Happy Thursday! Big news: Kermit the Frog will be delivering the University of Maryland commencement address on Thursday. But if you thought the beloved muppet would be a good choice to dodge campus uproar, think again—students are already criticizing administrators for avoiding “real issues.”
Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories
- A gunman shot and killed two Israeli Embassy staff who were leaving an event at the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night. The suspect—a 30-year-old from Chicago who later attempted to breach the museum—yelled “free, free Palestine” following his arrest, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said during a media briefing. “Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said Wednesday, calling the shooting a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, meanwhile, said U.S. officials were “actively investigating” the attack and vowed to bring the “depraved perpetrator to justice.” The victims—a man and a woman—were planning to get engaged, the Israeli Embassy in Washington confirmed.
- President Donald Trump on Wednesday had a heated exchange with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his visit to the White House, accusing the country of conducting a “genocide” against white Afrikaners. Trump dimmed the lights in the Oval Office and played a prepared montage of clips to justify his roundly debunked claims, which Ramaphosa—who called for a “reset” between South Africa and the U.S. in his opening remarks— vehemently denied. In February, the White House suspended all aid to South Africa, citing the country’s alleged discrimination against white farmers, and granted refugee status to Afrikaners “escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination.” The U.S. accepted 59 Afrikaners last week.
- The Pentagon said on Wednesday that it had officially taken possession of a luxury jet from Qatar, which gave the $400 million aircraft to Trump as a gift. The Air Force said it would award a contract to modify the plane to serve as Air Force One, as White House officials seek to have the jet ready by the end of the year. But both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns about the ethics and safety of accepting the aircraft from Qatar. On Monday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, introduced a bill to ban the use of foreign planes as Air Force One, but the measure failed to pass on Wednesday.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that the country will not stop enriching uranium, “with or without an agreement,” as nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran continue. The remarks followed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Tuesday statement casting doubt on the likelihood of negotiations between the two countries ending in a deal. “Try not to talk nonsense,” the ayatollah said, addressing American negotiators. U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Sunday that Iranian uranium enrichment is a “red line” for Washington, though American officials—including Witkoff himself—have wavered on that point in the past.
- Israel is planning possible military strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, multiple outlets reported this week. U.S. officials leaked information to CNN on Tuesday stating that Israel was readying strikes despite the Trump administration’s pursuit of a deal with Iran, and on Wednesday, Israeli sources told Axios—confirming initial reports—that Israel was preparing to attack if the talks between the U.S. and Iran break down, which they believe is now more likely. In April, Trump said that the U.S. would be a “leader” in attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities if a deal was not reached.
- The European Union and the United Kingdom imposed new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, without the United States. The new penalties target Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which includes more than 200 vessels used to transport and sell Russian oil internationally. The EU is already discussing additional sanctions that would target the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, Russia’s financial sector, and additional ships in the shadow fleet. The increased pressure on Russia comes after President Trump backed away from his previous demand that Russia declare an immediate, 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, instead declaring that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire.”
- House Republican leadership released a new version of its tax cut and spending bill on Wednesday night, including last-minute changes. In its new form, the bill moves up the enforcement of new Medicaid work requirements from 2029 to December 2026, ends certain clean energy tax credits in 2028 instead of 2031, and increases the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap from $30,000 to $40,000 for people making less than $500,000 a year. The amended version is expected to go to the floor on Thursday.
- Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, died Wednesday at the age of 75. A nine-term congressman, Connolly in April announced his decision not to seek reelection in 2026 after a battle with esophageal cancer. “We were fortunate to share Gerry with Northern Virginia for nearly 40 years because that was his joy, his purpose, and his passion,” his family said in a statement.
From Diplomats, For Decision Makers!
Israel’s ‘Eighth Front’
Two young aides from the Israeli Embassy were leaving the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., when they were ambushed by a gunman and fatally shot at close range just after 9 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect, a 30-year-old from Chicago, yelled “free, free Palestine” after being detained as he attempted to breach the museum. His victims were later identified as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple who planned to get engaged in Jerusalem next week.
Details of the shocking attack are still emerging. But it comes amid a rising tide of antisemitism in the 19 months since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel, in which terrorists killed more than 1,200 people and abducted 251 others into the Gaza Strip. Israeli and Jewish communities across the West are now bracing for the possibility of further violence, as they continue to stare down the threat of both state-sponsored attacks and homegrown extremism. “My primary concern — one that is likely shared by law enforcement agencies — is that this heinous act of murder in DC may catalyze additional terrorist attacks targeting Jews,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyst Joe Truzman said following the attack.
Wednesday’s shooting appeared to target ...
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Today’s Must-Read
In August 2009, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce attacked President Barack Obama’s budding health care overhaul, declaring in a scathing television advertisement the legislation would raise taxes, balloon the deficit, and socialize medicine. Motivating the business lobbying group’s aggressive opposition were concerns the eventual Affordable Care Act would stifle economic growth and threaten its members’ profitability. Nearly 16 years later, the chamber is again at odds with a president and his prized agenda. But unlike the Obamacare hypothetical, Donald Trump’s unilateral implementation of tariffs on foreign imports is doing demonstrable damage to economic growth and business profitability. Yet rather than publicly target the president’s trade policies, the group is relying on respectful lobbying to obtain relief for its members.
Toeing the Company Line
What if AI Means More Jobs, Not Fewer?
In some industries, artificial intelligence is creating more jobs than it’s killing
The Limits of Bribery
Why Trump can’t get Putin to bend.
In Praise of Hippie Punching
Figuratively, of course.
Memecoin Dinner Offers Foreign, Anonymous Donors Access to Trump
Ethics advisers warn against an unprecedented conflict of interest.
The Student Loan Payment Mess Is About to Get Worse
Mixed messages about forgiveness and repayments have led to a new wave of delinquent borrowers.
Law and Marriage
I don’t wanna play this game anymore!
You’re Wrong About Originalism
Forgive us Father Originalism, for we have sinned.
Worth Your Time
- In case you haven’t heard, the action horror movie Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, is a bona fide box office hit. Writing for Bloomberg, Jason Bailey explores why an exciting, original film was so successful—and why it might represent a turning point for the film industry. “It’s staying in theaters and remains in the top five because people are seeing it repeatedly and telling their friends to watch it. It’s hard to overstate how much this is not par for the course in our age of seemingly disposable entertainment (or, as some insist on calling it, ‘content’),” Bailey wrote. “Just as important as the word-of-mouth advertising — and perhaps even an extension of it — was Coogler’s savvy online campaign explaining the picture’s various exhibition formats (and, consequently, why filmgoers should prioritize seeing it in theaters). This approach is not unprecedented. The most recent efforts from Coogler’s contemporaries, Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, follow a similar filmmaker-forward marketing pattern. Emphasis has been placed on their reputations for quality, their insistence on shooting film versus digital and their pronounced preference for the theatrical viewing experience. In other words, what we’re seeing with these success stories are cases of the auteur as the marketable brand instead of a specific genre or IP.”
Presented Without Comment
The Hill: Trump Jr. On Possible White House Bid: ‘That Calling Is There’
Also Presented Without Comment
Associated Press: New North Korea Warship Is Damaged at Its Launch Ceremony Attended by Kim Jong Un
Also Also Presented Without Comment
NBC News: Trump Posts Altered Video of Himself Hitting Bruce Springsteen With a Golf Ball in Ongoing Feud
In the Zeitgeist
Critically acclaimed pop artist Lorde—best known for her 2013 LP Pure Heroine—is releasing her first new album in four years next month. Here’s the first single off her upcoming album.
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