by Russell Sherrard for Russell Sherrard.
Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Eric.
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Number 1. Iran asserts control of Strait of Hormuz; U.S. sends USS George Washington to replace long-deployed Abraham Lincoln.
Tehran rejected President Trump’s claims of U.S. control and listed demands for reopening the waterway.
The Navy is deploying the George Washington amid reports of heavy MQ-9 Reaper drone losses (≈25% of the fleet, >$1.3B) and extended strain on the Abraham Lincoln (250+ days deployed). Houthi attacks on Saudi targets continue.
Conservative take: The regime in Tehran remains the primary regional aggressor. Sustained pressure—military, economic, and diplomatic—is required. Carrier rotation is necessary, but prolonged deployments highlight the need for stronger force posture and better support for sailors rather than endless open-ended operations.
Number 2. Colombia earthquake death toll rises to ~273; search continues.
Rescuers are still digging through rubble from Monday’s 7.4 quake, with hundreds missing and thousands injured. Officials urge silence to listen for survivors as the critical window closes.
Conservative take: A tragic natural disaster that underscores the limits of government response and the value of private charity, local resilience, and practical preparedness over bureaucratic international aid dependency.
Number 3. Federal judge dismisses Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard.
A Boston judge ruled the administration failed to prove an ongoing civil-rights violation, dealing a setback to efforts to hold elite universities accountable for campus antisemitism and related policies.
Conservative take: Elite institutions continue to enjoy judicial protection while often failing to protect Jewish students or maintain viewpoint neutrality. The fight against campus radicalism and institutional bias is far from over.
Number 4. Reports of mental-health and supply problems aboard USS Abraham Lincoln.
Extended deployment supporting operations against Iran has produced morale, supply, and mental-health concerns among sailors, prompting the carrier relief.
Conservative take: Supporting the troops means more than rhetoric—adequate rest, supplies, and realistic mission scopes matter. Extended deployments without sufficient rotation risk readiness and retention.
Number 5. U S Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemns Israeli settler siege of Palestinian homes as “terrorism”.
Settlers have besieged homes in the West Bank (including one owned by a Palestinian-American) for days; Huckabee issued a rare public rebuke.
Conservative take: Lawless vigilantism undermines Israel’s legitimate security needs and the rule of law. Strong U.S.-Israel alliance requires calling out excesses that damage Israel’s standing without equating them to systematic Palestinian terrorism.
Number 6. Europe battles record heat and multiple wildfires.
The UK hit its hottest day of the year (≈100.6°F); fires rage in England, France, Croatia, Greece, and elsewhere, forcing evacuations and straining firefighters.
Conservative take: Extreme weather requires practical adaptation, resilient infrastructure, and energy realism—not panic-driven net-zero policies that raise costs while China and others continue expanding fossil fuels.
Number 7. Nevada judge dismisses 2020 “fake electors” case.
Charges against Republicans who submitted alternate elector certificates were dropped, another setback for post-2020 prosecutions in swing states.
Conservative take: The long-running legal campaign against 2020 Trump electors increasingly looks like selective political prosecution. Courts continue to narrow these cases, reinforcing concerns about two-tier justice.
Number 8. HHS flags possible Medicaid fraud tied to transgender procedures on minors.
The Department of Health and Human Services urged states to investigate potential improper billing and manipulation of codes related to gender-related treatments for minors.
Conservative take: Protecting children from irreversible medical interventions and stopping the misuse of taxpayer dollars for experimental procedures are legitimate priorities. Transparency and scrutiny of ideological medicine are overdue.
Number 9. Trump directs Navy to restore steam catapults on aircraft carriers.
A national-security memorandum orders a return to older steam technology on Ford-class carriers, replacing the electromagnetic system, at significant expected cost.
Conservative take: Reliability and proven performance should trump unproven tech when national security is at stake. Cost overruns and operational shortfalls on the new system justify a hard look, though taxpayers deserve clear justification for the switch.
Number 10. Three U.S. executions completed in one day; ICE shock-glove plans advance; border barrier work begins in Big Bend.
Tennessee, Alabama, and Oklahoma carried out lethal injections (including for the rape-murder of a 5-year-old). ICE continues plans for electric-shock gloves as a less-lethal tool, and construction of border barriers is underway in Big Bend National Park.
Conservative take: Capital punishment for the most heinous crimes delivers justice for victims. Equipping officers with effective tools and building physical barriers are practical steps toward restoring border security and the rule of law after years of open-border policies.