A federal judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy that made it harder for immigrants from dozens of countries 鈥� things like asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications.
The judge said the policy threw countless immigrants’ lives 鈥渋nto indeterminate legal limbo,鈥� and accused the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of ignoring the law.
The Senate to fund President Donald Trump鈥檚 immigration enforcement agencies early Friday morning, after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated $1.776 billion settlement fund that threatened to derail the bill.
The American job market , shrugging off the high costs of the . Employers added 172,000 jobs in May 鈥� roughly double what forecasters had expected 鈥� and the unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%.
Here’s the latest:
US military says it shot down Iranian drones
The U.S. military says it shot down four Iranian drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz and then struck some of the Islamic Republic鈥檚 coastal surveillance radar sites in response.
U.S. Central Command said on social media that the 鈥渁ttack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.鈥�
The military is enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran鈥檚 chokehold on the crucial corridor for global oil and natural gas shipments, which has sent energy prices spiking.
It鈥檚 the latest in back-and-forth attacks that have strained the tenuous ceasefire in the war.
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Trump tries to speed up his own event to get back to Washington
After a lengthy speech that spent little time on farming issues, Trump turned to other officials who had been scheduled to speak at his agricultural roundtable.
The president read through the list, which included Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and said, 鈥淲e鈥檒l go pretty quickly because I have to get back to fighting a war in Iran.鈥�
鈥淭his is a hell of speaker鈥檚 list. We might be here all night,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 got to get back to a place called Wash鈥� and protect you.鈥�
He didn鈥檛 finish the word, perhaps because Trump actually isn鈥檛 scheduled to return to Washington.
He is instead set to fly to his estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, for the weekend, then attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York on Monday night. That means he likely won鈥檛 be back in Washington until at least early Tuesday morning 鈥� the war in Iran not withstanding.
Trump, in Wisconsin, can鈥檛 stop talking about Washington pet projects
The president flew to Wisconsin to talk agriculture with farmers but spent large stretches of his speech talking his recent efforts to spruce up Washington.
Trump extensively detailed efforts to improve the Lincoln Memorial鈥檚 Reflecting Pool and fountains around the nation鈥檚 capital. At one point, he showed off charts that not everyone attending could see.
Even when he finally returned to comments about farmers, Trump said, 鈥淚鈥檓 up here today. I don鈥檛 need this. I got elected.鈥�
He also added, 鈥淲hat the hell do I have to be here for?鈥� while noting, 鈥淚 could be home right now at the beautiful White House, enjoying someone else on television talk.鈥�
The White House said Trump would be hitting the road ahead of November鈥檚 midterm elections to promote Republican candidates.
Trump touts support for farmers at Wisconsin rally
鈥淲e love the farmers, we love everything about your state,鈥� Trump told his audience at a rally being held in a barn in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, on Friday.
Rallying for his party ahead of the midterm elections, Trump described the Republican party as the only option for farmers. He said Democrats鈥� policies are 鈥渏ust outstandingly bad鈥� and 鈥渞eally bad for the farmer.鈥�
Trump reiterated his confidence that the war in Iran will soon come to an end and gas prices will fall.
鈥淎s they say in the farming business, we had to take care of business,鈥� Trump said.
Energy Department says an advanced nuclear reactor is the first to reach a crucial milestone
Energy Secretary Chris Wright says a microreactor being developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at the Idaho National Lab reached 鈥渃riticality鈥� on Thursday. The milestone occurs when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction capable of producing energy.
Antares is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under a pilot program begun last year by the Trump administration. The program is meant to supercharge nuclear energy production in the U.S. The administration has set a goal of achieving criticality in at least three test reactors by July 4.
Skeptics warn that microreactors may not be safe or feasible and have not proved they can meet electricity demand for a reasonable price.
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US stock market has its worst day since October
A sell-off in big technology companies weighed down the broader market. Bond yields surged as a strong jobs report boosted expectations that the Federal Reserve will be forced to hike interest rates at some point this year.
The S&P 500 slumped 2.6% Friday, finishing with its first losing week in the last 10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 695 points, or 1.4%. The Nasdaq composite fell 4.2%.
Nvidia and Broadcom were among the heaviest weights on the market. Oil prices fell.
Trump calls for military to accelerate use of AI while protecting Americans
The president issued a memo Friday that calls for the U.S. military and national security agencies to accelerate their use of artificial intelligence, while protecting civil liberties and maintaining oversight of autonomous weapon systems.
The memo addressed much of the president鈥檚 Cabinet, including the secretaries of defense and homeland security as well as the attorney general and director of national intelligence.
Trump is requiring an updated directive on autonomous weapon systems 鈥渢o ensure the deliberate adoption of AI systems that respect the chain of command and operational authorities.鈥� The memo also restricts the use of AI to 鈥渃ensor free speech, embed ideological bias, or conduct unlawful surveillance against the American people.鈥�
The memo comes at a time of growing anxiety over AI in American society, including helping the military identify targets on the battlefield.
Trump prosecutor says there are 鈥榤ultiple election fraud鈥� investigations in California
Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, gave no details about the investigations in a post on X, but said they involved the FBI.
His disclosure came a day after Trump announced that his Department of Justice was investigating California鈥檚 routinely drawn-out vote count following Tuesday鈥檚 primary there.
Essayli also noted the Trump administration is seeking California鈥檚 voter rolls, though it has lost every single court case in its bid for state records. Its latest appeal is currently before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
鈥淢y office will not look the other way,鈥� Essayli wrote. 鈥淲e will investigate and prosecute.鈥�
US defends Israel-Lebanon agreement, again blames Hezbollah for pursuing a 鈥榩ointless war鈥�
The Trump administration is defending this week鈥檚 agreement to and create Hezbollah-free zones in southern Lebanon as the best chance for peace between the two countries in years.
A U.S. official said Friday that Wednesday鈥檚 agreement is the first step in a process that must end with the demilitarization of the Hezbollah militants, full security control south of the Litani River by the Lebanese Armed forces, and the restoration of complete sovereignty to the Lebanese government.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiations publicly, claimed that Iran had wanted to prolong the conflict and 鈥渃laim credit for saving the day鈥� by trying to undermine the talks but that the June 3 agreement had 鈥渆xposed that cynical strategy.鈥�
鈥� By Matthew Lee
Trump says he鈥檒l stay as Kennedy Center chairman, hints at a continued fight to overhaul the building
After a Trump鈥檚 planned renovation of the arts center, Trump on Friday said he鈥檚 staying involved in efforts for .
鈥淚鈥檓 the chairman, so we鈥檒l just keep it going, somebody has to do it,鈥� Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
It鈥檚 a change in tone from the president, who last week said he was turning the center over to Congress even as he , who also ordered Trump鈥檚 from the center.
Trump appeared more defiant on Friday after he said people 鈥渁sked me in the strongest of language to stay involved.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 going to look at his ruling on that,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淲e have to bring it back.鈥�
US boosts Ebola funding in Africa by $38 million
The Trump administration says it is contributing another $38 million toward efforts to end the growing in Africa, bringing its total contribution since last month to more than $200 million.
The State Department said Friday that the money, in addition to bilateral assistance already being provided to affected countries like the Congo and Uganda, would go to U.N. agencies like the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, and the World Food Program, as well as to private relief groups like World Vision and the International Medical Corps.
The administration has been criticized for slashing foreign aid and dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development but officials have said the new process is more efficient and cost effective.
Trump, a former New Yorker, has a couple of favorite Knicks players
鈥淏runson is fantastic. Towns is fantastic,鈥� Trump said of NBA All Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. 鈥淭hey just have a great team.鈥�
Trump is expected to travel to New York on Monday to catch Game 3 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
Trump says baseball should have adopted a salary cap 鈥榓 long time ago鈥�
Asked about major league baseball potentially imposing a salary cap after this season, Trump said, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have a salary cap, you don鈥檛 have a sport.鈥�
鈥淏ecause they can鈥檛 help themselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou know, in sports, they can鈥檛 help themselves.鈥�
The president added, 鈥淚 know so much about sports. they should have done it a long time ago.鈥�
Baseball鈥檚 five-year collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1.
The sport鈥檚 owners last week made their first proposal of a salary cap since 1994, when a 7 1/2-month strike caused the cancellation of the World Series.
Trump says he鈥檚 exploring arrangements to give the federal government a financial stake in AI companies
The president said Friday that executives from leading AI companies will visit the White House 鈥減robably next week鈥� to discuss the concept, which was pitched by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last year.
Trump described it as a partnership 鈥渨here the American people can benefit from the success of AI.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 something very interesting about it, where it almost becomes a partnership with the American public,鈥� Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
It comes days after Trump on AI establishing a framework for the federal government to vet advanced AI systems for security risks before they鈥檙e made public.
Trump leaves open the possibility of calling Taiwan鈥檚 president
The president isn鈥檛 backing away from the possibility of speaking directly with Taiwan鈥檚 President Lai Ching-te, a move that would be seen as provocative by Beijing.
Trump had first said in May that he intended to talk to Lai as he weighs whether to approve a $14 billion arms sale for Taipei that China is urging him to scrap.
Asked on Friday if a call is still planned, Trump responded, 鈥淚鈥檒l always talk to him.鈥�
Such a call would mark the first direct dialogue between sitting American and Taiwanese presidents in many decades. Trump raised China鈥檚 ire when he took a congratulatory call from Taiwan鈥檚 then-President Tsai Ing-wen after winning the 2016 presidential election but before taking office.
Roughly 1,000 US troops in limbo after canceled deployment
About 1,000 American troops who鈥檝e been sent to Poland are in limbo after their deployment was canceled, said a U.S. military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
The troops are part of an armored brigade combat team of some 4,000 troops whose deployment to Poland was called off amid Trump鈥檚 shifting pronouncements on troops levels in Europe. They are still awaiting confirmation they鈥檒l be sent back home, the official said.
The military also is still waiting for details from the Pentagon on how to satisfy Trump鈥檚 latest order to send 5,000 troops to Poland, that official said. The working assumption is that they will come from units already in Europe, rather than an additional deployment from the U.S., the official said.
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Trump isn鈥檛 too sympathetic about fans who can鈥檛 afford high ticket prices for the NBA Finals
Asked what his message is to Americans who can鈥檛 afford to attend the NBA Finals because of high ticket prices, Trump responded, 鈥淭hey can watch it on television.鈥�
He noted to reporters aboard Air Force One that watching the games on television was 鈥渟emi-free鈥� for many people, adding of high ticket costs, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way life is, you know.鈥�
Trump plans to attend Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs in New York 鈥� meaning he won鈥檛 have to follow his own advice about watching it on television. As president, however, he also doesn鈥檛 have to buy a ticket.
US military spent $32M to send gear ahead of nixed deployment, military says
The U.S. military spent $32 million to send equipment to Poland for a 4,000-soldier deployment that was canceled last month, according to U.S. Transportation Command, the military agency largely responsible for moving troops and gear across the globe.
A ship was chartered to take one unit of troops to Europe and bring another back, Transportation Command said. It鈥檚 hard to say how much money would have been saved if the deployment was canceled before the troops and equipment began to move.
However, a U.S. military official said the unscheduled move of personnel and equipment back from Europe is most likely not a cost the Pentagon budgeted for and would be an additional expense. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
鈥� By Emma Burrows and Konstantin Toropin
Trump confirms he鈥檒l be at NBA Finals in New York on Monday
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Trump said he plans to be at Madison Square Garden to see the New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. He clarified his plans a day after saying he was going to a game, possibly on Monday.
A New York native, Trump has said he was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan. 鈥淭hey just have a great team,鈥� Trump said of this year鈥檚 squad.
Asked about sky-high prices for tickets to the Finals, Trump said it鈥檚 a product of . 鈥淭hey can watch it on television,鈥� he said of fans. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way life is, you know.鈥�
Trump wants to see more cuts in the intelligence community
Trump said Friday that he wants , his new acting director of national intelligence, to cut the office, which has already been significantly scaled back during the president鈥檚 second term.
Trump noted that the size of the office as been 鈥渨ay too high for way too long,鈥� and that 鈥渋f he cut, I wouldn鈥檛 mind.鈥�
鈥淏ill Pulte is very good, he鈥檚 very talented,鈥� Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to Wisconsin. The president said in an earlier interview with the Wall Street Journal that he has asked Pulte to start the process of firing employees.
Trump鈥檚 zig zag on US troops in Europe is potentially costing millions, officials say
Trump鈥檚 recent is upending service members鈥� lives and potentially costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
Trump first said he would pull 5,000 troops from Germany after a spat with its chancellor. The Pentagon then cancelled an impending deployment of a similar number of troops to Poland. That was followed by Trump saying that he would be sending to Poland.
The abrupt changes are forcing the military to 鈥渞etroactively engineer鈥� a policy in line with the president鈥檚 latest pronouncement, one of the officials said. Both officials were briefed on the decisions and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
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Legal advocacy group reacts to the ruling on Trump immigration policies
The policies are part of a ongoing efforts by the administration to tighten U.S. entry standards for travel and immigration, in what critics say unfairly prevents travel for people from a broad range of countries.
鈥淭his ruling reaffirms a basic principle: the federal government cannot shut down lawful immigration pathways or discriminate against people based on where they come from,鈥� said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which represented the plaintiffs in the case.
鈥淭hese unlawful policies caused enormous harm to families, workers, asylum seekers, and communities across the country,鈥� he said, 鈥渨ho were left in limbo, unable to work, access protections, or move forward with their lives.鈥�
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Who did these Trump immigration policies affect?
The halted policies apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which approves applications for immigrants to work and become citizens.
The agency, which resides in the Homeland Security Department, often grants asylum but only for those already in the United States when they apply.
Immigration judges grant asylum for those who are stopped at the border; the ruling does not affect them and neither did the policies that sparked the lawsuit.
Judge blocks a Trump policy that made it harder for immigrants to stay and enter the country
The policies enacted after the National Guard shooting last year meant that immigrants from 39 African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern countries have been 鈥渃ategorically barred鈥� from receiving final decisions on, among other things, their asylum, work permit, green card, and citizenship applications.
In Friday鈥檚 ruling harshly criticizing the administration, U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. said the policy 鈥渢hrew the lives of countless immigrants living in the United States into indeterminate legal limbo,鈥� and he accused the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of ignoring the law.
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Rubio meets top Philippine diplomat over the South China Sea and other issues
Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed the strength of the two countries鈥� alliance to Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro during Friday鈥檚 meeting in Washington.
A State Department statement said their discussion included economic priorities and the South China Sea, where Beijing has been aggressive in its territorial claims over disputed islands and atolls.
The South China Sea is a vital global trade route with rich undersea deposits of gas and oil.
In particular, Beijing and Manila have clashed over Scarborough Shoal, which China prefers to call Huangyan Dao.
On Sunday, the Chinese naval and air forces conducted 鈥渞eadiness patrols鈥� near the shoal, after Philippine and U.S. forces conducted a five-day drill in the same waters.
Treasury warns banks of 鈥榬ed flags鈥� tied to customers in the US illegally
The Treasury Department鈥檚 financial crimes arm wants banks to help identify payroll schemes tied to people living in the country illegally, as part of the Trump administration鈥檚 latest measure to clamp down on immigration.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 鈥� also known as FinCEN 鈥� issued an advisory Friday to banks that tells them to watch out for identity theft, payroll tax fraud, and money laundering schemes tied to hiring unauthorized workers.
Trump in May that requires banks to take a closer look at the citizenship of their customers.
The directs bank regulators and government departments to look for signs that people without legal status are opening accounts or obtaining loans or credit cards. However, the order is less aggressive than banks had previously expected, as earlier reports suggested the White House was drafting an order that would make collecting customers鈥� citizenship information mandatory.
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Democratic Wisconsin senator says Trump鈥檚 stop in the swing state shows he鈥檚 nervous
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says Trump鈥檚 visit to a rural swing district in Wisconsin shows he knows Republicans are in trouble in the midterms.
The stop on Friday for a farmer-focused round table in Chippewa Falls marks the first time Trump has visited Wisconsin in his second term. It comes just four days after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. toured a dairy farm in the congressional district held by Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
鈥淭hey know they鈥檙e in trouble,鈥� Baldwin said of Republicans. 鈥淭hey know across the country they鈥檙e in trouble.鈥�
Baldwin says Trump鈥檚 visit is 鈥渘ot going to do the job in convincing our farmers they are doing better than they鈥檙e doing. They know the reality.鈥�
Trump is scheduled to be joined by Van Orden, one of his most vocal supporters. Democrats have targeted that district this year.
US boards an oil tanker linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean
American forces have boarded a sanctioned oil tanker linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. military said Friday as the U.S. pushes to prevent the Islamic Republic from profiting off its oil and other goods.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command posted on X that the U.S. forces boarded the MT Davina. The post lacked further details, but U.S. forces around the world have been directed to stop ships tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy is enforcing a blockade of Iran鈥檚 ports as part of an effort to force Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to extend a tenuous ceasefire in the war.
US set to hold latest oil and gas lease sale for Alaska鈥檚 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Trump administration鈥檚 push to expand oil and gas development in Alaska faces a new test Friday, with the set for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Opponents of drilling in the refuge鈥檚 coastal plain have pointed to a in the prior held there and ongoing changes in Alaska鈥檚 Arctic region due to climate change as proof the region should be off-limits to drilling. But supporters of drilling see the coastal plain, which is roughly the size of Delaware, as a potential untapped resource that could boost U.S. oil production and generate new revenue and jobs.
A coalition of conservation groups this spring sent a letter to leaders of 11 petroleum companies including major ConocoPhillips and Hilcorp, both major players in Alaska, urging them to not participate in the sale. The letter cited ongoing litigation over the leasing program, dating to Trump鈥檚 first term, and warned of 鈥渇inancial, operational and reputational risks.鈥�
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Trump looms large over upcoming primary elections in Washington, DC
The last time Washington, D.C., residents chose and in the same election, gas was $1.33 a gallon and George H.W. Bush was president.
This fall they鈥檒l do it again 鈥� under starkly different circumstances.
As the city heads toward pivotal primaries this month to pick candidates for those roles, on is shaping up as a major campaign issue. The fresh slate of candidates is weighing how best to approach Trump鈥檚 Republican administration and congressional control over the heavily Democratic city鈥檚 affairs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a big sea change in city politics, no matter how the elections shake out,鈥� said Amanda Huron, a professor at the University of the District of Columbia who teaches courses on D.C. history and politics. But Washington鈥檚 lack of full autonomy brings 鈥渁ll sorts of peculiarities around the city鈥檚 governance.鈥�
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Senate OKs $70B immigration bill after rejecting efforts to permanently ban Trump鈥檚 settlement fund
The Senate passed legislation to fund Trump鈥檚 immigration enforcement agencies early Friday, after weeks of delays and fierce backlash to an unrelated that threatened to derail the bill.
Senators voted 52-47 to pass to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for the next three years, through the end of Trump鈥檚 term, after Democrats had . The bill will now head to the House, which is expected to take it up next week.
The final vote came just before 5 a.m., after Republicans narrowly defeated multiple attempts by members of both parties to add language to the bill that would permanently ban Trump鈥檚 settlement fund for .
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