The Wall Street Journal’s Politics newsletter, written by Washington coverage chief Damian Paletta, on Monday laid out a broad picture of fraying relationships spanning domestic politics, foreign alliances, and diplomatic agreements.
Trump vs. GOP senators. The newsletter reported that President Trump is “sick of being told ‘No’ by Senate Majority Leader John Thune,” and that the distrust appears mutual. It added, “ask John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy” — a reference to the two Republican senators who have often been at odds with the president. The impasse has extended to the nomination of Jay Clayton for director of national intelligence, with Trump and Congress squaring off over the post. Acting director Bill Pulte, if he remains in the job, is expected to thin the ranks of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, potentially sparing Clayton the “heartburn of making large layoffs” but leaving him to “deal with the aftermath,” according to the newsletter.
Meloni accusation. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, described as a “onetime ally,” is accusing Trump of lying, the newsletter said. No further details were provided in the report.
Iran deal and regional fighting. The newsletter reported that the ink “isn’t even dry” on the Iran “deal” as Israel and Hezbollah fought in Lebanon. Trump threatened to “bomb Iran into oblivion,” a threat that Tehran said violated the peace deal. Mediators, including Qatar and Pakistan, said Monday that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to create a mechanism to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and that a line of communication had been formed to enable safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Vice President JD Vance, however, said talks are going well, according to the report. The newsletter noted that “there are so many countries involved in these talks (maybe too many?) and so much spin emerging from so many camps, it’s difficult to tell who is telling the truth, or who even knows the truth.”
Democrats clash over Florida map. The newsletter also reported that Democrats are “clashing with each other over the scraps of Florida’s redrawn congressional map.”
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump vented growing frustrations with the pool’s problems, saying multiple people had been arrested for vandalism. He said the pool would likely need to be drained for repairs after a $14.7 million renovation was plagued by algae and sloughing coating, which he blamed on vandals who “had cut and poured corrosive chemicals into the pool.”
Maine Senate race. The newsletter reported that Dan Moraff, by backing Graham Platner — an oyster farmer and Marine veteran — has placed Democratic hopes for capturing a Senate majority on “unsteady footing.” Platner faces scrutiny over old posts, a “covered-up Nazi-linked tattoo,” and his previous relationships with women.
The newsletter framed the collective story as one of a “country and a world order that are on the fritz,” asking whether the breakdown is temporary or structural. “This summer could reveal a lot,” it concluded.