Axios

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Tuesday that the state will not reinstate restrictions or close businesses to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Why it matters: More than 50% of coronavirus infections in the U.S. are from states like Florida, Texas, California and Arizona, Axios' Marisa Fernandez reports.

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is scheduled to provide a closed-door briefing to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday amid allegations that Russian operatives paid Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, according to a spokesman for acting committee chair Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

Why it matters: The allegations that top officials at the White House were aware of intelligence that U.S. troops were being targeted by Russia have prompted bipartisan outcry. GOP lawmakers Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) are among those demanding answers.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill on Tuesday to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, after the state's House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure.

Why it matters: Mississippi was the last state in the U.S. to incorporate the Confederate battle symbol into its flag.

75-year-old Martin Gugino has been released from the hospital almost a month after two police officers shoved him to the ground during a Black Lives Matter protest in Buffalo, fracturing his skull, his attorney confirmed to WKBW.

The backdrop: A viral video of the June 4 confrontation showed Gugino peacefully approaching officers before being pushed and stumbling backwards, hitting his head on the concrete. Gugino could be seen laying on the ground and bleeding from his ears while officers continued to walk by.

Republican satisfaction with the way things are going in the U.S. has dropped significantly since April, falling close to Democratic dissatisfaction, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

Why it matters: Until June 30, Republican satisfaction with the state of the country had stayed above 50% for nearly all of Trump’s presidency, according to Pew. The latest survey shows 19% of Republicans and those who lean Republican are satisfied with the direction of the country, compared to 7% of Democrats and those who lean Democrat.

Laying out his plans to combat the coronavirus during a speech on Tuesday, Joe Biden stared into the camera, addressed President Trump and questioned his fitness to lead the nation: "America needs a president."

The state of play: The former vice president pleaded with Trump to wear a mask, institute a national plan for reopening the country and economy, and unite the American people amid the pandemic.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a congressional hearing on Tuesday that the $134 billion in leftover funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) should be repurposed and extended to businesses that have suffered the most during the coronavirus pandemic, including "restaurants and hotels."

Why it matters: Today is the last day small businesses can apply for loans via the PPP, as coronavirus cases spike and some states are pausing or rolling back reopening plans. The prospects for small businesses, many of which have already seen significant revenue drops, are devastating.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) announced Tuesday the five individuals who will serve as the heads of the agency's two federal organizations and three public service broadcasting networks on an interim basis.

Why it matters: The former leaders of the organizations were dismissed by USAGM's new CEO and Trump appointee Michael Pack. The dismissals and restructuring of the organization have caused concern among Democrats that the Trump administration intends to use the agency as a "political arm" of the administration.

Joe Biden used President Trump's denials about intelligence on reported Russian bounties on American soldiers in Afghanistan to question the president's mental ability during a campaign appearance on Tuesday.

What he's saying: "He talks about cognitive capability. He doesn't seem to be cognitively aware of what's going on. He either reads and/or gets briefed on important issues — and then forgets it — or he doesn't think it's necessary that he need to know it."

A New York judge issued an injunction on Tuesday temporarily blocking publication of a tell-all book by Mary Trump, President Trump's niece.

The big picture: The preliminary decision marks a temporary win for President Trump's younger brother Robert, who filed the lawsuit to stop his niece's memoir, "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man."

Retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath defeated state Rep. Charles Booker in the race for Kentucky's Democratic Senate nomination, AP announced Tuesday.

Why it matters: McGrath was deemed an establishment favorite until Booker's progressive candidacy surged following national Black Lives Matter protests.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday at a press conference that, after receiving a White House briefing, he sees no indication that the intelligence surrounding allegations that Russian operatives paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops is a "hoax" — as President Trump has suggested.

What he's saying: "The president called this a hoax publicly. Nothing in the briefing that we have just received led me to believe it is a hoax. There may be different judgments as to the level of credibility, but there was no assertion that the information we had was a hoax."

House Democrats have released a 547-page template-slash-wish-list that could chart a path for the party to follow if they regain control of the Senate and the White House in this year's election.

The big picture: The plan from the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis calls for net-zero U.S. emissions by 2050, net-zero power-sector emissions by 2040, and a zero-emissions requirement for 100% of light-duty vehicle sales by 2035, among other targets.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) told Fox News' Laura Ingraham on Monday that attendees at a July 3 event at Mount Rushmore where President Trump is set to speak will not be required to practice social distancing.

What she's saying: "We will have a large event on July 3. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we'll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we won't be social distancing."

A new study from Redfin finds that 44% of Black families owned their own home as of the first quarter of this year compared to 73.7% of white families.

Between the lines: Many have suggested that a key to closing the racial wealth gap between Black and white Americans is to encourage more Black families to own homes, but data shows that would be woefully insufficient.

Netflix has pledged to allocate about 2% of the $5 billion it holds in cash — some $100 million — to "financial institutions and organizations that directly support Black communities in the United States," the company announced today.

Why it matters: U.S. corporations are sitting on trillions of dollars of cash, which is earning them effectively no interest. Aaron Mitchell, a recruiter at Netflix, had the idea that some of that cash could be deposited at Black-owned banks, where it would be reinvested into Black communities.

President Trump's advisers are sounding alarms about his re-election prospects to a degree not heard since the president entered the White House three and a half years ago.

The state of play: Over the past week, widespread panic and pessimism have set in.

Social media giants are no longer giving Donald Trump, his supporters and the alt-right a free pass for inflammatory or misleading speech online.

Why it matters: For years, President Trump and far-right extremists have relied on the loose content policies of tech platforms to reach millions of Americans unfiltered. Ahead of the 2020 election, social media may be turning down the volume on Trump's online megaphone.

14 state legislatures are considering bills that would limit transgender students' participation in athletics, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Why it matters: Though legislatures have halted action on the bills because of the coronavirus pandemic and national protests over the death of George Floyd, they may resume consideration in upcoming special sessions.

After Chief Justice John Roberts stunned conservatives by voting against them on a big case for the third time in 12 days, advocates on both sides agreed on one thing: Roberts is playing a long game.

The state of play: Roberts, 65, nominated by President George W. Bush, is acutely conscious of both his personal legacy and the reputation of the institution. So court-watchers in both parties see a wily pragmatism in his surprise votes.

Joe Biden is turning to a diverse, younger generation of Obama White House alums to fill high-level campaign positions as he gears up for the general election.

Driving the news: In the past few weeks, four former staffers who worked for Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett joined Biden’s campaign.

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said in a statement Monday night it's a "crime" to leak sensitive information, after Democratic and Republican lawmakers demanded answers over reports that intel alleged Russian operatives placed bounties on U.S. troops.

Details: "We are still investigating the alleged interference referenced in media reporting and we will brief the President and Congressional leaders at the appropriate time," Ratcliffe said. "Unfortunately, the unauthorized disclosures now jeopardize our ability to find out the full story with respect to these allegations."

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Monday that he reviewed intel alleging Russian operatives placed bounties on U.S. troops, telling President Trump in a tweet: "It's not a hoax ... if you continue ignoring the facts, more soldiers and marines are going to die."

Why it matters: House Democrats are set to review the intelligence Tuesday morning, and will specifically be looking into Trump's comments Sunday night that he was never briefed on the bounties because officials did not find intelligence on the matter to be credible.