June 24, 2026 | By Cate Martel
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It’s Wednesday. There is So. Much. Happening. In Washington today. Let’s get right into it.
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Trump abruptly cancels bill signing Holds housing bill over his controversial voter ID bill NYT obtained govt docs rebutting Trump’s pool vandalism claims Trump fumes after Congress passes rare Iran rebuke Mamdani’s candidates rock NY primaries
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Trump is holding the housing bill hostage: |
Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press
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President Trump abruptly canceled today’s scheduled signing of a popular, bipartisan housing affordability bill late this morning, putting Republicans in an incredibly tough spot. He now says he won’t sign it until lawmakers pass his voter ID bill into law.
The timing is remarkable: House Republicans were literally onstage touting the housing bill when Trump nixed today’s bill signing.
📸 Statuary Hall was all set up and ready for the bill signing
📸 Another angle
This puts Republicans in an awkward spot: Affordability has been a top concern among voters — and Republicans are desperately trying to focus on the economy, despite the president’s focus on Iran and pet projects. This bill was Republicans’ answer to the economic turbulence. It is aimed at helping lower housing prices, after all.
But now, when Republicans leave Washington to talk to voters for the next two weeks, they may not have this law to celebrate.
Reactions have been rolling in:
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Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) says he still expects Trump to sign the housing bill within 10 days. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) called the Republican Senate “a big hot mess,” saying his GOP colleagues have been "embarrassed and blindsided by Trump" by today’s abrupt bill signing cancellation. Senate Republican Leader John Thune (S.D.) wouldn’t comment on the cancellation. “At this point, I don’t have any observations about that,” he told reporters. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) says, “You can’t make this stuff up. We could all laugh, except this is really serious … this is really serious for people looking to buy a home, for renters.”
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Why Trump did this — he *really* wants the SAVE America Act to pass: Realistically, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE America Act) can only pass if Republicans pursue a third budget reconciliation bill. That’s because there is united opposition from Democrats. This is Trump’s way of raising the stakes.
Why Trump cares so much about the SAVE Act: He argues the bill is necessarily to safeguard elections ahead of the 2026 midterms. But he’s had mixed feedback from Senate Republicans, some of whom acknowledge the measure doesn’t have the votes and consider it a distraction. What’s in the SAVE Act
But don’t forget — a third reconciliation bill isn’t a magic potion: The nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian already ruled that Trump’s SAVE Act cannot pass in a reconciliation bill. Instead, it would need to pass with 60 votes, including support from several Democrats.
Trump wants Thune to abolish the filibuster and fire the Senate parliamentarian, but Thune has refused to do so.
💬 Follow today’s live blog
MEANWHILE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAPITOL:
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is meeting with House Republicans today to discuss whether to try for a third budget reconciliation bill, per Punchbowl. Keep in mind: It would be a heavy lift with a tough political climate.
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What I would give to be a fly on that wall: |
President Trump may have canceled the bill signing, but he is still scheduled to meet with Senate Republicans at 1 p.m.
Heading into today, Senate Republicans have already been fed up with Trump's antics. They’re worried his legislative demands could cost them the Senate majority in November. Tensions have been bubbling up for months and today is the day they can sort out their disagreements with him face-to-face.
Today’s abrupt bill signing cancellation will only magnify that.
TRUMP THEN HAS TO DRIVE BACK ACROSS TOWN FOR ANOTHER BIG MEETING:
The president will meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, with global tensions heightened over the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran, not to mention Ukraine's fight against Russia.
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Trump blames vandals, but government documents tell another story about the Reflecting Pool: |
President Trump has repeatedly blamed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation woes on vandalism. The “American flag blue” paint almost immediately peeled, and the water quickly turned bright green due to a giant algae bloom. The president claimed on Tuesday that several people have been arrested for slashing the pool’s sealant with a “sharp knife or razors ... probably in the dark of night.”
Well, The New York Times obtained government documents disputing the president’s claims.
Basically, National Park Service workers did find two cuts in the foam but those are not related to either the dark blue coating that has peeled or the algae bloom.
The government documents also say there were devices to kill the algae but those devices were not working properly.
Read the report: ‘Trump Blames Vandals for Reflecting Pool Problems. Internal Records Tell Another Story: The documents do not indicate that the peeling blue coating and algae blooms were caused intentionally.’
SOME ADVICE FROM A REPUBLICAN — ‘LET IT GO, LET IT GO, CAN’T HOLD THAT ALGAE BACK ANYMORE!’:
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) suggested the Trump administration “let it go and create an ecosystem” with fish.
LIGHT TIDBIT:
Raygun, which is known for selling political T-shirts, is selling “American flag blue” T-shirts that are a satirical play on the Pantone color of the year.
The bright green shirt reads, “The 2026 color of the year: American Flag Blue. A mix of water, algae, flaking pool liner, over-priced construction, graft, ineptitude, confidence, and laziness.”
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Wow, this was a rare move for Congress: |
The Senate passed a resolution on Tuesday directing President Trump to withdraw troops from Iran, a strong rebuke against the president.
The House has already passed this resolution, and it does not need the president’s signature, so legislatively, it’s done.
Significance of this resolution: It’s not legally binding for the president, but it sends a strong message.
Backstory: Democrats have been forcing votes to limit Trump’s war powers in Iran, but the votes had been failing. But their push picked up momentum and gained the support of several Republicans.
Which Senate Republicans voted with Democrats?: Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Bill Cassidy (La.). Centrist Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) was the only Democrat to vote with most Republicans against it.
Trump. Is. Furious.: He lashed out in a social media post on Tuesday evening, aimed specifically at the four Senate Republicans — or “Republican Losers,” as he dubbed them — who helped the bill over the finish line.
“These Senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!” Trump wrote.
A TAKE AGAINST CONVENTIONAL WISDOM:
The Atlantic Council’s Matthew Kroenig wrote a column in Foreign Policy, arguing the U.S. did, in fact, win the war with Iran.
The gist of his argument: “It wasn’t a knockout blow, but Washington prevailed on points.”
Read his take: ‘The U.S. Won the War With Iran’
^ A differing take in The Atlantic: ‘America’s Big Mistake in Iran: Aerial bombing alone can’t win a war.’
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Follow Washington closely? Something new is coming
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The Hill Insider launches July 2026. Premium access to the reporting and analysis most readers never see. Be among the first inside.
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It’s Zohran Mamdani’s New York: |
The candidates whom New York City’s 34-year-old mayor, Zohran Mamdani (D), endorsed excelled in their primaries on Tuesday, including democratic socialists.
Who won?:
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Democratic socialist candidates Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier won their primaries. Avila Chevalier ousted Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.). Progressive Brad Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.).
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— Camp Mystic, the girls summer camp where 25 children and two counselors died last summer in a flood, filed for bankruptcy this morning.
— Country singer Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, says she will perform at a rally for President Trump to kick off the celebrations leading up to America’s 250th birthday.
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is bopping around Washington today. (All times EDT)
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1 p.m. Trump has lunch with Republican senators.
1:30 p.m. First House votes of the day. 📆 Today’s agenda
3:30 p.m. Trump meets with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office.
5 p.m. Trump holds a policy meeting.
5 p.m. Last House votes.
8:30 p.m. Trump speaks at the “Great American State Fair.” 💻 Livestream
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🥜 Celebrate: Today is National Praline Day!
🎧 What should you get on Prime Day?: Wirecutter pulled together a list of the best Amazon Prime Day deals, by category. There are discounts on some Apple products.
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Before I leave you, I want you to see this viral video that I’m seeing everywhere this week. It’s one dog living another dog’s dream. Thank you, MLB, for posting this.
Can we PLEASE get another hot dog for this other dog?
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