Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
June 20, 2025
Senate Republicans propose deeper Medicaid cuts
(Washington Post) Last month, House Republicans passed massive tax-and-spending legislation projected to result in 7.8 million fewer Medicaid enrollees. The Senate Finance Committee’s revisions to the bill released Monday could prompt even steeper coverage losses, sharply reining in a Medicaid financing maneuver that hospital groups say would slash payments to their facilities. “The Senate just made a bad bill worse,” Chip Kahn, CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, said in a statement. “Rural communities would take the hardest hit, with struggling hospitals compelled to face difficult decisions about what services to cut.”
Go to discussionTrump Insider Reveals ‘Nobody’ Is Talking to Hegseth as Iran Crisis Spirals
(Daily Beast) Donald Trump is sidestepping his own defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, while seeking advice on whether to launch a military strike against Iran, according to a report. An unnamed U.S. official told The Washington Post that the president is instead turning to a couple of four-star generals for guidance on whether to join Israel in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, with the head of the Pentagon being largely left out. “Nobody is talking to Hegseth,” the official said. “There is no interface operationally between Hegseth and the White House at all.”
Go to discussionWhite House says Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in 'a couple of weeks'
(ABC News) The White House on Thursday stated definitively that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in "a couple of weeks" once given the go-ahead from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Let's be very clear, Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her briefing. "All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that." "And it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would, of course, pose an existential threat not just to Israel but to the United States and to the entire world," she continued.
Go to discussionTrump on Juneteenth: US has 'too many non-working holidays'
(The Hill) President Trump said the country is losing money due to the number of federal holidays on Thursday, which marks Juneteenth, the newest addition to the U.S. holiday calendar. “Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post. “The workers don’t want it either,” he added.
Go to discussion'Farms will vanish': Cherry farms become ghost towns amid Trump's ICE crackdown
(Raw Story) Cherry growers say they're seeing a severe labor shortage amid President Donald Trump's nationwide immigration crackdown, leading to a massive shortage of berries. A grower in the Mattawa, Washington, area lost about 300 bins — each weighing at least 350 pounds, horticulturist Erik Zavala told area told The Spokesman-Review in a report published this week. “People watch the news,” Zavala said, referring to masked federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detaining people as part of Trump's ramped-up immigration effort. “It’s definitely having an impact."
Go to discussionRestaurants, hotels and farms beg Trump to exempt their businesses from immigration raids after screeching policy U-turn
(The Independent) Many restaurants, hotels, and farms traditionally rely heavily on immigrant workers and are begging the Trump administration to spare them from raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. There has been mounting confusion across many sectors after an apparent flip-flop on whom immigration raids would target, as hardline members of the administration push to ramp up deportations while President Donald Trump seeks to mollify concerns from businesses.
Go to discussionNew Smartmatic Filing Reveals Fox News Staffers Admitted Election Claims Were 'So F***ing Cray' and 'MINDBLOWINGLY NUTS'
(Mediaite) In the wake of Dominion Voting System’s stunning $787.5 million settlement in its defamation lawsuit against Fox News, all eyes turned to Smartmatic, another voting technology company that had filed its own lawsuit making similar claims that Fox News had made false and defamatory accusations that Smartmatic had engaged in fraud during the 2020 election.
Go to discussionJudge accused of helping immigrant evade ICE wants a trial date as case is 'hanging over her head' -- and is now delayed
(Law & Crime) Lawyers for Hannah Dugan, the Wisconsin judge indicted on federal charges for allegedly impeding government agents during an immigration bust, say she "wants a trial date" as soon as possible — revealing Wednesday that her obstruction case is reportedly "hanging over her head" — as she's continues to be "out of a job right now."
Go to discussionJames Comer likely to subpoena Dem megadonor George Soros: MAGA lawmaker
(Raw Story) Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) revealed that House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) will likely subpoena liberal billionaire George Soros at her urging. During a Thursday interview on Newsmax, Luna said she had contacted Comer about issuing a subpoena. "I've also talked to Chairman Comer about issuing a subpoena to George Soros, which I think he's going to," she told host Chris Salcedo.
Go to discussionICE agents denied entry to Dodger Stadium
(KTLA) Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempted to access Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning but were denied entry by the team, according to a source familiar with the situation. Images of government vehicles quickly spread on social media, prompting widespread speculation and criticism from fans, many of whom questioned the agents’ presence at the stadium.
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