All eyes are on Iran to see how it reacts to U.S. strikes at its nuclear facilities. Polls hint that President Donald Trump’s agenda bill isn’t popular with registered voters. And the Oklahoma City Thunder win the city’s first NBA championship.
Here’s what to know today.
U.S. and the world await a response to strike on Iran
Iran’s foreign minister is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today, as the U.S. braces for potential Iranian retaliation against strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The goal of the meeting is to bring Iran and Russia’s positions closer “under these new and precarious circumstances,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian state news agency IRNA. The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, is also set to hold an emergency meeting today in light of an “urgent situation” in Iran.
The meetings come as the world braces for Iran’s response after the U.S. entered the conflict between Israel and Iran by striking three nuclear facilities over the weekend.
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U.S. officials said the first 48 hours after the attack would be a particular concern. For now, it’s not known whether retaliation would target overseas or domestic locations or both. It also remains to be seen the impact a retaliation might have on U.S. bases in the Middle East, on oil exports traveling through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, or on cybersecurity. The threat, however, prompted the State Department to issue its first Worldwide Caution in over a year, warning U.S. citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution” when traveling.
The weekend strike, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, targeted Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Trump claimed last night in a social media post that the biggest damage to the sites happened “far below ground level,” adding, “Obliteration is an accurate term,” though an Iranian official disputed the claim. Trump also appeared to call for an Iranian regime change, a departure from the messaging that members of his administration have been pushing since the strikes. Just yesterday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission “was not, has not been about regime change.”
Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
More on the Middle East conflict:
- Oil prices and stock futures slipped yesterday evening, indicating concern about the possibility of economic fallout.
- Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that the U.S. is not at war with Iran, but with Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. His defense of Trump clashes with past arguments about being skeptical or opposed to foreign intervention.
- Trump’s decision is the latest example of a U.S. president taking military action without first seeking congressional approval, a practice that has become routine in recent decades.
- A “brain drain” in top Justice Department and FBI national security and counterterrorism units could reduce the U.S.’s ability to prevent potential terror and cyber attacks.
- Trump said before he wouldn’t ensnare the U.S. in foreign conflicts. Now, Democrats are using his words against him in making the case that the country is becoming more dangerous on his watch.
- Two key Trump advisers are launching a group to unseat Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who has a history of opposing Trump and most recently lambasted the decision on the U.S. strike.
Polls show Trump’s agenda bill is unpopular
There are just under two weeks left until July 4 — the deadline Senate Republicans are aiming for to pass the bill for Trump’s agenda. And new surveys indicate the GOP is losing the battle of public opinion, including a Fox News poll that found 59% of registered voters oppose the legislation and a Quinnipiac University poll that found 53% of registered voters who oppose it. Other polls from KFF, Pew Research Center and Washington Post and Ipsos also found that more voters oppose the bill than favor it.
The bill, which would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts while slashing taxes on tips and overtime and enacting a series of spending cuts to Medicaid and other programs. The Senate is eyeing some changes to the House-passed bill, such as less aggressive cuts to clean energy funding and more aggressive Medicaid spending reductions. They’re also considering a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions versus the $40,000 cap the House agreed to, potentially setting up a confrontation between the chambers. Read the full story here.
Man killed after opening fire outside Michigan church
A man who opened fire outside a Michigan church was killed by two employees who returned fire, police said. The deadly exchange at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, about 30 miles west of Detroit, may have prevented a tragic mass shooting, Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said. The unnamed suspect was described as a 31-year-old who was possibly “suffering a mental health crisis,” Strong said, and he was virtually unknown to the church. A security guard at the church was shot twice in the leg, but his injuries were “non-life-threatening.”
A video livestream from inside the church captured the moment the congregation reacted to reports of the shooter, with people running from the room and taking cover behind chairs. Gunfire could be heard as a woman on a stage spoke. People in the pews began yelling and rushing out of view of the camera. Here’s what else we know.
Oklahoma City Thunder win the NBA title
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2024-25 NBA champions after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the Finals. It’s the first championship for the Thunder since they relocated to Oklahoma City from Seattle in 2008.
The Pacers suffered a huge setback in the first quarter when star point guard Tyrese Haliburton left the game with what his father later said was an Achilles injury. The game remained close in the first half, but the Thunder turned it around in the third quarter and didn’t give up their lead, propelling the team to victory.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the regular season MVP and now also the Finals MVP, led all scorers with 29 points. Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin finished with 24 points. See more highlights from the game.
While the Thunder’s win closes out this season, conversation is already swirling about the 2025-26 season. With stars Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort all under contract and all under 27 years old, there is evidence to suggest they could be the team that ends the NBA’s parity era.
Read All About It
- A dangerous heat wave is predicted to hit the Midwest and East Coast today and tomorrow. Here’s how to stay safe and heat exhaustion symptoms to watch for.
- Mahmoud Khalil described his time in ICE custody and decried Columbia University’s “hypocrisy” after his release from a Louisiana facility.
- The Trump administration appealed a federal judge’s orders to release Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador before he was returned to the U.S., pending trial on human smuggling charges.
Staff Pick: The anti-porn movement is having a moment
What do feminists, religious crusaders, alpha male influencers and several politicians have in common? They’re among the most prominent voices in the anti-pornography movement as the discussion around it becomes more mainstream. The Supreme Court is set to rule in a case concerning a Texas law requiring porn websites to confirm a visitor’s age and whether it infringers on adults’ First Amendment rights. And how “bad” it really is has become a heated subject. So, how did we get here? How has the internet changed things? And what does the science say? News editor Pilar Melendez dives into these questions. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
The month of June had a ton of new product releases from brands like Nintendo, Ugg, Glossier and more. Here are 33+ new products the NBC Select team thinks you should know about. Plus, our team dove into the best products to help with postpartum hair loss. Experts explain that the right routine can help set the stage for future growth.
Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.
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