Another day, another cave from a media organization. This time it’s Paramount which decided to cave to Donald Trump overnight and agree to a $16 million lawsuit. This is yet another reason why independent media is so important. I will never cave to Trump or those close to him, no matter what happens. Please consider supporting my work today by subscribing to my Substack:

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With that, here’s the news:

  • Paramount, the parent company of CBS, agreed on Wednesday to pay $16 million to settle Donald Trump’s lawsuit over a October 60 Minutes interview—funds to go to Trump’s future presidential library (not to Trump personally), with no apology or statement of regret included in the settlement.
  • Trump originally sued CBS for $10 billion in October, accusing the network of deceptively editing the interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris to favor Democrats, later amending his complaint in February to seek $20 billion in damages.
  • The Freedom of the Press Foundation condemned Paramount’s settlement with Trump, calling it a “spineless” move that insults the First Amendment and undermines press freedom, labeling it “a dark day for Paramount and for journalism.”
  • The House is set to vote on Donald Trump’s signature tax-and-spending bill after it narrowly passed the Senate, where Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote; House Speaker Mike Johnson is working to contain internal GOP opposition over Senate changes, particularly to Medicaid.
  • There are a lot of issues already with the bill, however, as some Republicans are threatening a revolt over the new language, while the inclement weather has forced House Republican leadership to possibly push some votes already.
  • Johnson aims to meet Trump’s July 4 deadline despite possible weather-related attendance issues, with the House Rules Committee advancing the measure early Wednesday; fiscal conservatives remain upset over projections that the Senate version could worsen the federal deficit compared to the House’s original draft.
  • According to the Congressional Budget Office and multiple analyses, at least 17 million Americans stand to lose their health insurance under the Senate version of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” largely due to deep Medicaid cuts and the expiration of ACA marketplace subsidies.
  • CNN reports that Trump’s 30-year-old nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, Ryan Ingrassia, shared a 9/11 conspiracy video featuring Alex Jones, has promoted content from Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes, and argued that straight white men are the most intelligent group and should be prioritized in education.
  • Legally mandated U.S. National Climate Assessments have vanished from federal websites, making it harder for the public and local governments to access critical climate impact information; the White House claims the data will now be housed at NASA, but provided no timeline or access details.
  • Scientists warn that removing these peer-reviewed reports—which help save lives and guide policy—risks public safety; searches on NASA sites yielded no results, and agencies like NOAA and NASA have not responded to repeated inquiries.
  • A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end deportation protections and work permits early for roughly 521,000 Haitian immigrants, after the Department of Homeland Security had rescinded Biden’s TPS extension and sought to cut the program off before its scheduled expiration.
  • A new study estimates that USAID saved 92 million lives from 2001 to 2021, and warns that dismantling the agency could result in 14 million deaths within five years—making its elimination potentially the most consequential action Trump has taken this year.
  • Iran’s president has reportedly ordered a suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, escalating tensions over the country’s nuclear program.
  • The White House has confirmed a halt to scheduled weapons deliveries to Ukraine — including PAC-3 Patriots, 155mm artillery rounds, GMLRS, Stinger, AIM-7, and Hellfire missiles — with @AnnaKelly47 stating the move prioritizes U.S. interests after a DOD review, adding, “The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran.”

    • More to come soon.

    — Aaron