12:30 REPORT

July 13, 2026 | By Cate Martel

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It’s Monday. Welcome back! The World Cup is down to four teams: Argentina, England, France and Spain. The final is less than a week away!

In today's issue:

Trump reimposes Strait of Hormuz blockade
Senate scrambles after Graham’s death
Graham’s final hours
Trump suggests Graham’s sister as replacement
McConnell’s office shares hospitalization update, photo
The viral DIY watermelon ice cream

🚢 IN THE WHITE HOUSE

A game of tug of war with the Strait of Hormuz:

Razieh Poudat/ISNA via AP

President Trump just reimposed the U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Iran exchanged more strikes over the weekend. He also declared a 20 percent toll on all cargo that is shipped.

“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving.”

Keep in mind: The U.S. and Iran both claim control of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital passage for the world’s oil supply. But Trump claimed this morning that the U.S. will become “the guardian” of the Middle East waterway.

Iran does not agree with that sentiment: Iran says the strait belongs to them, arguing it “will not allow a rogue and child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference in it,” according to The Associated Press.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ TRAFFIC HITS 5-WEEK LOW:

Ship traffic through the strait is the lowest it has been in five weeks, according to Reuters.

^ But keep in mind: Sources told Reuters that some ships are turning off public trackers, making it more difficult to calculate the number of ships passing through.

💬 Follow today’s live blog

HAPPENING NOW:

The Hill’s Ian Swanson, Colin Meyn and Alexander Bolton are answering live questions about everything happening in the news. 🗨️ Watch live and submit your question!

⏱️ ON CAPITOL HILL

Welcome back to a very different Congress:

A lot has changed since the House and Senate left for their Fourth of July recesses.

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) sudden death on Saturday has sent shockwaves through the Senate. Coupled with Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) extended absence due to being hospitalized for more than four weeks, Senate leaders are grappling with several looming issues:

First, Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general. His confirmation hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, was already expected to be tight. But without Graham, who sat on that committee, it will be even tighter.

Second, Trump’s massive $1.5 trillion defense spending package: McConnell chairs the Senate subcommittee that controls Pentagon spending. Absent McConnell, the Senate cannot move forward with passing defense spending without Democratic support — support they do not have.

Looming over everything — who will replace Graham?: South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) is responsible for naming Graham’s replacement to finish out his term. Graham was running for reelection, so that successor may also run for Graham’s seat in November. However, if that replacement comes from the House, it further complicates House Republicans’ incredibly slim majority.

We do know Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is interested in running for Graham’s seat after coming in fifth place last month in the GOP primary to become the next governor of South Carolina.

Trump’s two cents: Trump suggested in a social media post that Graham’s sister, Darline, serve the remainder of his term as a “fabulous tribute.”

When will we know Graham’s successor?: McMaster will announce his pick to finish Graham’s term at 4 p.m. today.

JUNE WAS ALREADY A ROCKY MONTH FOR REPUBLICANS:

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is looking to unify Senate Republicans around Trump’s priorities after a month of public disagreements. Think: Trump’s voter ID bill, Trump’s desire to abolish the filibuster and extend government surveillance powers.

Read more on the path forward, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton: ‘Senate GOP faces array of disagreements with Trump’

What happened to Lindsey Graham?:

Washington lost one of the most influential foreign policy hawks over the weekend. Preliminary reports say he died from “aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”

Graham had just returned from a trip to Ukraine. He was scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning.

Axios reports that Trump had spoken with Graham on Saturday night. Graham was at his Capitol Hill residence and had complained to someone that evening that he was not feeling well. That person urged him to seek medical care. Graham said he would after his Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press.”

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel later responded to a call for “cardiac arrest” at his home, according to scanner audio obtained by NBC News. EMS personnel administered CPR, according to the audio.

📸 Flowers and tributes outside Graham’s Senate office

MORE READS ON GRAHAM:

The Wall Street Journal: Inside Lindsey Graham’s Final Mission: Saving Ukraine

The Washington Post: A day before his death, Graham was in Ukraine, announcing a breakthrough

The New York Times: Mercurial and Magnetic, Lindsey Graham Was a Force in the Senate

Mark Leibovich in The Atlantic: What Lindsey Graham Wanted: The senator always sought relevance.

Politico: Lindsey O. Graham, A Politician in Full

What’s happening with McConnell?:

McConnell has been hospitalized and absent from the Senate for more than four weeks after a medical emergency at his Washington, D.C., home. He has not cast a vote since June 11.

Audio of emergency dispatch indicated that paramedics rushed to an address matching that of McConnell’s townhouse on Capitol Hill and provided CPR to an unconscious person who may have suffered a cardiac arrest.

His office has provided sparce details about his condition, fueling rumors that his condition is worse than his staff has acknowledged. Then his office released an update on his condition over the weekend.

McConnell fell at his home due to mobility issues that stem from childhood polio, according to his office. He then developed pneumonia while in the hospital. He is now focusing on physical therapy “to reduce the risk of future falls.”

McConnell says he won’t return to the Capitol for votes “quite yet.”

From McConnell’s Sunday statement, shared with The Hill: “As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet. But rest assured that, in the meantime, I’m not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you.”

📸 Photo of McConnell at the hospital with his wife, released by his office

📰 OTHER NEWS

➤ QUICK HIT:

The Trump administration subpoenaed four New York Times journalists on Friday after the outlet published a story outlining risks involving Trump’s Qatar-gifted Air Force One plane. Read more

➤ MORE READS:

The Washington Post: Trump’s sons invest heavily in defense tech as father’s administration pours money in

The New York Times: A Robot Army Remakes Ground Warfare in Ukraine

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Regulators Seek to Discourage Loans to Undocumented Immigrants

The New York Times: Private Planes, Helicopters and Mercedes Vans: The Rich Do the World Cup

The Hill: Democrats battle over the future of their fractured post-Platner party

The New York Times: Why Are Berries Everywhere, in Every Season? Driscoll’s.

🗓️ COMING UP

The House and Senate are back today. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EDT)

1:30 p.m. Trump participates in a Freedom 250 Grand Prix showcase at the White House. 💻 Livestream 📸 IndyCar outside the White House

3 p.m. Trump meets with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and NRCC Chair Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).

4 p.m. Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt interviews Trump.

4:30 p.m. Trump signs an executive order.

5:30 p.m. The Senate holds a confirmation vote on a judicial nomination. 📆 Today’s agenda

6:30 p.m. First and last House votes. 📆 Today’s agenda

🐝 INTERNET BUZZ

🌭 Celebrate: Today is National Beans ‘n Franks Day.

🍉 What’s trending on social media: Homemade watermelon ice cream! Social media users are freezing watermelon halves, adding cream or milk and mixing to create a fluffy frozen summer dessert. It does look delicious. Read more

👋 AND FINALLY…

Because I think we can all relate, watch these horses try to cool off in the summer heat.

Stay Engaged

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