Trump’s Two-Week Deadline Looms As He & Top Advisers Weigh Joining Iran Strikes

Written By Guest User

Plus: A Win For Trump In L.A. National Guard Case & Heat Wave Threatens Large Parts Of U.S.

Good evening,

Before we get to the news, here’s a taste of what’s ahead for all of us this weekend in our ‘Cheers to the Freakin’ Weekend’ section:

What We’re Watching:

What We’re Reading:

What We’re Eating:

Have a good one!

The Mo News Team

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Trump Sets Two-Week Deadline To Weigh U.S. Involvement In Iran Strikes

Iran has a maximum of two weeks before the U.S. decides whether to join Israel’s campaign to destroy the country’s nuclear facilities, President Trump said Friday after meeting with his national security team.

  • “I’m giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” he said.

It comes as the administration has said it sees a “chance for substantial negotiations” with Iran over its nuclear program, which the two countries were scheduled to continue discussing last Sunday, before Israel began a surprise operation that took out Iran's top military officials and nuclear scientists last Friday.

WHY TWO WEEKS?
Besides Trump liking that deadline (see video above), the president is hoping to leave room for a diplomatic solution — namely, that Iranian leaders will relent on their hardline positions regarding the country’s nuclear program, now that it has been weakened by Israeli attacks — in order to avoid further destabilizing the region.

The Libya example: Trump has reportedly expressed fear that escalation could lead to regime change in Iran, which could spark nationwide instability like that seen in Libya in the 2010s.

  • In 2011, a U.S.-backed intervention ousted Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, Libya has become increasingly unstable, and the U.S.'s negotiating power has been strained due to decentralized power in the country.

  • Trump also wants to ensure that an operation in Iran doesn’t entangle the U.S. in a drawn-out war in the Middle East, nearly four years after the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan.

THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS
Notably missing from discussions on U.S. involvement are Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though the administration has denied they've been sidelined.

  • On Friday, Trump claimed Iran is weeks to months away from obtaining a nuclear weapon — contradicting Gabbard’s March Congressional testimony that Iran had not resumed its nuclear weapons program.

    • “She’s wrong,” Trump said.

  • That puts Gabbard in a tough position. In recent weeks, her relationship with Trump has reportedly weakened following her June 10 social media post warning of escalating tensions between nuclear powers.

  • Trump is said to be relying more heavily on a group composed of Vice President JD Vance, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — who reportedly is still in communication with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff — met with European leaders in Switzerland on Friday, but the talks reportedly ended without any breakthrough. Before the meeting, Araghchi said Tehran would not negotiate with any country while under Israeli fire.

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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE FOLLOWING

Trump Maintains Control Of California National Guard In L.A., Appeals Court Rules

A federal appeals court unanimously ruled late Thursday that President Trump can, for now, retain control of 4,000 California National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles amid anti-ICE protests in the city earlier this month. Trump hailed the decision as a “BIG WIN” and suggested it could set the stage for similar deployments across the country.

  • The three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals — made up of two Trump appointees and one Biden appointee — found that protests in L.A. appeared to interfere with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

    • Because of that, the judges concluded Trump’s June 7 deployment of the National Guard was justified, even though Trump did not consult California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) prior — marking the first such presidential action without state consent since the 1960s.

While the court upheld the troops’ deployment, it rejected the Trump administration’s broader claim that the president’s authority to deploy the Guard is beyond judicial review. The case is now back in the lower court, which had initially ruled Trump's actions unlawful after California sued to block the use of both National Guard troops and Marines to quell protests.

THE LATEST OUT OF LA
President JD Vance is meeting with Marines and visiting various federal command centers in L.A. on Friday. It comes a day after the Los Angeles Dodgers said it denied Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents access to the stadium parking lot Thursday morning, while ICE denied being there at all. The Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) vehicles were “briefly” present, but not for immigration enforcement.

  • An influx of CBP agents has arrived in the L.A. area, as the Trump administration doubles down on its goal of carrying out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history — aiming for around 3,000 arrests per day.

🚨 ONE THING TO GET READY FOR

Heat Wave Set To Bring Record-High Temperatures To Millions Of Americans

Hundreds of millions of Americans will experience dangerous, record-breaking heat through next week, as a heat dome builds over the central and eastern U.S. this weekend.

  • Temperatures are expected to be at least 15 degrees above averages starting Sunday. “Feels-like” temperatures will reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, and humidity levels are expected to be far above what is normal for this time of year.

BIGGER PICTURE
Heat is the leading weather-related cause of death around the 🌎. Some experts say this early-season heat is a troubling sign of what’s to come, as July and August are typically the hottest weeks of the year in most parts of the U.S.

  • A recent report from 60 of the world’s leading climate scientists warns the world could exceed its 1.5°C warming limit — which scientists say is the maximum global temperature increase to avoid the worst impacts of climate change — in just three years if there are not immediate, dramatic cuts to fossil fuel use.

    • The study’s authors note that the rate of emissions increases appears to be slowing down as clean technologies emerge.

⏳ THE SPEED READ

🚨NATION

  • Judge blocks Trump plan to tie states' transportation funds to immigration enforcement (NBC)

  • Mahmoud Khalil ordered released on bail (AXIOS)

  • Supreme Court allows victims of terrorist attacks to sue the Palestinian Authority (CNN)

  • Former Hamas hostage Edan Alexander returns to a hero’s welcome in New Jersey (FOX)

  • Memphis mayor targeted in stalking and attempted kidnapping incident, police say (CBS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

  • Zelensky calls for more pressure on Russia after deadly missile strike in Kyiv (AP)

  • Pope Leo XIV warns of the dangers of AI on youth (POLITICO)

  • U.K. lawmakers back a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to choose to end their lives (CBS)

  • Thai Prime Minister faces calls to quit after leaked phone call (BBC)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

  • Massive data breach reportedly leaks 16 billion passwords (AXIOS)

  • Deadly US listeria outbreak linked to chicken dishes at Kroger and Walmart (GUARDIAN)

  • Fed Governor Waller says central bank could cut rates as early as July (CNBC)

  • Plastic shopping bag policies are making a difference for marine ecosystems, according to a new study (CNN)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

  • Diddy’s ex-assistant, arrested for cocaine, says he wasn’t ‘drug mule’ (NEWS NATION)

  • World’s best restaurant for 2025 revealed (CNN)

  • New Pixar film releases to students days before premiere (AXIOS)

  • Rachel Zegler serenades the crowd for free outdoors in a new London production of ‘Evita’ (AP)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… Jeff Bezos is set to marry journalist Lauren Sánchez in Venice next week in an opulent, multi-million-dollar wedding.

Some Venetians are excited about a boost in business from all the incoming tourists (which may include Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry), whereas others are protesting the wedding, accusing wealthy outsiders of exploiting the city at the expense of residents.

Catch Up On The Latest Headlines

Guest User
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Trump Weighs Using Bunker Buster Bomb As Iran’s Leader Vows To "Not Surrender”