Biden-Netanyahu tensions return
Plus, election results from Virginia, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
Good morning! It’s Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Today is Juneteenth — the country’s newest federal holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. In WUTP fashion, I must note that the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act of 2021 is a prime example of bipartisan legislating: it passed the Senate unanimously and passed the House in a 415-14 vote. Because it’s a holiday, I have an abridged newsletter for you, focused on a few key things you should know to start your day:
1. Key Virginia primary is too close to call
In yesterday’s newsletter, I previewed the Republican primary in Virginia 5th congressional district, where House Freedom Caucus chairman Bob Good (R-VA) faced a primary challenge backed by former President Donald Trump (because he supported Ron DeSantis in the 2024 primary) and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (because he voted to oust McCarthy last year).
As of this writing, the contest is still too close to call. Good’s challenger, state Sen. John McGuire, currently has a slight edge, 50.26% to 49.74%. The two are separated by a mere 327 votes, out of more than 62,000 votes cast.
Despite the close race — which will almost certainly go to a recount, which could take weeks to resolve — McGuire declared victory on Election Night. “It is an honor to be your Republican nominee,” McGuire told supporters, even though a winner has yet to be declared.
More election results of note:
House Appropriations Committee chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), one of the most senior House Republicans, easily fended off a primary challenge from a self-funded businessman.
Retired Army colonel Eugene Vindman, who played a key role in Trump’s first impeachment as a whistleblower along with his twin brother Alex, won the Democratic primary in Virginia’s 7th congressional district. He will now face Republican Derrick Anderson, a lawyer and former Army Green Beret, in the contest to replace retiring Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) in the competitive district.
A top Trump lieutenant is likely headed to Congress. Brian Jack, who served as White House political director during the Trump administration and as a key adviser earlier in Trump’s 2024 campaign, won a Republican primary runoff in Georgia’s 3rd congressional district. The seat is heavily Republican, meaning Jack is highly favored to win in November.
2. Netanyahu escalates White House tensions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ratcheted up tensions with the U.S. on Tuesday when he claimed that the Biden administration was withholding weapons that he said were needed for Israel’s war against Hamas.
“It’s inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel,” Netanyahu said in a Twitter video, adding: “Give us the tools and we’ll finish the job a lot faster.”
The White House quickly denied that any Israeli aid shipments had been blocked, outside of a single shipment of heavy bombs from May, which was placed on hold shortly before Israel began its invasion of Rafah. “We genuinely do not know what he is talking about,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to Netanyahu.
Although an arms sale, not an aid shipment, the Wall Street Journal has reported that the Biden administration has been slow-walking a planned $18 billion sale of F-15 jet fighters to Israel. The State Department has reportedly yet to move forward with the sale, despite the fact that it was approved by congressional leaders in late May.
Netanyahu’s decision to go public with criticism of Biden — in a Twitter video specifically aimed at that purpose, with some of his sharpest rhetoric towards the U.S. since the war began in October — came, as it has previously, as Netanyahu faces increased domestic political challenges.
After centrist minister Benny Gantz left the Israeli unity government last week, Netanyahu opted to dissolve the country’s war cabinet rather than include far-right ministers including Itamar Ben Gvir. That has led to a round of sniping between Netanyahu and Ben Gvir, with the former accusing the latter of leaking state secrets.
Coming up: Netanyahu is set to address a joint session of Congress on July 24, which many congressional Democrats are planning to boycott. The White House has not yet said whether the prime minister will meet with President Biden while he is in Washington.
3. National debt set to surpass $50T in next decade
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projected Tuesday that the U.S. public debt — which is currently around $27 trillion — will reach $50 trillion by 2034.
The public debt is currently just shy of the country’s GDP; the debt is poised to match GDP by the end of next year. By 2034, the public debt will be 122% of the GDP, according to the CBO’s projections.
If you include intergovernmental debt, not just debt held by the public, the federal debt currently stands above $34 trillion. According to the CBO, that metric will reach $56 trillion at the end of the next decade.
Meanwhile, the congressional scorekeepers said that the annual budget deficit, which is expected to be above $1.9 trillion this year, is projected to reach $2.8 trillion by 2034. The deficit is the annual difference between how much revenue the government takes in and how much it spends; the debt is the total amount of money owed by the U.S. government to creditors.
The size of the next decade’s deficits are poised to be shaped next year, when much of the Trump-era tax cuts expire.
More news to know.
Some Democrats are worried that the Biden campaign is too insular and focusing too much on a message that emphasizes democracy over the economy. (Axios)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inked a mutual defense agreement, forming the closest ties between their two countries since the end of the Cold War. (NBC)
The $230 million pier built by the U.S. military to deliver aid to Gaza has “largely failed in its mission” and is set to suspend its operations earlier than expected. (NYT)
New York’s top court declined to immediately lift former President Donald Trump’s gag order. (CNN)
Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, has previously downplayed the sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby. (WaPo)
The House Ethics Committee is expanding its investigation into Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), in which a woman has reportedly testified that Gaetz paid her for sex. Gaetz has denied the allegation. (ABC)
Donald Trump wasn’t going to stay in Milwaukee during the Republican convention there, but he changed his plans after reporters started asking questions. (NYT)
The day ahead.
White House: President Biden is at his vacation house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He has nothing on his public schedule.
Vice President Harris is set to record two radio interviews.
Congress: The Senate is out for Juneteenth. The House is out all week.
Supreme Court: The justices have nothing on tap today.
About Netanyahu and his gang of criminals I suggest you to read this guy!
https://substack.com/profile/74112888-emmanuel-goldstein
Thanks for gathering up the information for a brief newsletter today! I hadn't read the original Proclamation until now, and it's interesting how the manner or style of writing in 1863 is so different and more difficult to read than current writing, or perhaps since I haven't ever read any other such formal proclamations before, this is just the usual standard style.
But I'm very happy to see that you noted:
"Retired Army colonel Eugene Vindman, who played a key role in Trump’s first impeachment as a whistleblower along with his twin brother Alex, won the Democratic primary in Virginia’s 7th congressional district. [..] to replace retiring Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) in the competitive district."