• Israelis threaten Khamenei: While Israel and the U.S. have not named regime change in Iran as one of the goals or an official policy, the elephant in the room is the reality that the problem of Iran will not be solved without the Islamic Republic deposed. After an Iranian missile hit a Beersheba hospital, however, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz finally stated the obvious. “Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed — he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal,” Katz said. “Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist.” Notably, while Israel has confined its attacks to military targets, Iran has targeted civilians, which IDF spokesman Effie Defrin said “is no surprise for us.” Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of military targets across Iran yesterday.

• Iran rejects talks: Yesterday, Donald Trump gave Tehran a two-week deadline to come back to the negotiation table before he green-lights the U.S. dropping the massive bunker-busting bomb dubbed MOP on Iran’s most secure nuclear development facility, Fordow. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded to Trump’s offer by promptly rejecting it. “Americans want to negotiate and have sent messages several times, but we clearly said that as long as this aggression doesn’t stop, there’s no place for talk of dialogue,” Araqchi said. He then accused the U.S. of being a “partner to Israeli crime against Iran.” Israel has responded to Tehran’s rejection of negotiation by intensifying its air strikes on Iran.

• Trump wins National Guard case for now: A district judge interfered with Trump’s ability to govern the nation, and the judgment was overturned on appeal, but with enough wiggle room for the lower judge to continue interfering — same old story. One of about 700 U.S. district judges, Charles Breyer, ruled that Trump did not have the authority to federalize the National Guard in California, at least not without active rebellion or the approval of Governor Gavin Newsom. However, a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that Trump is due significant deference regarding federalizing the National Guard; he is subject to judicial scrutiny, but state governors do not have veto power over his ability to activate National Guard units. Judge Breyer is expected to hold a hearing today on issuing a follow-up indefinite injunction, which would need to be appealed again.

• Trump hits Juneteenth: Thursday was June 19th, or Juneteenth, the newest national holiday established by Joe Biden in 2021. It’s a celebration of the emancipation of slaves that dates back to the freeing of some of the last slaves in Texas. Donald Trump, of course, has an opinion. “Too many non-working holidays in America,” he said, explaining that all these days off work cost the U.S. economy “$BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” a year. Hard work and judicious time off are essential to his mission to Make America Great Again. Strong leadership often means being willing to promote the hard but necessary course rather than the easy, enjoyable one, but three-day-weekend advocates are likely dismayed by Trump’s attitude.

• Smuggling tunnel shut down: A recently discovered 3,000-foot-long tunnel running under the U.S.-Mexico border near Tijuana has been shut down by U.S. Border Patrol. The tunnel, which was roughly 50 feet below ground, was equipped with lighting, electrical wiring, and ventilation and had been used by drug cartels to move large amounts of narcotics and other contraband. Border agents discovered the tunnel on Monday. Jeffrey Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent for the San Diego Sector, observed, “As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes.” Since 1993, over 95 tunnels in the San Diego area alone have been shut down by the U.S. Border Patrol.

• Dodgers dodge ICE enforcement: It was recently reported that ICE had been seeking to use the Los Angeles Dodgers’ stadium as a staging ground for an immigration enforcement operation. The claim drew a number of leftist anti-ICE protesters, which spurred the Dodgers to issue the following statement: “[Thursday] morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization.” The statement added, “Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.” DHS countered the Dodgers’ claim, explaining that Customs and Border Protection agents and not ICE agents were briefly in the Dodgers’ parking lot, but their presence had nothing to do with immigration enforcement, and no one ever came and told them to leave. Just remember that the Dodgers had no problem with those drag queen nuns.

• Health establishment rebukes SCOTUS over child gender mutilation: Americans’ trust in establishment science is unlikely to be restored anytime soon if the American Psychological Association (APA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have anything to say about it. The Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee ban on child “gender-affirming care” — or “child mutilation,” as it should be called — on Wednesday in a win for common decency. The APA and AAP took SCOTUS to task for the commonsense decision. The APA wrongly says this decision “jeopardizes the health and well-being of transgender youth across the country.” The AAP similarly expressed outrage and falsely stated that child mutilation “improves the health and well-being of transgender youth.” The response to this gender transition cult is simple: There is no such thing as a transgender child, just irresponsible or ideologically captured parents.

• “Genetic optimization” ranks embryos: The pitch sounds great: Wouldn’t you like to ensure your unborn child doesn’t have diabetes, or isn’t born deaf? That’s what Nucleus Genomics is offering to hopeful parents using in vitro fertilization (IVF). For a payment of at least $5,999, parents can see the “polygenic risk scores” for their fertilized eggs (i.e., living humans) and select the desired attributes. In reality, this means the babies without the preferred attribute, whether higher IQ or blue eyes, will be discarded. IVF, as commonly practiced, already raises moral questions about frozen or discarded embryos. Nucleus Genomics and other businesses like this add the complication of commercializing children. Every human life is special, and playing God never ends well.

Headlines

• “Historic partnership” finalized between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel (Just the News)

• Federal district judge rejects “Duffy Directive” that ties DOT grants to immigration cooperation (Just the News)

• Senate confirms Rodney Scott as Customs and Border Protection commissioner (Just the News)

• Virginia senators request $3 million for group that helps illegal migrants find work, stages pro-migrant protests (Washington Examiner)

• U.S. attorney attacked by a Salvadorian national with a knife in Albany (Justice.gov)

• Jewish congressman “run off the road” by “deranged” man who waved Palestinian flag (Daily Wire)

• Kim Jong Un quietly advances North Korea’s nuclear program (Newsweek)

• X sues New York for demanding social media data to censor speech (The Federalist)

• Oregon House hosts live drag performance to open session in honor of Pride Month (Fox News)

• Abortion pills could be polluting drinking water. Lawmakers want answers. (Daily Wire)

• Study says conservatives are happier than liberals in EVERY category across the board (Not the Bee)

• Humor: Ted Cruz destroyed in interview as he’s unable to name Ayatollah’s favorite starter Pokémon (Babylon Bee)

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