June 20, 2026

Maegan Vazquez & Michael Birnbaum of the Washington Post: “Iran’s military command said Saturday it is closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to state media, testing a fragile ceasefire agreement intended to lead to a broader peace with the United States. After the announcement of the closure, Iranian and U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, set off for Switzerland for more high-level talks, which are scheduled to resume on Sunday. Stranded vessels had cautiously begun to transit the Strait of Hormuz after a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran in which the countries agreed to lift all restrictions on movement through the strategic maritime corridor. U.S. Central Command said movement continued through Saturday, stating that 55 merchant ships and 17 million barrels of oil passed through and denying that the strait is closed....

“Around the same time as Iran’s announcement, Vance told 'Fox & Friends' on Saturday morning that 'the straits are now open.' A U.S. Central Command spokesman also later denied that the strait was closed. 'Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,' Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said. 'Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case. The commodity tracking firm Kpler said 20 ships had crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.”

Creature from the Green Lagoon. Maureen Dowd of the New York Times: “A historian once told me that the presidency would distill Donald Trump to his essence. That essence, it turns out, is trillions of microscopic organisms that suck up all the oxygen and endanger life around them. That essence is slimy, stinky and unrelenting, as reflected in the mass of algae that infests the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.... The algae is a perfect metaphor to reflect on our unreflective president and his impulsive and solipsistic style of governing.... Even when Trump starts with a glimmer of truth — that many iconic spots in D.C. had been allowed to shamefully deteriorate — he goes overboard in such a Trumpian way that he often ends up making things worse.... A lot of Americans miss the days when we built grand things. So it’s appealing on its face that this crazy president can squash the bureaucracy and get it done. But as usual with Trump, you eventually have to accept that he’s incompetent and corrupt and tacky, and just an all-around mess.”

~~~~~~~~~~ 

From the pinned item on the New York Times liveblog of the Iran war @7:45 am ET: “Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire on Saturday, the Israeli military said, a day after the two sides agreed to a cease-fire that had raised hopes of easing a conflict that threatened to derail efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war. The truce, agreed to on Friday afternoon, had appeared to largely hold until Lebanese state media reported Israeli airstrikes on towns and cities in southern Lebanon, beginning shortly after midnight, that killed several people.... The conflict in Lebanon, once seen as a secondary front to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, has become one of the main obstacles to ending it.” ~~~

     ~~~ Here's the AP's story on the Israel/Hezbollah ceasefire, which now appears to be in name only. 

Jim Tankersley & Erica Green of the New York Times: “Through much of Thursday, Switzerland was preparing for what promised to be a moment of clarity in a muddied week of efforts to end the war in Iran. Swiss officials were readying a luxury lakeside resort for crucial new negotiations to flesh out the preliminary deal. Air Force Two sat on a runway outside Washington, ready to carry Vice President JD Vance there. At 3 a.m. on Friday, Swiss time, a message arrived from America: Mr. Vance wasn’t coming. The talks had been shelved, with little explanation and no rescheduling.... Diplomats later said that Iran had pulled out of the talks to protest Israeli strikes in Lebanon.... The reversal capped a week of confusion that had already engulfed ... [Donald] Trump’s efforts to seal — and sell — an agreement with Iran that was only a few days old.” The reporters go on to recount the many confusing elements of the deal.

Caitlan Doombos of the New York Post: “Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was flowing Friday — under Iran’s monitoring — after a radio message to vessels in the region suggested the waterway had been [again] closed over tensions with Israel and the US. 'The armed forces of Iran, in accordance with the memorandum of understanding [MOU] to end the war dated June 18, 2026, have taken the necessary measures to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, and shipping in this route is currently underway,' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Friday, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. Earlier, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) statement read over maritime radio channels warned vessels from entering the strait because the US was in violation of the MOU between Washington and Tehran, which ... [Donald] Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed Wednesday.... 'All ships are requested, for the sake of their security and safety, not to approach the Strait of Hormuz. Any vessel that defies this directive will be targeted,' [the IRGC statement said.]”

Julian Barnes of the New York Times: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is likely to continue military action against Hezbollah, despite the cease-fire deal between the United States and Iran that specifically calls for a halt to fighting in Lebanon, according to a recent U.S. intelligence report, American officials said. Mr. Netanyahu is under intense domestic pressure to continue operations against Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks on northern Israel. Israel views Hezbollah, the potent militia and political group in Lebanon funded by Iran, as a critical threat.... U.S. intelligence agencies believe Israel is likely to continue such operations, even if they hinder negotiations between Iran and the United States that are supposed to address elements of Iran’s nuclear program and secure a permanent peace deal, according to the officials.” Here is a gift link to the Washington Post story.

Linda Kinstler of the New York Times Magazine identifies other costs to the U.S. of the Iran war: “The toll of the war was felt heavily at U.S. bases across the Middle East, which were thought to offer regional allies a security guarantee, assuring them of their safety under the American protective umbrella. The Iran war has exposed the fragility of that promise.... Around the world, at least 51 nations host American military bases. These outposts let the U.S. project power and influence abroad and provide economic and military security to its allies. But after this war, friendly nations are weighing the risks of supporting the American war machine.... The administration’s contradictions and obfuscations about the status, cost, rationale and resolution of the war reveal ... what the White House cannot acknowledge: The United States is no longer the world’s unquestioned hegemon, and the promise of its protection is not absolute. The war in Iran marks the end of any lingering illusions of American omnipotence.... Iran’s attacks against U.S. bases ... have also showed that the safety of U.S. allies was not a deciding factor for the administration in contemplating war.”~~~

     ~~~ Marie: As often as I mock Trump's Louis XIV "L'État, c'est moi" 'tude, I must admit there is truth to it. Not only does Trump equate himself with the nation, he also symbolizes what is happening to the U.S. As Trump is a fat, sickly, demented old man, so goes the nation. Barack Obama delivered an uplifting message Thursday, suggesting we're no so much in decline as we are in the midst of the "ebb" of "ebb and flow." I hope he's right, that the country can not only recovered from Trumpism, but come back better and stronger than it was before he and his gang of malefactors sullied the U.S.

Richard Meade of Lloyd's List: “Iran has asserted its control over the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that vessels comply with new terms and conditions to transit, including mandatory Iranian insurance for all vessels[.] Iran [is] ... requiring shipowners to obtain coverage approved — and initially provided free — by Tehran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority. The move, detailed in a PGSA terms‑and‑conditions document seen by Lloyd’s List, effectively sidesteps a new US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding that guarantees 'safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge' for 60 days.... Tehran has confirmed that charges may be imposed once the 60‑day window closes.... Shipping companies, MEG allies, and oil majors have repeatedly warned that any transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz are unacceptable.”

Josephine Walker of Axios: Donald "Trump said Thursday on 'The Axios Show' that 'it's possible' a potential Cuba invasion would resemble the swift capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. Trump wants to project U.S. military power across the Western Hemisphere, fitting a second term defined by blunt force and expansionist ambition. Trump also acknowledged the Iran conflict is taking longer to resolve because Iran has a more powerful' military and and is far away." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I was wondering if Trump's planned Cuba excursion was another gift to Marco Rubio. I guess not. It's looking more like another corruption scheme to enrich the Trump Org or Kushners: in explaining his plans for Cuba, Trump also told Axios' Marc Caputo, "Cuba has a nice property and they have nice shoreline."

“Italy and I Don't Beg.” Angela Giuffrida of the Guardian: “Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has said Donald Trump 'totally invented' a story about her after the US president claimed she begged him to take a photo with her during the G7 summit.... Referring to Meloni during a brief interview with Italy’s La7 – a dubbed version of which was broadcast by the Italian TV network on Friday – Trump said: 'She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her. She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her.' The remarks provoked fury in Italy and words of solidarity for Meloni from across the political spectrum, with Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, saying he had cancelled a trip to the US next week.... Tajani said: 'The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia offend the whole of Italy.'” (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times has a story here. ~~~

     ~~~ Meloni's remarks are worth hearing. She accuses him of treating the enemies of the West & the U.S. much better than he treats allies. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump really is insane. There is no excuse for insulting an ally, particularly in such a personal way. In addition, Trump's insult obviously was a lie: no Italian PM would want to have her picture taken with him; his favorable rating in Italy is at 7 percent. Meloni is a right-winger herself, but she obviously is alarmed at the deference Trump gives to Putin -- who is threatening Europe -- even as he denigrates our European allies. Good for her for calling Trump out so quickly and so forcefully. ~~~

     ~~~ Update: As Meloni said, Trump often insults European leaders. But why make up a putdown that was such an obvious lie? Why pretend that an attractive younger woman was so desperate to be seen with the Incredible Trump that he felt sorry for her? Trump doesn't feel sorry for anyone except Trump. Then on the YouTubes, I saw an Indian news show that aired before Trump's peculiar "she's desperate for me" lie aired. The gist of the Indian report was that Meloni was the star of the G-7. She was effervescent and charismatic, and all the other leaders gathered around her. Trump delayed the last day of the conference by showing up an hour late. As he ambled into the conference room, he did not apologize. Rather, he suggested his tardiness was "okay," he said aloud because, "I'm the boss." No, he wasn't. There was no "boss." There apparently was someone who was the center of attention, and that was Meloni. Trump couldn't stand that. So the pathetic old has-been just had to pretend that -- despite all the attention other leaders gave her -- what Meloni really craved was just to be near the Magnificent Trump, to be seen with him, pictured with him, to have a memento of that one glorious moment in her insignificant life when there she stood, next to the Great One. Did I mention he's insane?

It is a dandy-looking flying machine. Air Force photo.

 
~~~ Trump's Corruption Is So Embarrassing. Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: Donald “Trump unveiled on Friday the red, white and blue 747 Boeing jetliner donated by the government of Qatar that will serve as the new Air Force One, closing the chapter on the aircraft that had carried presidents for more than three decades. The donated luxury jet, which prompted scrutiny from lawmakers, replaces two baby-blue planes that served as the presidential planes since 1990 and have been suffering from maintenance problems. 'This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody’s ever seen before,' Mr. Trump said during the announcement in a Joint Base Andrews hangar that the president said had to be constructed to house the new plane, which is larger than its predecessors.... Mr. Trump said he expected the new Air Force One to lead a flyover of Washington on July 4, trailed by F-22 and F-35 military aircraft.... Mr. Trump’s decision to accept a free jetliner from Qatar, which industry executives have estimated is worth about $200 million..., prompted questions from lawmakers about whether Qatar might be trying to improperly influence the president.” Here's an NBC News report.

The Ultimate Insider Trader? Nah. It's Just a Coincidence! Ben Protess of the New York Times: “In the first three months of the year..., [Donald] Trump’s brokerage accounts placed more than 3,600 trades, as they bought and sold a wide variety of stocks and bonds, according to a disclosure form released last month. On the surface, it appeared to be an unusual trading spree. In prior months, Mr. Trump typically reported a couple hundred trades or fewer. One disclosure last year showed only 25, The New York Times found. Some of the trades early this year also appeared to be well timed, notably a purchase of Dell shares that came months before the company secured a lucrative government contract.Mr. Trump’s critics contend that he is profiting from his presidency, and worry that he could be trading on inside information, while his supporters argue that any well-timed trades are coincidental....

“People with knowledge of his finances said that the trading surge early this year did not reflect a change in strategy, but rather stemmed from a favorable court ruling that freed up hundreds of millions of dollars for the president to invest. Interviews and documents reviewed by The Times also support the Trump Organization’s contention that the president cannot place trades.... The Times found no indication that the president had directed the firms to trade for him, or that he had used inside information to trade.... Whether Mr. Trump could pump up a stock that he knows he owns is a different matter.” The link appears to be a gift link.

     ~~~ Marie: Call me a crazed conspiracy theorist, but I'm skeptical that any of this is on the up-and-up. Trump is the consummate liar, and he has done business with shady characters all his adult life. I'm not casting asparagus on any particular broker (I don't know who his brokers are), but I suspect Trump has found a way to "communicate" with these folks, that they understand what he wants them to do, and they like to keep him happy. Could this be the one unique exception to Trump's life of dirty dealing? I guess so. But I doubt it. 

The Kennedy Center Cover-up Continues. Elizabeth Williamson of the New York Times: “In the early hours of June 13, in an action that turned out to be news around the world, workers hung massive tarps from scaffolding across the front of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and under court order removed ... [Donald] Trump’s name from the marble facade. Or did they? True, the center’s operations chief, Matt Floca, filed a sworn declaration with a federal court later that day saying that Mr. Trump’s name had been removed. And true, a New York Times photographer captured evidence through an opening in the tarp that the letter 'A' came off. Another photographer recorded evidence of the demise of a 'D.' But in a downer denouement for Mr. Trump’s critics, a week later the tarps are still there, prompting some to wonder whether at least some of the letters are, too.... Peering behind the tarps is impossible because they now lie tight against the building’s front.... A Kennedy Center spokeswoman, Roma Daravi, emailed a terse response: 'The scaffolding and tarp will remain up as crews address maintenance needs of the marble and soffit panels.....” The link appears to be a gift link.

Pond Scum Chronicles, Ctd. Reflecting on the Reflecting Pool. Trump, Burgum in Denial. Aishvarya Kavi of the New York Times: “First, the new paint job appeared uneven. Then, an algae bloom turned the water an acid green. Now, large chunks of coating are peeling off the basin, creating islands of 'American flag blue' alongside patches of pea green in a dark, murky soup.... The Interior Department said on social media this week that its workers had 'killed the algae' that had been hastened on by the heat and humidity. The water, it boasted, was now crystal clear.'... On Friday night, Mr. Trump blamed at least some of the problems on 'vandalism' by people who he said were out 'to destroy and demean our beautiful work.' 'The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, and the area that was vandalized, fortunately, is just a small area of damage, and will be fixed early next week,' he wrote on social media.... On Friday[,] sightseers stepped over pipes carrying acid-green water from the pool to nearby storm drains, and they raised their voices to speak over the whirring water filtration systems and fuel-guzzling water pumps.” An NBC News story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ To Elaborate.... Michael Luciano of Mediaite: “...  Donald Trump is now claiming that the problems with the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were caused by unidentified vandals ... [AND] ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl...: '[W]e’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool, which sits between The Washington Monument and The Lincoln Memorial. Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed. No different than the chemicals that were used on the National Mall, they used something similar in the Reflecting Pool to try to destroy and demean our beautiful work. Lightweight ABC Reporter, Jonathan Karl, was seen sticking his hand into the Pool, and trying to rip the rubber off of the surface....' Trump added that police are 'actively investigating this situation, and will hopefully have it resolved soon.' The president’s reference to Karl seems to be an allusion to a video the reporter shot at the Reflecting Pool on Thursday, where he reached into the pool and held a piece of peeling paint to show viewers the problem. At no point did Karl attempt to 'rip' anything off, as Trump claimed.” ~~~

     ~~~ Nice photo, isn't it, of John Cafaro, the corrupt felon/Trump neighbor-friend who got the $1.7 million no-bid contract to supply & install the so-called "nanobubblers"? I hate to tell Akhilleus, but it looks like we have discovered the original "Fat Hitler." 

Speaking of Felonious Friends of Trump and U.S./European Relations.... Mark Landler of the New York Times: Charles Kushner, Jared's father, whom Trump named the U.S. ambassador to France, “has emerged as the embodiment of combative diplomacy in the age of ... Trump, riling the French establishment notably with his accusations of antisemitism.... Mr. Kushner, 72, has been summoned twice to be rebuked for interfering in France’s internal affairs — snubbing both requests — after which the foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, threatened to forbid him from meeting with French officials.... He is not merely an in-law given a plum job but also a faithful messenger of Mr. Trump’s hostility toward Europe, whether that means pushing the fight against antisemitism or meeting with far-right political leaders. Mr. Kushner is among the best connected of a corps of ambassadors who have cast aside diplomatic niceties to channel a disdainful president.... The Trump administration has voiced no misgivings about Mr. Kushner’s conduct.”

Donald Trump, Bad for the U.S., Good for Earth. Paul Krugman: "Trump has so far committed $2.5 billion in taxpayer dollars to killing renewable energy projects. The administration has also tried to stop offshore wind farms already under development — moves that have been blocked by the courts — while the Pentagon has been refusing to grant routine permits for onshore wind projects. Yes, $2.5 billion to destroy already-approved, cost-effective clean energy projects while Americans are suffering from soaring electricity prices thanks to data centers and high gasoline prices. Yet here’s the irony: Donald Trump’s disastrous Iran war has delivered a huge boost for renewable energy around the world — except in the U.S.. Trump has so far done more to shift the global economy away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy than any other single individual in history.... The roots of [the Trump gang's] hatred range from the power of fossil fuel interests, to Trump’s petulant whine that wind turbines ruined the view from his Scottish golf course, to a general sense among right-wingers that clean energy threatens their masculinity."

Greg Jaffe & Kate Kelly of the New York Times: “The Navy’s top leadership believed that Rear Adm. Stephen D. Barnett [had more than earned a promotion].... However, [he] had a big strike against him. Like other Black military leaders, he had been encouraged by his superiors to help the Navy recruit and retain minority officers, who remain significantly underrepresented in the force. His years-old remarks on the importance of diversity had been flagged in a secret vetting process designed to weed out senior leaders whom Mr. Hegseth and his team pegged as a problem. Instead of Admiral Barnett, Mr. Hegseth selected a white officer who was the Navy leadership’s third choice. So far this year, Mr. Hegseth has blocked the promotions of at least 40 senior officers to general and admiral ranks. About half of those are women or members of minority groups. This article, based on interviews with 15 current and former military and administration officials, is a look inside the process Mr. Hegseth and his team have used to halt the advancement of senior officers for reasons that have nothing to do with fighting wars or job performance." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This report was first published on Juneteenth. That's appropriate. Like Trump, Hegseth can't abide knowing that many women & people of color are far more competent and accomplished than he is. So he demeans them; he "puts them in their place."

Marco Rubio Is a Nasty Little Bugger. Hamed Aleaziz & Annie Correal of the New York Times: “The Trump administration detained a Colombian immigrant this week in Phoenix after he spoke out against a Trump-endorsed candidate in his home country’s upcoming presidential election. Franklin Humberto Coral Garrido, a progressive online activist known as Beto Coral, is a supporter of President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, a leftist who has clashed with ... [Donald] Trump. He has publicly criticized Abelardo De La Espriella, a right-wing candidate backed by Mr. Trump. Mr. Coral was arrested by immigration authorities on Tuesday, the same day Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo determining that he was deportable from the United States. In the memo, Mr. Rubio noted that Mr. Coral arrived in the United States in 2015 on a tourist visa and has a pending asylum application. But 'Coral Garrido has used his presence in the United States to conduct political activity in support of the Petro government' and has advocated against a candidate for president, Mr. Rubio wrote, according to a copy of the memo obtained by The New York Times.... The memo comes after a year in which Mr. Rubio has used his power as secretary of state to target individual immigrants.” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I'm not sure if Marco is a self-loathing Hispanic or if he's doing this stuff only to increase the chances of Trump's endorsing him for president*. That's an enterprise that is looking up this week as Trump tries to stick JayDee with the Iran fiasco. This week, when Trump said he would pin the war negotiations on JayDee if the outcome was bad for the U.S., the various sycophants standing behind Trump smiled or chuckled. Except Marco. As Trump "joked" about throwing JayDee under the bus, Marco stood there stone-faced. He's counting on Trump to turn on JayDee.  

Gregory Svirnovskiy of Politico: “A federal judge on Friday rejected an effort by former President Joe Biden to block the Justice Department from turning over hours of nearly decade-old audio conversations to the Heritage Foundation. Biden’s lawyers immediately launched an injunction pending appeal.... Heritage contends the audio files contain proof that the former president mishandled classified information, which Biden has emphatically denied. Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, wrote in her ruling that the former president’s privacy concerns 'though substantial,' paled in comparison to the significant public interest in the case and were mitigated by extensive redactions undertaken by the DOJ. Author Mark Zwonitzer’s redacted materials, Friedrich wrote, 'contain no information about Biden’s family or other private persons. She herself reviewed them personally in advance of her ruling.'”

You Might Not Know His Name, But He Made You Laugh. Glenn Rifkin of the New York Times: “James Burrows, the genre-shaping master of the television situation comedy who was a creator of “Cheers” and directed more than 1,000 episodes of that show and other TV classics like 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'The Bob Newhart Show,' 'Taxi,' 'Frasier,' 'Friends' and 'The Big Bang Theory,' died on Friday. He was 85.”  

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Missouri. Shawn Hubler of the New York Times: “Clinics in Missouri were preparing to restore access to medication abortions for the first time in nearly a decade on Friday after a judge there struck down dozens of state laws that had effectively undermined a constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive rights. The ruling by Judge Jerri Zhang of Jackson County Circuit Court, which includes Kansas City, largely sided with Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri. The groups had argued that abortion restrictions passed over time by the state legislature, which has been controlled by Republicans for more than two decades, were thwarting the will of the voters, who overturned a near-total ban on abortions in 2024.... She found [that] most of the approximately 40 state laws contested by the abortion rights groups were at odds with the 2024 ballot measure, which enacted a 'fundamental right to reproductive freedom' in Missouri and barred the government from interfering with it.... Her final ruling on Thursday largely sided with abortion rights groups, but let stand a handful of limits. Among them were requirements that abortions be performed by physicians rather than nurses or advanced practice clinicians, and that patients be examined in person at least initially.”