Said Trump: “We are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA’… There will be incredible Flyovers and Airshows featuring our Top Military Pilots and Equipment, and I will deliver keynote remarks that you will not want to miss.”

“Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, the two Democrats who delivered their party a majority with their twin victories at the end of the first Trump term, could bookend the outgoing president eight years later.”

“The United States, however, has little to celebrate: Trump and his team, in record time, just lost a war to a militarily mediocre—but nonetheless extremely dangerous—adversary.”

“The details of the agreement remain unconfirmed, but the president, of course, is eager to spin the outcome as a victory. (Trump was in a hurry to sign the deal on his birthday; the Iranians, who now seem to be in charge of this whole business, instead said they will send someone to a meeting in Switzerland on Friday.) But even before we have the details, it is clear that Trump has failed to achieve every one of the goals he put forward for this war of choice, and now he is determined to sign, seal, and deliver America’s capitulation as quickly as possible.”

“Epshteyn, the president’s senior personal counsel, speaks with “the boss” so often that Trump sometimes puts him on speakerphone without telling others in the room, two people familiar with the routine tell Axios.”

“Why it matters: In a White House where proximity to power is power itself, Epshteyn is one of the most influential people in D.C. — not just because he’s listening in, but because Trump listens to him as well.”

— Robert DeNiro, quoted by Mediaite.

“At a meeting in Luxembourg, European Union officials are expected to officially kick off work on a first set of important reforms that Ukraine must prove it has made in order to join the 27-nation bloc. Ambassadors cleared the way for the move late last week. Moldova will also advance.”

“The U.S. military is using nonstandard contracts and tasking defense contractors to design new weapons from scratch to cut years of production time and hundreds of millions of dollars off their cost. Even before the Iran war cut into U.S. armament supplies, lawmakers and military brass worried that the U.S. can’t rearm itself fast enough to deter threats and respond to conflicts.”

“Republican lawmakers have been locked in a monthslong battle over the conservative voting bill as it has become evident they don’t have the votes in the upper chamber to pass the bill, no matter the avenue. This has left members miffed — they want to finally turn the page, but are again faced with a zombie.”

“On Tuesday, voters in Alabama will choose between Representative Barry Moore, who secured the president’s endorsement in January and is running as an unflagging Trump loyalist, and Jared Hudson, a former Navy SEAL and political newcomer running an anti-establishment campaign.”

“The provisional agreement announced by the two sides on Sunday night — President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday — leaves a narrow window of 60 days to negotiate issues around Iran’s nuclear program that bedeviled his predecessors for years. The memorandum of understanding, which has yet to be released, will be formally signed on June 19.”

“That gap raised the possibility that details on the text remained unresolved and the signing could be derailed.”

“But in recent weeks, Paul spearheaded a $70 billion immigration enforcement funding bill, drawing praise from Trump and an invitation to the White House signing ceremony. He’s giving the president backup on voter ID and ending birthright citizenship.”

“Paul is also providing an encouraging counterweight to more hawkish colleagues who warn Trump not to negotiate with Iran. And his picnic invitation caused no kerfuffle this year.”

“The president said he wouldn’t endorse the candidate ever again because, to him, the person would be called ‘honorable’ for the rest of their life. ‘I literally changed your name,’ Trump told the candidate in a conversation.”

“Trump’s stance is indicative of a defining feature of his political view: Loyalty is worth rewarding, but rewards don’t last forever. Changing someone’s name or the physical appearance of Washington does, though, and that’s the defining legacy Trump is focused on.”

“Now, Vance as vice president — and likely 2028 presidential contender — is a practicing Catholic, a conversion he has chronicled in his second book, Communion, publishing Tuesday. And it’s landing on bookshelves amid a remarkable turnaround: Catholicism is, by some measures, experiencing a resurgence in the United States unlike anything in recent memory.”

“The shift will hang over the summit, which begins today as fallout over the Iran war continues to jolt the global economy, shifting energy markets and raising fears of renewed inflation even as Trump on Sunday announced an end to hostilities.”

“Trump will spend three days in Evian-les-Bains for a summit of the Group of Seven leading nations nominally about technology, trade and global economic imbalances. But the high-level discussions are certain to center on the interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. blockade and pause the war for at least 60 days, leaving thornier negotiations about Tehran’s nuclear work for future technical talks.”

“When Trump lands, French President Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders are expected to shower him with praise over the deal while also peppering him with questions on how such a complicated pact could hold together over the coming months.”