1. UKRAINE FALLOUT: As even the European far-right today condemned the U.S. decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv scrambled to figure out what’s next. At emergency meetings, Ukrainian leaders worked to assess the impact of Trump’s withdrawal, while trying to determine how they can still salvage ties with the U.S., NYT’s Marc Santora reports. He finds “sadness and disbelief” among Ukrainians at Trump’s rapid reversal of support for — and antagonism toward — their country. Russian leaders continued to delight publicly today in Trump’s adoption of many of their priorities and beliefs about the war, while VP JD Vance triggered outrage in the U.K. Nonetheless, Ukrainian officials said today that they can hold the front lines on the battlefield for now despite the American pause, per Reuters’ Andrea Shalal and Max Hunder. And this morning, Vance — who triggered the Oval Office outburst last week — kept the door open to Ukraine, saying that the White House is still committed to signing a natural resources deal with Ukraine and “we’ve heard some positive things,” per CBS’ Alan He. In a lengthy X post this morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to get back on Trump’s good side with a proposal for a limited truce in the war. He emphasized Ukraine’s eagerness for peace, readiness to sign a minerals deal and gratitude to the U.S. Zelenskyy also nodded to “Trump’s strong leadership” and said Friday’s meeting was “regrettable … It is time to make things right.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), for one, seemed pleased. 2. FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE: After Trump asked Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow has agreed to act as a go-between for the U.S. and Iran in nuclear and other discussions, Bloomberg reports. Officials from the U.S. and Russia discussed working together on Iran at their Saudi Arabia meeting last month. 3. SCOTUS WATCH: Conservative and liberal Supreme Court justices today sounded ready to toss out Mexico’s lawsuit against American gun manufacturers for making firearms that have unleashed cartel violence, Bloomberg’s Greg Stohr reports. Justices indicated that they think a 2005 law prevents Mexico from bringing the suit, which would give the gun industry stronger liability. Latest ruling: A 5-4 conservative majority reined in the EPA, saying the agency had inappropriately restricted San Francisco from disposing of sewage in the Pacific Ocean, per CNN’s John Fritze. Justice Amy Coney Barrett partially dissented with the three liberals. 4. THE PURGE: Some of the latest mass firings hit about 40 probationary employees in the Commerce Department’s semiconductor chips office, per Reuters. That’s a third of the people who oversee the industry subsidies. Meanwhile, some senior leaders with high-level security clearances who were fired across the government didn’t get typical exit briefings, raising security concerns, Reuters’ Timothy Gardner and Jonathan Landay scooped. Meanwhile, Elon Musk will meet with House Republicans tomorrow evening, NBC’s Melanie Zanona scooped. 5. CAN’T TELL ME NOTHING: NRCC Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) urged House Republicans to stop holding in-person town halls, after voters angry with Trump’s early moves have drawn negative headlines in recent weeks, per POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill. Some members said they’ll still hold such events, but the move is reflective of previous cycles when either Democrats or Republicans suffered earfuls of blowback at town halls ahead of tough midterms. For his part, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) wrote in The American Prospect today that he’ll hold town halls in three Republican districts in California to blast the GOP for Department of Government Efficiency cuts and potential Medicaid changes. But but but: Town halls aside, NYT’s Kellen Browning finds openness to Trump and some cautious optimism among voters in an Arizona swing district. In Phoenix and Scottsdale, some say they like Trump’s early actions on immigration, cutting the government and projecting an image of strong leadership — or they’re giving him room and time to achieve his goals. 6. TRUMP GETS RESULTS: “After Trump threats, Hong Kong firm says it will sell stake in Panama Canal ports,” by WaPo’s Mary Beth Sheridan: “[A]pparently responding to threats from President Donald Trump over what he called Chinese influence over the critical waterway … CK Hutchison said the sale was part of a bigger deal in which a consortium led by Blackrock Inc. would acquire an 80 percent interest in its units that owned, operated and developed 43 other ports in 23 countries.” 7. SCHOOL TIES: Trump declared on Truth Social this morning that he would end federal money for schools where students take part in “illegal protests,” and would expel, jail and/or deport the demonstrators. Legal experts said that would be unconstitutional, since the First Amendment protects free speech, including that of protesters. More from the WSJ 8. THE REVOLVING DOOR: “He Fought Claims of Harm From Infant Formula. Now He Regulates It,” by NYT’s Christina Jewett: “Kyle A. Diamantas joined the F.D.A. last month to lead the food division, leaving the law firm Jones Day … Mr. Diamantas’s recent work included defending Abbott Laboratories in a lawsuit accusing the company of failing to adequately warn parents that its specialized formula for premature infants was associated with an elevated risk of a deadly bowel condition. Abbott lost the case and was ordered to pay $495 million. Abbott is appealing. … Mr. Diamantas did not respond to a request for comment.” 9. TALKER: “Ethical Concerns Surround Sen. Joni Ernst’s Relationships With Top Military Officials Who Lobbied Her Committee,” by ProPublica’s Robert Faturechi: “Earlier this year, the Air Force revealed that the general who oversaw its lobbying before Congress [Christopher Finerty] had inappropriate romantic relationships with five women … [O]ne of the women whose relationship with Finerty was scrutinized by the inspector general was Sen. Joni Ernst … Three other sources told ProPublica that around 2019 Ernst had a previous romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official for a different branch of the military, the Navy. … “Ernst and the officials were not married at the time and Senate rules do not bar lawmakers from entering into romantic relationships with lobbyists or other legislative advocates. But ethics experts say such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other lawmakers have been criticized for such behavior in the past.” Ernst’s office declined to address the alleged relationships but excoriated ProPublica and said, “Her votes and work in the Senate are guided by the voices of Iowans who elected her and her constitutional duty alone.”
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