Groundhog Day in the Mideast as U.S. joins Israeli-Iranian conflict: June 23, 2025
A 10-minute read about the latest from the Hill, the White House, and all things dominating the headlines.
What a weekend. The world struggled Sunday with the far-reaching consequences of the United States stepping into Israel’s conflict with Iran through an attack that sparked urgent concerns about the status of Tehran’s nuclear program and how its diminished military might retaliate. Some analysts cautioned that the coming days could determine the fate of global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
Iran condemned the U.S. for crossing “a very big red line” with what it described as a dangerous move to hit three Iranian nuclear facilities using missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. The nuclear sites — located in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan — suffered what Pentagon officials described as “severe damage” from the attacks. Iranian leaders condemned the United States, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating at a news conference in Istanbul that Iran “reserves all options to defend its security interests and people.” He declined to elaborate, including on whether Iran planned to target U.S. military forces in the region, where more than 40,000 American personnel are stationed on bases and warships.
“The U.S. has attacked us; what would you do in such a situation? Naturally, they must receive a response to their aggression,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the French president in a call, according to his official website.
As world leaders urgently appealed for diplomacy, President Trump raised the possibility of regime change in Tehran. “If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
📌 Today’s Highlights:
- U.S. in the throes of record-breaking heat
- Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears passage with skyrocketing uninsured rates on the horizon
- NYC mayoral race one day away
🏛️ THE HILL REPORT
Major legislative moves: Late Saturday, the Senate’s rules referee approved a Republican-backed provision in their sweeping legislation that would impose a 10-year pause on enforcing state and local artificial intelligence laws — a surprising outcome for a measure that has divided the GOP. Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) revised the House-passed AI moratorium in an effort to meet the Senate’s budgetary requirements. His version ties compliance with the moratorium to eligibility for billions in federal funding for broadband expansion. Lawmakers from both parties presented their cases to the parliamentarian on Thursday.
Power dynamics: Sen. Josh Hawley is calling on GOP leadership to remove Senate Finance Committee language that modifies a major Medicaid financing measure, cautioning that House Republicans are already signaling it won’t pass in their chamber. “I don’t know why we would pass something that the House can’t pass and will force us into [a] conference,” the Missouri Republican said in an interview regarding the proposed restrictions on the state provider tax. Hawley also noted that he and other Senate Republicans were surprised by the Senate’s proposal, which would scale back the tax most states rely on to fund their Medicaid programs, rather than merely freezing it as the House version does.
What’s next: The Senate will continue advancing Trump’s nominations, including Daniel Zimmerman for assistant secretary of Defense, and move forward with efforts to bring the GOP megabill to a vote.
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🏰 WHITE HOUSE WATCH
War powers: Before ordering strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, President Trump did not seek authorization from Congress, which the U.S. Constitution designates as holding the exclusive power to declare war. Many Democrats, along with some Republicans, contend that the attack effectively amounted to a declaration of war and that Trump acted unlawfully. Several Trump advisers pushed back, describing the strike as a targeted action focused solely on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, not one that constitutes war. “This is not a war against Iran,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Fox News Sunday. Vice President JD Vance maintained that Trump had “clear authority to act to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
Voice of America’s end: The Trump administration issued termination notices to hundreds of Voice of America employees on Friday. This action — which formalizes what had been anticipated since hundreds of contract workers received termination letters in early May — marks the latest phase of the administration’s broader effort to shrink the federal workforce, limit press influence, and redefine America’s global role. Critics of the administration’s targeting of VOA argue that the outlet has been essential in fighting disinformation overseas. The administration, however, maintains that the cuts are part of a plan to “cut waste” and prioritize “American taxpayers first.”
🗣️ WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“I certainly empathize with Americans who are exhausted after 25 years of foreign entanglements in the Middle East,” VP Vance said on “Meet the Press.” “I understand the concern, but the difference is that back then, we had dumb presidents, and now we have a president who actually knows how to accomplish America’s national security objectives.”
Vance’s messaging on Sunday — boosted alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s by the White House’s rapid response team through a steady stream of social media clips — aligned with some of his more hardline views on Iran. However, his television appearances also aimed to reassure those who, like Vance himself, have generally been wary of or outright opposed to foreign intervention
🌎 Beyond the District
A heat dome: Tens of millions across the Midwest and East faced dangerously high temperatures again on Sunday as a widespread June heat wave continued to grip much of the U.S., with forecasts indicating it will persist well into the week. The National Weather Service reported that much of the northeastern quadrant of the country—from Minnesota to Maine—remained under various heat advisories. Parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi were also affected.
Weather service offices throughout the region cautioned residents about sweltering and potentially life-threatening conditions lasting through Wednesday. “Please plan ahead to take frequent breaks if you must be outside, stay hydrated and provide plenty of water and shade for any outdoor animals,” the Wakefield, Virginia, office posted on X.
Meteorologists attribute the extreme heat to a phenomenon called a heat dome, a large zone of high pressure in the upper atmosphere that traps heat and humidity.
NYC mayoral race: The Democratic primary for New York City mayor has narrowed into a two-man race heading into tomorrow’s vote, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo holding a modest but shrinking lead over Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. The Marist Institute for Public Opinion found that 38 percent of likely voters plan to rank Cuomo first on their ballots, compared to 27 percent for Mamdani. In a simulation of the city’s ranked-choice voting system, Cuomo beat Mamdani by 10 points in the seventh round.
Still, with just one day to go before the June 24 primary, the poll showed growing momentum for Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist campaigning on an economic populist platform. He has nearly halved Cuomo’s lead since May by consolidating progressive support and gaining traction with Latino voters. Comptroller Brad Lander, who came in a distant third in the poll, could also see renewed attention after his arrest Tuesday by federal agents at an immigration courthouse in Lower Manhattan, where he was attempting to accompany a migrant targeted for arrest.
Brazilian air balloon: At least eight people were killed after a hot-air balloon carrying more than 20 passengers caught fire and plummeted from the sky in southern Brazil. Videos shared on social media captured the dramatic moment the colorful balloon, engulfed in flames, descended rapidly in the state of Santa Catarina on Saturday morning. As the fire spread, at least two individuals were seen falling from the balloon. “My God!” a witness can be heard exclaiming as the basket crashes toward the ground.
👀 ONE BIG THING TO WATCH
A federal judge in New Jersey on Friday ordered the Trump administration to release Mahmoud Khalil from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
“After more than three months we can finally breathe a sigh of relief and know that Mahmoud is on his way home,” said Dr. Noor Abdalla, Khalil’s wife, in a release from the American Civil Liberties Union. “We know this ruling does not begin to address the injustices the Trump administration has brought upon our family, and so many others the government is trying to silence for speaking out against Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians. But today we are celebrating.”
Judge Michael Farbiarz approved a request from Khalil’s legal team for his release on bail, according to multiple reports. The decision marks the latest turn in a lengthy and high-profile legal standoff between the green card holder and the Trump administration. Khalil, a legal permanent resident who participated in pro-Palestine demonstrations at Columbia University, has been held in ICE detention since March. His arrest drew national attention after footage showed officers handcuffing him beside his then-pregnant wife. He has since missed the birth of their son and spent several months at a detention facility in Louisiana.
Following a ruling last week that struck down the Trump administration’s justification for detaining Khalil, government attorneys returned to court with new claims, alleging he intentionally omitted details about his connections to several nonprofits on his green card application. Despite the renewed accusations, Judge Farbiarz ordered Khalil’s release, stating he does not pose a flight risk.
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