House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is facing his first major test since hardline GOP rebels ground the House floor to a halt last month in protest of his handling of the debt ceiling negotiations.

Why it matters: Whether — and how — McCarthy successfully shepherds the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act through the House will dictate the next phase of his speakership.

• Up to this point, McCarthy's tenure has been broadly dominated by two conflicting dynamics: Predictions of his demise at the hands of conservative rabble-rousers and an uncanny knack for defying his doubters.
• McCarthy advised critics not to underestimate him today as a potential crisis brewed over the NDAA, telling reporters: "This just seems like another week in Congress. I’ll get through it, we’ll figure it out as we go."

Driving the news: Right-wing Republicans are demanding votes on a range of controversial amendments to the massive defense policy bill, which has passed with bipartisan support every year for the past six decades.

• Many of the amendments take on culture war issues that have become a cornerstone of the GOP agenda, including diversity programs and funding for gender-affirming care at the Pentagon.
• One key demand is an amendment to block a Pentagon policy reimbursing service members who travel to get an abortion — a vote that could endanger vulnerable Republicans that McCarthy wants to protect.
• The House Rules Committee began meeting this afternoon to decide which of the more than 1,500 amendments filed by lawmakers should receive a vote.

Between the lines: While the House Armed Services Committee advanced the NDAA with broad bipartisan support, several of the proposed floor amendments could cost the bill Democratic votes — potentially imperiling final passage.

Behind the scenes: McCarthy this afternoon summoned representatives from every ideological faction of the GOP conference to discuss how to stave off future rebellions.

• Multiple lawmakers told Axios that while the NDAA fight is important, they believe the bigger threat to McCarthy's standing as speaker will be appropriations.
• McCarthy previously had suggested that Congress would pass 12 separate appropriations bills — a process demanded by members of the Freedom Caucus — but today hinted he may have to go a different route.

What to watch: Three GOP lawmakers told Axios they believe a government shutdown in October — the result if Congress doesn't pass the appropriations bills or a continuing resolution — is more likely than not.

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Senate Democrats are demanding a public apology from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) after he appeared to double — then triple — down on his claim that it's a matter of "opinion" whether white nationalists are racist.

Driving the news: Tuberville was asked on CNN last night to clarify comments he made to an Alabama radio station in May, when he was asked whether white nationalists should be allowed in the military. "I call them Americans," Tuberville said at the time.

• Grilled by CNN's Kaitlan Collins, the former Auburn football coach said he rejects racism — but disputed the notion that white nationalists are inherently racist.
• "If you’re going to do away with most white people in this country out the military, we’ve got huge problems," Tuberville said, falsely conflating white nationalists with typical white Americans.

On Capitol Hill today, Tuberville again struggled to clarify his views — telling reporters that "if the Democrats want to say white nationalists are racist, I'm totally against [racism]."

• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to answer questions about Tuberville's comments, saying simply: "White supremacy is simply unacceptable in our military and in our entire country."
• After a full day of backlash, Tuberville finally conceded to reporters this afternoon: "White nationalists are racists."

The big picture: Tuberville already is facing widespread bipartisan criticism for his months-long blockade of hundreds of military promotions, which he has delayed in protest of the Pentagon's abortion travel policy.

• The U.S. Marine Corps is now operating without a Senate-confirmed commandant for the first time in 150 years as a result of Tuberville's tactics.
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today called on Republican leaders to pressure Tuberville to drop his holds, saying the blockade is "wrecking our national security in a very real way."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at NATO leaders today over a joint statement related to Ukraine's future membership in the alliance, calling the lack of a timeline "unprecedented and absurd."

• "We will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance when Allies agree and conditions are met," the 31 NATO leaders agreed in a vague, carefully worded communique.

Why it matters: Western diplomats have been engaged in a delicate balancing act leading up to this week's summit in Lithuania, where Ukraine has sought clarity on the path to membership that NATO controversially promised Kyiv in 2008.

• Zelensky didn’t name President Biden directly, but the U.S. and Germany have led the resistance to any definitive statements that Ukraine will soon be a member — acknowledging it would put NATO in direct conflict with Russia.
• Biden has otherwise sought to project unity among the allies, meeting today with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and thanking him for lifting his veto on Sweden joining NATO.

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A months-long investigation by the AP revealed a pattern of conduct by Supreme Court justices that likely would violate ethics rules that cover other government officials, including lower federal court judges:

• Staff for Justice Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly prodded venues that hosted her for speaking engagements to buy her books, which have earned her at least $3.7 million since she was confirmed in 2009.
• The Supreme Court's restrictions on what qualifies as a "fundraiser" excludes events at public colleges in which organizers have used a justice's attendance to woo VIP donors.
• Visits to universities have also facilitated multiple encounters between justices and elected officials, despite being branded as academic in nature.

Why it matters: The Senate Judiciary Committee is planning to vote July 20 on legislation establishing a Supreme Court code of conduct — an effort Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said today is bolstered by the AP report.