The Daily Brief
Today
Good morning. The Trump administration has barred Medicaid and CHIP from funding gender-affirming surgeries and hormones for transgender minors, cutting off federal care while leaving states to foot the bill. At the same time, Trump sits on $400 million in super PAC cash, using it to discipline congressional Republicans rather than fund midterm campaigns, analyst David Pakman reports.
In Colombia, the desperate search for earthquake survivors enters a critical phase with more than 180 confirmed dead 24 hours after the quake struck.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the White House kept Congress “in the dark” about last month’s ruse to avoid an Iranian threat. Journalists and others were allowed to fly on the presidential jet while Trump was spirited away, a charade Democrats say demands a briefing. Tehran holds firm on its war demands, dampening hopes that a deal with Oman could provide a route for commercial shipping, as Iran exploits dwindling U.S. interceptors.
Domestic dysfunction compounds the crisis. In Montana, Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead refuses to exit the race against retiring Sen. Steve Daines, splitting the vote and boosting GOP nominee Kurt Alme over Independent Seth Bodnar. South Carolina Republicans crowd a special primary to replace Sen. Lindsey Graham on the November ballot, with his sister Darline Graham serving the remainder of his term. House Democrats cannot compel AI CEOs to testify, Rep. Jennifer McClellan acknowledges, while former Marine Robert Gilman returns home after more than four years in Russian detention on disputed charges.