Axios

Democrats in mostly blue Maine are threatening to retaliate if Republican-led Nebraska changes how it awards Electoral College votes for the 2028 presidential election.

Why it matters: It's the latest example of tit-for-tat election politics that have come to define the Trump era, and that could help determine who wins the race for the White House.

President Trump will call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and press him not to retaliate for Iran's missile attack, Trump tells Axios.

• "I am going to call Bibi right now and tell him not to retaliate. Each of them had their fun. Israel had its strike, and Iran had its strike. We don't need another one," Trump said.

Why it matters: The ceasefire in the Middle East is teetering after Israel struck Beirut and Iran fired multiple waves of missiles in response.

Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Beirut earlier in the day, marking the first direct Iranian missile attack since the April 8 ceasefire.

Why it matters: This marks a major regional escalation and threatens to unravel U.S.–Iran negotiations and reignite the war.

Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday in retaliation to a Hezbollah missile attack on northern Israel, Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: Iran threatened last week to launch a missile attack against Israel if it attacks Beirut, while the U.S. has backed Israel's right to self-defence. Such a move could unravel U.S.–Iran negotiations and reignite the war.

President Trump abruptly ended a wide-ranging "Meet the Press" interview Sunday after defending potential payouts for people prosecuted over Jan. 6 and warning slow Iran talks could restart U.S. military action.

Why it matters: The NBC interview captured two fights likely to follow Trump this week: the scope of his Iran operation, and whether taxpayer money should go to people he casts as victims of political prosecutions.

Republican-led states have redrawn enough congressional districts to force Democrats to outperform their 2024 national results by nearly 5 percentage points if they want to retake the majority in the 2026 midterms.

Why it matters: Control of the House will shape whether President Trump will be allowed to govern largely unchecked during his final two years, or left facing a chamber armed with subpoenas and oversight.

Chief Justice John Roberts officiated Friday's secret wedding of David Rubenstein, the investor and patriotic philanthropist, to Caryn Zucker, who's active on the boards of several New York City cultural institutions.

• Rubenstein is co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, owner of the Baltimore Orioles, and an author and interviewer. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, for his lavish support for preserving and restoring historic landmarks and artifacts.
• Zucker worked at "Saturday Night Live" early in her career.

The U.S.-Iran war is forcing FIFA to navigate a diplomatic and logistical mess before the World Cup even kicks off Thursday.

Why it matters: Iranians are largely banned from traveling to the U.S. right now, while Iran's national team will face an exhausting itinerary each time it plays on U.S. soil.

President Trump surprised tech CEOs by suddenly pushing the idea of the U.S. taking a small ownership stake in AI giants, so the American people share in the upside of what will be trillion-dollar companies.

• "There's something very interesting about it, where it almost becomes a partnership with the American public," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday. "It's like you make them [partners] in this revolution. It would be a beautiful thing. ... It would make 'em rich."

Why it matters: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has pushed this idea with the Trump administration over the past year. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) reignited the conversation this week when he proposed giving the public a "direct ownership stake" in top AI companies via a one-time 50% tax, paid in stock.

The agency driving President Trump's mass deportation campaign is now preparing to welcome millions of foreign visitors at the World Cup.

Why it matters: The June 12 kickoff in Los Angeles — followed by 77 matches in just over a month — will trigger a wave of arrivals who'll come face-to-face with the immigration system that's generated backlash over the last year.