Four members of a family from northern California were among eight people killed over the weekend when a boat capsized on Lake Tahoe in California during a sudden and fierce thunderstorm.

Josh Pickles, 37, of San Francisco, his parents, 73-year-old Terry Pickles and 71-year-old Paula Bozinovich of Redwood City, and his uncle, 72-year-old Peter Bayes, of Lincoln, died on Saturday, according to a family statement.

The younger Pickles was an executive with DoorDash, the San Francisco Standard reported.

“No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake,” Josh Pickles’ widow, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, said in the statement on Tuesday. “Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe.”

Two people were rescued immediately after the boat flipped over. Their identities and conditions were not known on Tuesday.

Ten people were onboard the 27ft (8-metre) gold Chris-Craft vessel when it capsized on Saturday afternoon near DL Bliss state park on the lake’s south-west edge as the storm whipped up high waves, US coast guard officials said. Six bodies were recovered later on Saturday, a seventh was found on Sunday evening, and the eighth was located on Monday, according to the El Dorado county sheriff’s office.

Also killed were Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, of Honeoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York, the coroner’s office said on Tuesday.

The intensity of the thunderstorm surprised even forecasters, who had predicted rain but nothing like the squall that lashed the southern part of the lake at about 3pm, said meteorologist Matthew Chyba with the National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada. Winds topped 35mph (56km/h) and waves swelled up more than 8ft (2.5 metres).

“We weren’t expecting it to be so strong,” Chyba said on Monday. He said temperatures in the area were far below normal for this time of year, which could have contributed to the unstable air mass.

Drowning and other accidental deaths have occurred in recent years on the lake, but boating accidents with numerous fatalities are rare. The South Lake Tahoe police department told KCRA-TV in 2022 that there are an average of six deaths on the lake each summer, though there were a record 15 fatalities in 2021.

From 1h ago 18.51 BST Trump arrives in Europe for annual Nato summit Air Force One has landed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, bringing Donald Trump to a Nato summit at The Hague at which he is expected to take a victory lap over the ceasefire and apparent conclusion of the short Iran-Israel war. His arrival comes as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the “end of the 12-day war imposed by Israel”, in a message to the nation carried by the official IRNA news agency, reported by AFP. “Today, after the heroic resistance of our great nation, whose determination makes history, we are witnessing the establishment of a truce and the ending of this 12-day war imposed by the adventurism and provocation” of Israel, Pezeshkian said. Trump will be formally greeted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and will attend a private dinner for Nato leaders later, according to his schedule. The president’s trip will be brief: he will attend the summit on Wednesday and head straight back to Washington DC to rejoin efforts to persuade senators to pass his wide-ranging spending agenda known as the “big, beautiful bill” before the 4 July holiday. Share Updated at 19.01 BST

2m ago 19.52 BST Donald Trump is expected to meet Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his short stay in the Netherlands. The two clashed in a fiery meeting at the White House in February, when US vice-president JD Vance belittled Zelenskyy for not thanking Trump for his support for Ukraine as it tried to repel Russia’s invasion; and Trump warned Ukraine’s leader he was “gambling with world war three”. Ukraine is not part of Nato, so Zelenskyy will not take part in the Nato summit. But he could meet Trump as early as Tuesday night, sources said. According to Reuters, Zelenskyy has said he wants to discuss with Trump substantial purchases of weaponry including Patriot missile defense systems as well as sanctions and other ways to put pressure on Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy warned European Nato members on Tuesday that they risked being attacked by Russia if it was not defeated in its three-year war with Ukraine. “Russia is even planning new military operations on Nato territory,” he told a defense industry event on the sidelines of the summit. Share

13m ago 19.42 BST Before landing in Amsterdam, Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president apparently casting doubt on the US commitment to defend Nato partners. The Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said Tuesday that he had no doubt that Trump was committed to the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause. But according to Reuters, Trump told the press gaggle that there were “numerous” definitions to the cornerstone of the defense pact. Asked if he was committed to Article 5, Trump responded: “I’m committed to saving lives. I’m committed to life and safety. And I’m going to give you an exact definition when I get there.” Share

19m ago 19.36 BST Here’s Donald Trump descending the steps of Air Force One in Amsterdam on Wednesday after his arrival for Nato’s annual summit in the Netherlands. View image in fullscreen Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters He’s on his way to The Hague, where he will be greeted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and attend a private dinner they are hosting for Nato leaders. View image in fullscreen Donald Trump as he leaves Amsterdam’s airport on his journey to The Hague. Photograph: Peter Dejong/AP Share

39m ago 19.15 BST While we wait for more news of Donald Trump’s arrival in Europe for the Nato summit in the Netherlands, the Guardian’s exclusive interview with Mark Rutte, secretary general of the alliance, is worth a read. Rutte tells my colleagues Pjotr Sauer and Dan Sabbagh in The Hague that it was “not a difficult thing” to get members to agree to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP because of the rising threat from Russia – and stressed that Trump remained “absolutely” committed to supporting the alliance”. Rutte said that all 32 Nato members had agreed to increase defense spending because “there is so much at stake” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine: The security situation has changed so much, and people know that when the call comes [in the event an attack on a Nato member] … you now need to deliver to the collective endeavor, what you promised, that you better have your stuff there. Read the full report here: Nato members willingly increasing defence spending amid rising threat from Russia, says Rutte Read more Share

1h ago 18.51 BST Trump arrives in Europe for annual Nato summit Air Force One has landed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, bringing Donald Trump to a Nato summit at The Hague at which he is expected to take a victory lap over the ceasefire and apparent conclusion of the short Iran-Israel war. His arrival comes as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the “end of the 12-day war imposed by Israel”, in a message to the nation carried by the official IRNA news agency, reported by AFP. “Today, after the heroic resistance of our great nation, whose determination makes history, we are witnessing the establishment of a truce and the ending of this 12-day war imposed by the adventurism and provocation” of Israel, Pezeshkian said. Trump will be formally greeted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and will attend a private dinner for Nato leaders later, according to his schedule. The president’s trip will be brief: he will attend the summit on Wednesday and head straight back to Washington DC to rejoin efforts to persuade senators to pass his wide-ranging spending agenda known as the “big, beautiful bill” before the 4 July holiday. Share Updated at 19.01 BST

1h ago 18.49 BST A Guardian study of government data has revealed that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (Ice) is continuing to arrest an increasing number of immigrants without any criminal history. This report from Will Craft and José Olivares says the data appears to contradict frequent assertions by Trump administration officials that the agency is prioritizing the pursuit of criminals in its immigration enforcement operations. In mid-June, Ice data shows there were more than 11,700 people in immigration detention who had been arrested by Ice despite having no track record of being charged with or convicted of a crime. That represents a staggering 1,271% increase from data released on those in immigration detention immediately before the start of Trump’s second term. Overall, CBS News reports, there are a record 59,000 individuals currently in Ice custody, 10,000 more than in May, a figure significantly higher than the 41,000 detainee beds funded by Congress. Read the full story here: Trump drives surge in Ice detentions of those with no criminal record despite stated priorities Read more Share

1h ago 18.36 BST Democrats on the Senate committee overseeing aviation said Tuesday they will oppose the nomination of Republic Airways chief executive Bryan Bedford to head the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Senators Maria Cantwell of Washington, the top Democrat on the commerce committee, and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, the ranking member of the aviation subcommittee, cited Bedford’s refusal to commit to uphold the 1,500-hour training rule for co-pilots, Reuters reports. He faces a committee vote to advance his nomination on Wednesday. In 2022, Bedford criticized the FAA’s rejection of Republic’s petition to allow only 750 hours of flight experience. Earlier this month he told lawmakers: “I would never do anything to compromise safety as administrator.” Bedford has also previously criticized the FAA for what he sees as serious leadership, trust and culture issues. Share Updated at 18.50 BST

2h ago 18.24 BST A notable development on the day that vaccine averse health secretary Robert F Kennedy is testifying to congress: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a report on Tuesday that said evidence does not support a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Any link between vaccines and autism has long been scientifically debunked, but that hasn’t prevented Kennedy, and others, from promoting conspiracy theories about it. Tuesday’s report comes ahead of a two-day CDC meeting set for Wednesday, its first after Kennedy fired all 17 members of the independent committee of experts on vaccines, and replaced them with just eight new members, some of whom have previously advocated against vaccines. On the agenda, Reuters reports, are discussions about thimerosal, a mercury-based organic preservative, in flu shots; and a safety review of the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella shot. Kennedy has a long history of casting doubt on the safety of vaccines contrary to scientific evidence. He wrote a book in 2014 claiming that thimerosal causes brain damage. According to the evidence report, 96% of all influenza vaccines in the US were thimerosal-free during the 2024-25 flu season. Share Updated at 18.26 BST

2h ago 18.01 BST Rutte: no doubt Trump committed to mutual defense clause Nato secretary general Mark Rutte also said on Tuesday he had no doubt that Trump was committed to the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defence clause. Share Updated at 18.09 BST

2h ago 17.59 BST Rutte: no issues with disclosing message he sent to Trump Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has expressed that he has no problem with Trump disclosing the message he sent to him. Earlier today, Trump posted a screenshot of a text message he received from Rutte, praising him for striking the Iranian nuclear sites. In the message, Rutte congratulates and thanks Trump for his “decisive action in Iran”, calling it“ truly extraordinary” and “something no one else dared to do”. Rutte then says that Trump is “flying into another big success in The Hague”. On Tuesday afternoon Rutte said that he had no problem with Trump disclosing the message, and said that he believed that the tone of the message was appropriate. Share Updated at 18.06 BST

2h ago 17.52 BST In response to the Trump administration postponing the all-senators briefing on Iran that was scheduled for this afternoon, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the last-minute postponement as “outrageous, evasive, and derelict”. In a statement, Schumer said: Senators deserve full transparency, and the administration has a legal obligation to inform Congress precisely about what is happening.

What is the administration so afraid of? Why won’t they engage with Congress on the critical details: the results of the recent strike, the scope and trajectory of this conflict, the administration’s long-term strategy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and the potential risks facing American citizens and our servicemembers?

To be abundantly clear: neither Pete Hegseth nor Marco Rubio were scheduled to attend this briefing. If Rubio and Hegseth want to come up on Thursday, in addition, not in replacement, to the planned briefing, fine.

Such obstruction undermines the very principles of accountability and oversight that safeguard our democracy.” This comes as it was reported earlier today that the Trump administration had postponed classified briefings on the situation in Iran scheduled for today. The all-Senate briefing was moved to Thursday, and the briefing for all House lawmakers was also reportedly postponed but it was not immediately when it would be rescheduled. Share Updated at 17.59 BST

2h ago 17.36 BST Trump heads to annual Nato summit as Rutte praises his ‘decisive action in Iran’ Trump left Washington DC this morning and is currently on his way to the annual Nato summit at The Hague. This comes as earlier this morning, Trump posted what appeared to be a text message from Nato secretary general Mark Rutte, praising him for striking the Iranian nuclear sites. In the message, which Rutte’s representatives confirmed as authentic to the New York Times, Rutte congratulates and thanks Trump for his “decisive action in Iran”, calling it“truly extraordinary” and “something no one else dared to do.” Rutte then says that Trump is “flying into another big success in The Hague.” Share Updated at 18.03 BST

2h ago 17.29 BST The Trump administration has reportedly postponed classified briefings for Senate and House members regarding the situation in Iran. According to the Associated Press, which cites multiple anonymous sources, the Senate briefing has been moved to Thursday so that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio can attend, and the House briefings have been postponed. Share

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Washington. Evan Vucci/AP

President Donald Trump, aboard Air Force One to the NATO conference, has sought to maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, and said he’s not seeking regime change in Tehran.

U.S. intelligence leaders will provide classified briefings as Congress prepares to debate whether to invoke the War Powers clause restraining Trump. Some Democrats filed to impeach him for striking Iran without congressional approval. Homeland Security meanwhile warns of a heightened risk of a domestic attack.

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The Supreme Court, without explanation, is allowing Trump to deport migrants away from home countries. The dissenting liberal justices warned that the court’s action exposes “ thousands to the risk of torture or death.”

Here’s the Latest:

Bessent says Senate ‘on track’ for votes on tax and spending cuts package

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Republican senators during their weekly luncheon on Tuesday and said afterward the Senate is “on track” for votes by the end of the week on Trump’s tax and spending cuts package.

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“I think we are on track for — hopefully for a vote this Friday for July 4 for the tax bill,” Bessent told reporters.

Trump and Republican Senate leaders have repeatedly said the massive bill must be passed by July 4. But senators are still resolving some outstanding disagreements, including whether to include a higher cap on state and local tax deductions that was included in the House bill.

Most Republican senators oppose that increase.

Bessent said both sides are “working through” that issue and will have a solution “in the next 24-48 hours.” He said he believes that the House will quickly pass any bill passed by the Senate, despite some outstanding differences.

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“I am confident that what the Senate passes over to the House will move through the House very quickly,” Bessent said.

House votes to set aside Trump impeachment over Iran strikes

The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to table the Trump impeachment effort, for now.

A lone Democrat, Rep. Al Green of Texas, forced the sudden vote arguing Trump abused his power without authorization from Congress for the military action. It quickly divided his party.

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Most Democrats joined Republicans to shelve the matter, but dozens voted with Green. The tally was 344-79.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez tells Trump to take his anger out on someone else

The New York Democrat responded to the president’s earlier social media post in which he dared her to pursue his impeachment.

She had said over the weekend that Trump should be removed from office for bombing Iran without approval from Congress.

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“Trump should take it out on whoever convinced him to betray the American people and our Constitution by illegally bombing Iran and dragging us into war,” she wrote in a fundraising appeal. “It only took him 5 months to break almost every promise he made.”

Ocasio Cortez also responded to Trump’s saying they’re both from Queens. He was born there. She was born in the Bronx but represents a Queens congressional district.

“I’m a Bronx girl. Trump should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast,” she said.

Trump arrives in Amsterdam on his way to the NATO summit

Air Force One landed just after 7 p.m. local time.

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Trump has just a few appearances scheduled for the rest of the evening, including a courtesy call at The Hague with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife.

Trump is also scheduled to attend a dinner for leaders of NATO’s 32 member countries.

He was overnighting at Huis Ten Bosch, the king’s residence nestled in a forest on the edge of The Hague.

Trump calls CNN and MSNBC ‘scum’ and says they should apologize to pilots that bombed Iran

Trump sounded especially peeved over reporting that cast doubt on his claim that the U.S. military strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities.

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Damage assessments are still underway.

Trump said the B-2 bomber pilots that dropped powerful explosives on the nuclear sites “should be given credit” for doing “an unbelievable job” and that both cable news networks “ought to apologize” to them.

Trump has harbored disdain for these two networks and some of their correspondents for a long time over their tough reporting on him and his administrations.

He said both are “scum.”

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“These networks, these cable networks are real losers,” Trump said at the White House.

Rutte plays down Trump airing message from the NATO secretary general

If NATO chief Mark Rutte was upset that Donald Trump publicized a message he sent to the U.S. President, he wasn’t showing it Tuesday.

“I have absolutely no trouble or problem with that because there’s nothing in it which had to stay secret,” the unflappable Rutte told reporters Tuesday.

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Rutte was speaking hours after Trump, while flying to a NATO summit in Rutte’s hometown of The Hague, published a screenshot of a private message from Rutte that said: “Donald, you have driven us to a really, really important moment for America and Europe and the world. You will achieve something NO American president in decades could get done.”

“Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win,” Rutte wrote. NATO confirmed that he sent the message.

Rutte wants NATO leaders to endorse a huge spending hike for the 32-nation alliance at their meeting tomorrow.

Trump telegraphs potentially tough discussions with NATO allies over defense spending

Trump shared on his social media site a chart showing how much each of NATO’s 32 member countries spends — in dollars and as a percentage of GDP — on defense.

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The U.S. is approaching the $1 trillion mark and had spent around 3.2% of its gross domestic product in 2024, according to recent NATO estimates.

“This is incredible!” Trump posted. “Will be discussing it soon with the Members of NATO.”

Trump wants every country to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. But Spain says it won’t get there, and Slovakia says it reserves the right to decide for itself.

Trump last week went as far as to argue that the U.S. should not have to abide by the 5% spending pledge, although he appeared to soften those comments on Tuesday.

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Schumer blasts postponement of classified briefing on Iran

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is voicing anger with the Trump administration’s postponement of a classified briefing Tuesday for senators on the U.S.’s military strike in Iran, calling the delay “outrageous” and “evasive.”

“Senators deserve full transparency. There is a legal obligation for the administration to inform Congress about precisely what is happening,” Schumer said. “What are they afraid of? Why won’t they engage Congress in the critical details?”

The Senate briefing has been rescheduled for Thursday so Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio can attend, but Schumer said their appearance should be in addition to Tuesday’s schedule briefing, not as a replacement. He said he didn’t believe they would be informing senators of much compared to the witnesses for the previously scheduled briefing.

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“I think Hegseth is probably just going to give us talking points,” Schumer said, adding that he preferred to hear from Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Dan Caine, who was scheduled to brief lawmakers.

“He probably knows more about the military operations both now and in the future than anybody,” Schumer said. “There were good people from the State Department who knew all of the diplomatic stuff. We want to hear them.”

Trump administration postpones classified briefings for lawmakers on Iran

The Trump administration on Tuesday postponed classified briefings for Senate and House members as lawmakers are looking for more answers about Trump’s directed strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend and his announcement on Monday that the two countries had reached a ceasefire agreement.

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Both briefings were canceled and the Senate briefing has been rescheduled for Thursday so Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio can attend, according to multiple sources who requested anonymity ahead of an official announcement. It is unclear when the House will be briefed.

Mike Johnson, defending Trump, suggests War Powers Act is ‘unconstitutional’

Speaker Mike Johnson said that the “strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were clearly” within President Trump’s powers and questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act itself.

“The framers of our Constitution never intended for the president to seek the approval of Congress every time he exercised his constitutional authority” as commander in chief, Johnson said. “I’m not even sure it’s constitutional,” Johnson said of the War Powers Act.

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Johnson, a constitutional lawyer, said that “the framers did not explicitly set restrictions on the president when it comes to using military force.” Still, Johnson said Trump followed the requirements of the War Powers Resolution, a law enacted in 1973.

“The bottom line is the commander in chief is the president, the military reports to the president, and the person empowered to act on the nation’s behalf is the president,” Johnson said.

Mike Johnson says Thomas Massie should ‘come to his senses’

The House speaker said a question about whether he would defend the Republican congressman from Kentucky against a potential primary challenge was the “hardest one” of his weekly news conference this morning.

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“The speaker leads the incumbent protection program,” he said, calling Massie a friend. “But I certainly understand the president’s frustration.”

Trump’s allies have launched a super PAC seeking to unseat Massie, who supported a resolution that would require congressional authorization for any attacks on Iran.

But Johnson said that Massie told him on the House floor Monday that he would back down as long as the ceasefire holds.

“I want him to come to his senses and work with the team,” Johnson said.

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Whistleblower claims Justice official suggested ignoring court orders

The government lawyer who was fired after conceding that a Salvadoran man was deported by mistake has filed a whistleblower complaint.

Erez Reuveni is accusing Principal Assistant Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove of suggesting the Trump administration might have to ignore court orders as it prepared to deport Venezuelan migrants it accused of being gang members.

The complaint seeking an investigation was made public Tuesday, just as Bove prepares to face lawmakers Wednesday for his confirmation hearing to become a federal appeals court judge. It was first reported by The New York Times.

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Reuveni was fired after conceding to a federal judge that Kilmar Abrego Garcia should not have been deported to El Salvador.

The whistleblower filing says Bove raised the possibility that judges might block deportations before they could be carried out, and told department officials they would need to consider telling the courts “f— you,” and to “ignore any such order.”

▶ Read more about the whistleblower complaint against Bove

Iran still faces ‘tactical capability’ to threaten US, military official says

A top U.S. military official says Iran still possesses “significant tactical capability” despite an American strike over the weekend on three of the country’s nuclear sites.

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Vice Admiral Brad Cooper told lawmakers Tuesday that that capability was demonstrated by Iran’s limited retaliatory missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

In response to a question about whether Iran still poses a threat to U.S. troops and Americans around the world, he replied, “They do.”

Cooper is currently the deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command. He made the remarks at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing as the panel considers his nomination for the position of commander of Central Command.

Trump says it was ‘my great honor’ to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities

But the extent of the damage hasn’t been fully determined, despite Trump’s claim that Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been “completely and totally obliterated.”

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In a fresh social media post, Trump said Israel and Iran wanted to stop the war equally. A ceasefire is in effect after 12 days of hostilities between the enemy countries.

“It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!” Trump posted.

Military leaders said at the Pentagon on Sunday that the U.S. bombardment inflicted “severe” damage to Iran’s nuclear sites, but officials were still conducting a damage assessment. Almost 400 kilograms, or 880 pounds, of uranium the Iranians had enriched to 60% are publicly unaccounted for.

Trump urges no vacation for Congress until lawmakers finish his ‘big beautiful’ bill

The Republican-controlled House and Senate are scheduled to be on recess next week for the Fourth of July holiday, but that could change as GOP leaders signal their determination to send Trump the bill by his Independence Day deadline.

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The Senate is currently working on the tax and spending cuts measure after the House passed it near the end of May.

Trump offered senators some unsolicited advice in another social media post sent during his flight to Europe.

“To my friends in the Senate, lock yourself in a room if you must, don’t go home, and GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK. Work with the House so they can pick it up, and pass it, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said. “NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he told his members to keep their schedules flexible.

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Anti-NATO protesters chant slogans, sing karaoke near summit

Outside a super-tight security perimeter, hundreds of people have turned out to protest at the NATO summit site in The Hague.

“They call it the defense industry, we call it the murder industry,” Azra Sayeed of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, which describes itself as an anti-imperialist organization, told The Associated Press.

The 65-year-old traveled from her native Pakistan to join various demonstrations opposed to NATO. Tuesday’s event, held around 2 miles away from where the leaders are meeting, included anti-imperialist karaoke and a clothing upcycling workshop.

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A handful of environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion tried Monday to blockade the highway that delegations would use to reach The Hague from Amsterdam’s airport, but were thwarted by police. On Sunday, hundreds of people protested NATO and the war in Gaza, and Iranians held up banners saying “No Iran War.”

Trump to have a sleepover fit for a king

Trump was expected to stay at a swanky hotel while visiting The Hague for a summit of the 32 leaders of NATO on Wednesday. Now he’s gotten a significant upgrade.

On arrival Tuesday night, he’ll be whisked by motorcade along closed-off highways to the Huis Ten Bosch palace, nestled in a forest, for a dinner with alliance leaders hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander.

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A Dutch government information service spokeswoman, Anna Sophia Posthumus, tells The Associated Press that the president will be sleeping at the 17th-century palace that is home to Willem-Alexander, his Argentine-born wife Queen Maxima and their three daughters, though the princesses have mostly flown the royal nest to pursue studies.

▶ Read more about Trump’s royal sleepover

Trump dares Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to ‘MAKE MY DAY’ with impeachment call

Trump’s challenge came in a lengthy and invective-filled response to her call for him to be impeached for striking Iran without approval from Congress.

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The Republican president called the Democratic politician from New York “stupid” and attributed her “rantings” to “all of the Victories that the U.S.A. has had under the Trump administration.”

“The Democrats aren’t used to WINNING, and she can’t stand the concept of our Country being successful again,” Trump wrote.

Trump alluded to his two impeachments by Democrats who ran the House during his first term and dared Ocasio Cortez and her “Democrat friends” to “go ahead and try Impeaching me, again, MAKE MY DAY!” Now in GOP control, the House is certain to reject any impeachment votes.

Powell says tariffs likely to push up inflation, slow economy

The Federal Reserve chairman said Trump’s sweeping tariffs may still push up prices and slow growth later this year, even though so far the duties haven’t worsened inflation.

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Powell is testifying before the House Financial Services Committee after coming under sharp criticism from Trump for not cutting the Fed’s key interest rate. Powell said the Fed will take time to evaluate the economy’s evolution before deciding whether to reduce borrowing costs.

Powell said “ increases in tariffs this year are likely to push up prices and weigh on economic activity.” He said the bump to inflation from tariffs could be temporary, or it could lead to a more persistent bout of inflation.

The Fed’s “obligation,” Powell said, is “to prevent a one-time increase in the price level from becoming an ongoing inflation problem.”

New media proves lucrative for established figures fleeing ‘mainstream’

A new world of podcasts, newsletters and websites has expanded, providing a lifeline to legacy media refugees striking out on their own.

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Megyn Kelly, Jennifer Rubin, Bari Weiss and Mehdi Hasan are among the barons of this new world, with sites like the Contrarian and Zeteo, fueled by the explosive growth of YouTube and Substack in providing a landing place for new ideas.

Substack says it has 5 million paying subscribers, 50,000 of its publishers make money, and more than 50 are earning more than $1 million annually.

Terry Moran headed almost immediately to Substack after he was cut loose by ABC News on June 10 for an anti-Trump tweet. Former NBC’s “Today” show hosts Katie Couric and Hoda Kotb announced new media ventures on the same day last month.

Couric says she’s seen “this whole space explode with people who are understanding that this is a really important way to convey information.”

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▶ Read more about mainstream media figures finding profit online

Americans’ view of the economy resumes its slide

Americans’ view of the U.S. economy worsened in June, resuming a downward slide that had dragged consumer confidence to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index slid to 93 in June, down 5.4 points from 98.4 last month, which represented a brief uptick. In April, American consumers’ confidence in the economy sank to its lowest reading since May 2020, largely due to anxiety over the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

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A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market fell 4.6 points to 69. That’s well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead.

Consumers’ assessments of the present economic situation declined by 6.4 points to 129.1.

▶ Read more about the Consumer Confidence survey

Trump posts private message from NATO Secretary-General

The U.S. president, while flying aboard Air Force One en route to the Netherlands, published a screenshot of a text from Mark Rutte praising him on his decision to strike three Iranian nuclear sites.

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“Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran,” Rutte wrote in the message, which appeared to be on the secure messaging platform Signal. “That was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do. It makes us safer.”

Rutte also wrote to Trump that he was “flying into another big success in The Hague this evening,” noting that other countries had signed onto the new pledge for NATO member countries to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense.

NATO confirmed that the post was a message that Rutte had sent to Trump earlier Tuesday.

US Rep. Al Green seeks to impeach Trump over Iran strikes

The Democrat from Texas introduced a single article of impeachment asserting that Trump has abused his power as president and “become a threat to democracy” by starting the “illegal and unconstitutional war” without authorization from Congress, in violation of the constitution’s War Powers clause.

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Green, who has filed previous impeachment articles against Trump claiming high crimes and misdemeanors, said in a statement that Trump’s “authoritarian actions are a warning sign we cannot ignore… we must uphold and protect our Constitution from being dismantled by an authoritarian president who seeks unchecked power.”

Major crypto players and their ties to Trump

President Donald Trump took office in January pledging to “make America the crypto capital of the world.” He has since harnessed wide swaths of the federal government to bolster the industry — all while raking in huge sums of money for his family’s business.

By some estimates, crypto ventures now account for nearly 40% of the Trump Organization’s $2.9 billion net worth. But the Republican president’s championing of the industry has been just as big a boon for many of the industry’s top names.

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Many have seen their profits and political standing soar, while investigations of potential wrongdoing and other legal entanglements led by the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden, have largely fallen away.

▶ Read more about the crypto industry’s top leaders and their ties to Trump

Homeland Security warns of ‘heightened threat environment’

The warning followed the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The deputy FBI director says the bureau’s “assets are fully engaged” to prevent retaliatory violence, while local law enforcement agencies in major cities like New York say they’re on high alert.

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No credible threats to the homeland have surfaced publicly in the days since the stealth American attack. It’s also unclear what bearing the tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran might have on potential threats, or how lasting such an arrangement might be.

But the potential for reprisal is no idle concern given the steps Iran is accused of having taken in recent years to target political figures on U.S. soil. Iranian-backed hackers have also launched cyberattacks against U.S. targets in recent years.

The DHS warns of an increased likelihood that a “supporter of the Iranian regime is inspired to commit an act of violence in the Homeland.

Truckers fear job loss as new English language rules take effect

Brushing up on English has taken on new urgency for truck drivers in the United States. Trump issued an executive order saying truckers who don’t read and speak the language proficiently would be considered unfit for service.

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Federal guidelines for applying the order are going into effect. They call for enhanced roadside inspections to decide if truckers can reply to questions and directions in English, as well as understand highway traffic signs and message boards. Some truckers worry they may lose their jobs if they make a mistake or speak with a heavy accent.

“A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last month while announcing enforcement guidelines that take effect on Wednesday.

▶ Read more on Trump’s executive order on truck drivers

Trump says he thinks he’ll see Volodymyr Zelenskyy during NATO summit

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s bid to join the 32-nation alliance has been put in deep freeze by Trump. In a telling sign of Ukraine’s status at the two-day summit, neither leader mentioned NATO by name during brief remarks to reporters Tuesday.

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Zelenskyy and Trump’s relationship has been strained since a very public Oval Office bust up earlier this year. But they both are expected to attend a dinner hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander Tuesday evening for leaders attending the summit.

Trump and the Ukrainian President were scheduled to meet on the margins of last week’s Group of Seven summit in Canada — but it didn’t happen because Trump left Canada a day ahead of schedule to return to Washington because of the Iran crisis.

“Yeah, probably I’ll see him,” Trump said aboard Air Force One when he was asked about the possibility of seeing Zelenskyy during the NATO summit at The Hague.

▶ Read more about NATO Summit developments

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Trump dodges question on NATO mutual defense pledge

Trump did not answer directly when asked Tuesday whether he would abide by Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which outlines the alliance’s mutual defense guarantees.

“Depends on your definition,” he told reporters traveling on Air Force One en route to The Netherlands. “There’s numerous definitions of Article Five, you know that, right? But I’m committed to being their friends.”

Asked later to clarify, Trump said he is “committed to life and safety” but did not clarify further, saying he did not want to go into further details in the back of an airplane.

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Democratic leader: Thousands of American lives could be at risk

The classified intelligence briefings could turn contentious as many lawmakers feel they have been left in the dark on what led to the strikes and amid escalating tensions between the White House and Congress over the role of the United States internationally — disagreements that don’t always fall along party lines.

“We expect them to explain to the American people what were the results in terms of actually thwarting Iran’s capacity to become a nuclear power and what are the Trump administration’s plans to avoid another potentially disastrous war in the Middle East, where thousands of American lives are potentially at risk,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

▶Read more about congressional responses to Trump’s air strikes on Iran

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Intelligence leaders are set to brief Congress on Trump’s Iran strikes

Members of Congress will get classified briefings directly from intelligence leaders three days after Trump directed strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and a day after Iran struck a U.S. base in Qatar.

Separate House and Senate briefings will be led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, along with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and deputy secretaries of state Christopher Landau and Steve Feinberg.

Democrats and some Republicans have questions about the unilateral decision to launch military action, arguing that the president should have gone to Congress for approval — or at least provided more justification for the attacks.

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World shares rally on Trump’s ceasefire announcement

Stocks rallied and oil prices fell Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced what appears to be a shaky ceasefire in the Israel-Iran war.

The tentative truce proposed by Trump remained uncertain after Israel said Iran had launched missiles into its airspace less than three hours after the ceasefire went into effect. It vowed to retaliate.

Still, investors took heart after Trump said Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” soon after Iran launched limited missile attacks Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites over the weekend.

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“The Middle East may still be smoldering, but as far as markets are concerned, the fire alarm has been shut off,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

▶ Read more about today’s financial market movements

Federal Reserve Chair to face Congress as key interest rate stands

Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the Federal Reserve will continue to wait and see how the economy evolves before deciding whether to reduce its key interest rate, a stance directly at odds with President Donald Trump’s calls for immediate cuts.

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“For the time being, we are well positioned to wait to learn more about the likely course of the economy before considering any adjustments to our policy stance,” Powell said in prepared remarks he will deliver early Tuesday before the House Financial Services Committee.

Powell is facing two days of what could be tough grilling on Capitol Hill, as Trump has repeatedly urged the Fed to reduce borrowing costs. Trump lashed out early Tuesday, posting: “I hope Congress really works this very dumb, hardheaded person, over. We will be paying for his incompetence for many years to come.”

Read more about Powell’s appearance before Congress

NATO leaders are expected to endorse a new defense spending pledge

Trump heads to a two-day NATO summit in Europe laden with uncertainty. Iran’s response to U.S. air strikes, the fate of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the future of U.S. troops based in NATO countries are all up in the air.

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Trump’s first appearance at NATO since returning to the White House was supposed to center on how the U.S. secured a historic military spending pledge of 5% GDP from each nation in the defensive alliance — with some exceptions.

“NATO has no opt-out, and NATO does no side deals,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told reporters in The Hague. “It is critical that each ally carries their fair share of the burden.”

However, Spain said that it has reached a deal with NATO to be excluded from the 5% target, while President Donald Trump said the figure shouldn’t apply to the United States, only its allies.

But the spotlight is now on Trump’s attempts to broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The sharp U-turn in hostilities just hours before he departed for the summit is sure to dominate the discussions in The Hague, Netherlands.

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▶ Read more about the NATO summit

Justices allow Trump to restart swift deportation of migrants away from home countries

A divided Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to restart swift removals of migrants to countries other than their homelands, as Trump continues his sweeping immigration crackdown that has sparked widespread protests, high-profile detentions and various court challenges.

The majority’s action, issued without explanation, lifts for now a court order requiring they get a chance to challenge the deportations. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston had found the administration had violated his order by sending eight people to South Sudan in May.

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The migrants had been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. and immigration officials have said they were unable to return them quickly to their home countries. Authorities instead landed the plane at a U.S. naval base in Djibouti.

All three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing that the court’s action exposes “ thousands to the risk of torture or death.”

▶ Read more about the Supreme Court’s decision

Trump will soon face a congressional vote over his military powers

While the president has authority as the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces to order specific military actions, any prolonged war-time footing would traditionally need authorization from Congress.

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The House and Senate authorized actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.

Trump faces a vote in Congress as soon as this week on a war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would “direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.”

Another resolution has been introduced by lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. House.

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All 32 NATO allies are meeting in The Hague for the annual leaders summit where NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that Russia remains “the most significant and direct threat facing the alliance.”

But in contrast to last year, the focus on Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine is notably diminished from formal discussions.

Instead, the summit is pursuing a narrower ambition of pushing for allies to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defence.

“We know that the position of the United States has changed and therefore also here at the NATO Summit”, Dutch Defence minister Ruben Brekelmans told Euronews.

“The main topic, of course, is the 5% is a new, this historic step for our defence. But Ukraine remains equally important to us”, he said.

Ukrainian President Zelensky is attending the dinner the Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander alongside leaders, and is also expected to meet with President Trump on the side-lines of the summit.

President Donald Trump arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport ahead of the NATO summit, 24 June, 2025 (President Donald Trump arrives at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport ahead of the NATO summit, 24 June, 2025)

However, this year he won’t be present at the North Atlantic Council of heads of state and government.

In contrast, at last year’s NATO summit under the Biden administration Ukraine was given “irreversible” assurances of a path to membership. Allies assured Kyiv that it was on an “indestructible bridge” to join the alliance.

“Trump signalled he wanted the indestructible bridge off the table from the start,” Jason Israel, former member of the Biden administration’s National Security Council and senior director for defence, told Euronews.

“If I was Ukraine, of course I’d be nervous about how this is playing out at the moment,” he said.

There’s a growing acceptance that the US – although still providing Ukraine with vital intelligence – will no longer provide Ukraine with lethal weapons similar to that donated by the Biden administration.

“The real issue, is that the US does not see Ukrainian security as essential to European security, and our European allies do so,” said Kurt Volker, former US representative to Ukraine in the last Trump administration.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed by Netherland’s King Willem Alexander and Netherland’s Queen Maxima at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch, 24 June, 2025 (Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcomed by Netherland’s King Willem Alexander and Netherland’s Queen Maxima at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch, 24 June, 2025)

Europe “feels that if Putin is allowed to prevail in Ukraine, or if Ukraine does not survive as a sovereign, independent state, they are at risk, and that is a big security threat for Europe and NATO,” he said ahead of the summit at an event organised by the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).

Europe sees “the need to support Ukraine as integral to our security through NATO, the US simply doesn’t see it that way,” said Volker.

At the same time, NATO officials warn Russia is continuing to make gains around Sumy Oblast and Eastern Ukraine, although their assessment doesn’t predict Ukraine will be encircled.

Instead a high attrition rate and a slow, protracted conflict is expected to continue.

This is despite the remarkably high casualty rate – NATO says Russia’s troop losses have surpassed one million since the start of the full scale invasion.

Russia is currently “taking” 1,100 daily casualties, “down from peak in January of 1,500,” they said.

More than 150 people fell ill with heat at an outdoor high school graduation ceremony in New Jersey on Monday – and the fire chief of the city of Paterson declared “a mass casualty incident” due to the overwhelming number of those who needed emergency treatment.

The incident happened as students from several local schools in the city gathered at Hinchliffe Stadium to hear their names read out as graduates. Paterson’s fire department said about 50 people were evaluated, and nine were sent to a local hospital from the stadium.

During a second ceremony at the stadium, about 100 people ended up needing treatment – and seven were hospitalized. The Paterson mayor, André Sayegh, declared a state of emergency due to the high heat and canceled all recreational activities “until further notice”.

Temperatures in the region have soared in recent days, registering in the upper 90s fahrenheit. But the humidity pushes heat indexes to 107F (42C). In all, 150 million people have been under heat alerts from Maine to eastern Texas.

The brutal temperatures stem from a so-called heat dome, which is when high pressure from Earth’s atmosphere compresses warm air and pushes it down to the surface. They have been increasingly common in the US in recent years because of rising global temperatures being spurred by Earth’s ongoing climate emergency.

Temperatures in New York City on Tuesday inspired the attorney general, Letitia James, to predict that the heat could benefit the progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is running in the Big Apple’s closely watched Democratic mayoral primary.

“Mother Nature will have the last word,” James said. Taking an overt dig at Mamdani’s rival Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as New York governor amid accusations of sexually harassing women, James added: “She represents women scorned.

“How ironic.”

In the north-eastern US, several heat records look set to fall as temperatures in some locations are predicted to reach 110F. “Significant and dangerous heat continues today, with potentially some of the hottest temperatures in over a decade in some locations,” the weather service Accuweather said on Tuesday.

The national Storm Prediction Center says all areas of New Jersey have a “marginal” risk of seeing severe thunderstorms with small hail and damaging winds on Wednesday. That could bring a reprieve from the temperatures while giving residents other weather perils to worry about.