It is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and President Joe Biden will spend a fair part of the summer in his beloved Delaware, at Rehoboth Beach.
It’s an Atlantic Coast playground where much of Washington decamps to cool out in July and August.
However, in Washington, it is hot and the temperature is rising.
At 150 days in office, Biden has secured a complete victory on his first priorities: ending the pandemic and economic recovery.
COVID is down. The economy is up. America is on the move again.
Without any Republican votes in Congress, the American Rescue Plan was enacted and is doing its job.
Close to 70 per cent of the country will be at least partially vaccinated by Independence Day on July 4. The economy and jobs are coming back strongly, with growth forecast above 5 per cent this year.
It was with these winds at his back that Biden could meet with 30 allies in Europe, including Australia.
American allies renewed their support for US, carrying Western power into summit with Putin last week.
Biden outlined issues where the two countries could work through tough problems, such as Russia-based cyber attacks on US infrastructure; leave no doubt that the US would respond fully if provoked by Russian behaviour; and reaffirm core US values of democracy and human rights to Putin.
By all measures, Biden achieved what he wanted to accomplish.
On my first overseas trip as president, I made it clear: America is back. Diplomacy is back. And we’re ready to work side-by-side with our allies to tackle the toughest challenges of the 21st century. pic.twitter.com/fRwtmrYLhf
In the United States, it is the height of the baseball season in America, so let’s do some inside baseball analysis:
Biden returned to Washington at the next critical juncture of his presidency: to win approval in Congress of multitrillion dollar program to rebus the country and provide economic security – in education and health and opportunity – for American families.
With his decades of service in Congress, Biden wants to see whether he can do at least some of this important work in the way he prefers to do it: with bipartisan cooperation.
And that effort is underway. At the same time, he wants to hold all his Democrats together – and he needs virtually every Democratic vote in the House and Senate to win floor votes.
This is unfolding on two tracks. A smaller joint bill with some Republicans on “basic” infrastructure: roads, bridges, broadband. About a trillion dollars, and Biden wants it paid for without new taxes or user fees on the middle class.
This package may get there. We will know in the next week or so if the talks are successful.
If a deal is reached, perhaps 15 Republicans can join with most Democrats to pass it in the Senate.
However this smaller package hardly meets the ambitious program Biden and Democrats want given the urgency of the country’s needs. So, a parallel mega-bill of perhaps $5 trillion will get underway.
The test for that package is whether Democrats will hold united against withering Republican attacks on a “radical, socialist, extremist” program of “tax and spend” that will bankrupt the country.
If these scenarios play out with Biden victories, there will be some earnest rebuilding of infrastructure across the country. And people will see that things are getting better. And that will paty political dividends for Biden.
If the bipartisan talks fail, and Democrats cannot maintain the unity required to see the mega-Biden program through, then Biden’s legislative program comes to a griding halt.
That would have the most profound consequences for how much President Biden can indeed accomplish in these first four years. A home run? Or three strikes and you’re out?
Bruce Wolpe is a Ticker News US political contributor. He’s a Senior Fellow at the US Studies Centre and has worked with Democrats in Congress during President Barack Obama's first term, and on the staff of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. He has also served as the former PM's chief of staff.
Trump confirms U.S. strikes on Iran as Israel targets top Iranian leaders
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
President Trump has confirmed that U.S. forces successfully struck three nuclear facilities in Iran – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan – with all aircraft safely exiting Iranian airspace. The mission, involving B-2 stealth bombers, comes amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military operations, killing three top Iranian military leaders and striking a major nuclear facility in Isfahan. The Israeli chief of staff warned the operation may lead to a prolonged and complex war.
Iran responded by vowing to continue uranium enrichment and said talks with the U.S. are off the table unless Israel halts its attacks. In a parallel move, Houthi militants threatened U.S. and commercial ships in the Red Sea if American strikes continue in support of Israel.
Adding to the volatility, an Iranian drone hit northern Israel, with the IDF confirming the incident—though no casualties were reported. The U.S. State Department is now organising flights to evacuate Americans from Israel.
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Trump announces successful U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, while Israel intensifies its military campaign against Iranian leadership.
In Short:
President Trump announced U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, confirming all aircraft left Iranian airspace after the operation. Meanwhile, Israel ramped up its military actions against Iran, leading to warnings from Iranian officials and Houthi militants regarding potential escalations.
President Trump announced on Saturday that the United States had successfully completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
This military action was preceded by the deployment of stealth B-2 bombers from Missouri, capable of carrying the GBU-57 bunker buster, a powerful weapon considered effective against the Fordow uranium-enrichment facility.
Trump had earlier indicated to senior aides that he approved attack plans for Iran, awaiting Tehran’s decision on its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military intensified its operations against Iranian military leaders and nuclear sites, announcing the elimination of three senior Iranian figures and strikes on the Isfahan facility. Israel’s military chief warned of a potentially prolonged conflict, describing it as the nation’s most complex military undertaking.
In response, Iranian officials stated their refusal to halt uranium enrichment and indicated that negotiations with the U.S. would only occur if Israel ceased its attacks.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department announced the initiation of flights to facilitate the return of American citizens from Israel.
Houthi militants also issued a warning to target U.S. and commercial vessels in the Red Sea should American attacks in support of Israel commence.
Amidst this, an Iranian drone attack recently damaged a building in northern Israel, marking an acknowledged drone strike by the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict. No casualties were reported from the incident.