“Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly issued threats against Iran, only to withdraw them, citing progress in talks. After months of conflict, and continuing missile and drone strikes by Iran and its proxies, the governments of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain are now united in their aggravation with the administration.”

“The United States is running low on critical weapons, including air defense interceptors. Iran’s missile and drone attacks have forced U.S. troops to leave bases in the Middle East and destroyed the sites, an indication of what the Chinese military — which is much more powerful than Iran’s — could do in a conflict in Asia.”

“The visit by Centcom commander Adm. Brad Cooper capped a 10-day trip that also included visits to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the command said. The stop on the Lincoln comes amid reports of poor living conditions and some crew members struggling with their mental health following a nine-month deployment without port visits.”

CNN: Sailors on carriers like the USS Abraham Lincoln feel the strain as Navy deployments stretch longer.

“Insatiable demand for computer memory among companies building artificial-intelligence data centers has led to a shortage of the critical component and skyrocketing prices for what is available. The higher costs are causing Apple and other makers of consumer electronics to raise product prices significantly. To help alleviate the supply crunch, Apple is looking to Chinese manufacturers.”

“Matthew Ammel’s ex-wife, Heather Ammel, is suing the Democrat-turned-independent, who left office at the beginning of last year, for allegedly breaking up her 14-year marriage.”

“South Carolina will kick off the Democratic primary for only the second time, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire. New Mexico will be the fourth to hold a primary, marking the first time the state has been among the first in the country to vote.”

CBS News: South Carolina to hold first 2028 Democratic presidential primary.

“The Democratic National Committee, gathered for a summer meeting, also signed off on a raft of policy positions, including one that calls for ‘concrete reforms’ of ICE and another for abolishing the agency that’s been at the center of several fatal encounters.”

“When people talk about a wave (red or blue), they are really referring to the political environment — how much more Democratic or Republican a year will be than a normal one. This is measured by the popular vote margin in House races. For example, in 2018, when Democrats picked up 41 seats, they won the House popular vote by 8.6%. But of course, we only know the margin after the election, so it doesn’t do us a lot of good in forecasting what may happen. Prior to the election, the political environment is measured by the generic ballot. As of today, according to Nate Silver, Democrats lead the generic ballot by 6.7%.”

“This is about the same as it was at this point in 2018. It could certainly go up as we get closer to the election, as more voters who disapprove of Trump decide to vote for Democrats this fall.”

— President Trump, at a campaign rally.

“Concerns about a weak economy and still-high inflation? His predecessor, Joe Biden, saddled him with that, he says, even though the Democrat has been out of office for 18-plus months and despite Trump once promising an immediate turnaround.”

“The problem-plagued revamp of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool? That was marred by vandalism, the Republican president insists, even though the office of a prosecutor he put in the job has said the damage was due to shoddy workmanship.”

“The increasingly unpopular war in Iran that has kept oil prices high, Trump’s approval rating low and sent shock waves through the global economy? Actually, this was Trump making up for timid earlier presidents who, he argues, squandered nearly 50 years of opportunities to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.”

“He told a political rally in New York Friday that paying ‘a tiny little bit more for your gasoline’ is worth the cost of ensuring ‘a very evil country’ could not have a nuclear weapon, one of the president’s stated rationales for the war.”

”The service is evaluating the feasibility of moving the multistory tower that acts as the carrier’s command center farther forward, toward the middle of the ship, to resemble older vessels. The review, which has not been previously reported, is in response to Trump’s concerns about the ‘look’ of the new Ford-class ships, where the island is near the rear.”

The latest episode of Trial Balloon is live.

Democratic voters are fired up, progressives are finding a winning formula and AOC may be paying attention.

“Climate change and war in the Middle East are flipping the math that previously kept ships plying longer routes from Asia to Europe. A Chinese company on Saturday is starting the first regular cargo service to Europe through Arctic waters, seeking to reap the benefits of quicker travel time and less fuel use.”

Said Markey: “I always think of myself as the youngest guy in the room, when it comes to ideas.”

“Trump’s political team is still debating what the final dollar figure will be, though one person familiar with the discussions floated $30 million in the first tranche.”

“The comments appeared to be the latest shift in the public rationale for the conflict, with Vance ranking Iran’s nuclear ambitions second.”