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Trump under pressure as he hits the 'politically hazardous' stage with Iran: report

Donald Trump is confronting a bitter irony as he seeks to extricate himself from the Iran war he initiated: reaching a peace agreement may require exactly the kind of financial concessions to Tehran that he spent years attacking the Obama administration for making.

According to Wall Street Journal reporting, the central obstacle to resolving the conflict is Tehran's insistence on immediate access to frozen assets—a demand that has created a "politically hazardous" trap for the president.

The political trap is inescapable. Any Trump decision to release Iran's frozen assets would inevitably invite comparisons to the Obama administration's 2016 nuclear accord, which Trump repeatedly vilified as "the dumbest deal perhaps I've ever seen in the history of deal-making." During a 2016 presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, Trump specifically attacked the $1.7 billion in cash the U.S. sent to Iran, quipping it was "enough to fill up this room."

As the Journal notes, this past spring Trump vowed to negotiate a "FAR BETTER" deal than Obama's—a promise that now appears increasingly hollow as negotiations drag on via mediators between Washington and Tehran.


Iran's demands are reportedly substantial and non-negotiable, seeking $12 billion upfront and an additional $24 billion over a 60-day negotiation period to be triggered by an initial agreement. Access to tens of billions in frozen U.S. sanctions funds is described as "a critical demand for any deal," offering immediate economic relief to Iran's deeply damaged economy.

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New Fed chair headed towards 'collision' with Trump's biggest demands: WSJ

The new chairman of the Federal Reserve is already expected to have a tough time following through on one of Trump's main demands, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Trump tapped Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell in January, but the economy back then looked a lot different, the Journal noted. What hasn't changed is Trump's expectation for lower interest rates, even bringing it up on Friday.

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Susie Wiles breaks silence as report drops she's eyeing the exits

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles put out a statement on X on Friday in reaction to reporting from the Daily Mail that she was expected to leave the Trump administration soon.

"After an accomplishment filled week by President Trump, I have the pleasure of reading a piece of Friday fiction, courtesy of the Daily Mail," wrote Wiles. "To be crystal clear, I am not going anywhere. I am honored and proud to serve President Trump, proud of our team and remain fully committed to advancing his agenda on behalf of the American people."

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25th Amendment calls swirl as Trump seems to forget name of Washington Monument

A clip from President Donald Trump's Friday agriculture roundtable in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, spread quickly online, with critics saying it showed the president struggling to recall the name of the Washington Monument.

The video, shared by liberal account Acyn, shows Trump holding up a picture of his Reflecting Pool renovation.

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Trump cuts interview short as rain pounds metal barn roof and he clashes with host

Trump cut short an interview with NBC News as the sound of rain on a barn's metal roof kept interrupting, journalists shared.

Gabe Gutierrez, a senior White House correspondent for NBC News, revealed that the interview took place inside a Wisconsin barn "at the request of the White House," Gutierrez noted, but "rain repeatedly was hitting the metal roof of the barn."

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Chris Hayes says vulnerable GOP senator got 'sham vote' to look independent against Trump

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has endured a brutal week of reporting on his personal history and unsavory interactions with women — issues that have left many people wringing their hands over the state of the race. However, MS NOW's Chris Hayes, who interviewed Platner earlier in the week, noted that Maine voters on the street largely seem unfazed.

Part of the reason, he suggested, is that there is genuine disgust with longtime GOP incumbent Susan Collins — despite their "reservations about his character."

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Todd Blanche won't be confirmed — and that's not the worst of it: ex-GOP operative

A former GOP operative predicted that Todd Blanche should expect a double blow to his career on the horizon.

"I'm going to make a prediction," Steve Schmidt said during an interview with former CNN anchor Jim Acosta. "Todd Blanche will not be confirmed as Attorney General, and I'll even lean into it more."

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Trump accuses Wes Moore of 'attacking' the military for halting golf course makeover

President Donald Trump lashed out at Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Friday, claiming the Democrat had halted a renovation of golf courses at Joint Base Andrews and framing the move as an attack on the U.S. military.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Moore "has put a halt to all work" on a project to convert the base's two ageing courses into "World Class, Jack Nicklaus Designed Courses," plus nine additional holes he said would be adapted for wounded veterans.

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Influencer couple says death threats over abortion drove them to keep a gun by their bed

An influencer couple who shared a heartbreaking decision to terminate a pregnancy online has revealed they now keep a loaded gun at their bedside because of the death threats they have received.

According to TMZ, Jesse and Ashley Ridgway of New Jersey say that the hate has come thick and fast "since announcing they terminated a pregnancy because their unborn child had Down syndrome."

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White House quickly tries to stomp out story of Susie Wiles' reported departure plans

White House officials have responded to reports that Susie Wiles is planning to ditch her role as Trump's chief of staff.

"Total bull—," wrote the official White House Rapid Response account. "Another fake hatchet job from a wannabe reporter peddling anonymous sources who don't actually know anything."

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'Poof, it's gone': The quiet way Republicans kill Trump's priorities without a vote

President Donald Trump has a reputation for bending Republicans to his will, but a political scientist said Friday there's a quiet trick Republicans use to kill his priorities — without ever casting a vote against him.

In a New York Times conversation, Good Politics/Bad Politics writer Jonathan Bernstein laid out the strategy political scientist Matthew Glassman calls "negative agenda setting." If Republicans simply never bring something to a vote, it vanishes, and no one has to go on record opposing the president.

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Officer stabbed detention center detainee's thumb with a pen: watchdog

WASHINGTON — A Louisiana detention center that houses roughly 1,500 immigrants failed to ensure sanitary conditions, properly store perishable food, properly notify use-of-force incidents and maintain medical records of detainees, according to a report published Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog.

The findings stem from an unannounced visit from federal inspectors in March 2025 to the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana.

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Hollywood stars snub Trump's UFC birthday bash

It's billed as the hottest ticket in Washington — but the celebrities aren't biting, according to a new report.

President Donald Trump's $60 million birthday event, a UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn set for June 14, has the capital's power players competing for seats, Vanity Fair reports. Donors, lobbyists, and members of Congress have flooded the White House with requests, the outlet reported, with ringside seats reportedly going to those willing to pay more than $1 million in sponsorships.

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