� He didn鈥檛 specify details.
The latest exchange was sparked by an Iranian attack on a container ship on Sunday in the strait, a critical waterway for international oil and gas over which Iran has asserted control since the United States and Israel started the war on Feb. 28.
Graham鈥檚 death a setback for Senate Republicans and Ukraine
Congress is returning after a summer break, with the Senate convening following the His death after a tear in his aorta Saturday leaves Republicans with just 51 members, with Mitch McConnell and South Carolina鈥檚 governor needing to appoint Graham鈥檚 interim successor.
This makes Trump鈥檚 already contentious congressional agenda It also leaves Ukraine President without a key ally who had Trump鈥檚 ear: Graham was a strong supporter of Ukraine, pressing the president to be firmer on Russia President Vladimir Putin. Now .
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