Politics & World Affairs — June 18, 2026

Hegseth calls for ‘NATO 3.0’ reboot. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a review of U.S. forces in Europe while in Brussels. He warned some NATO allies will “fail” the assessment and called for a fundamental restructuring of the alliance.

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Netanyahu cut out of Iran deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stayed silent after Trump signed the Iran MoU. Israeli officials say they were cut out of negotiations entirely and view the agreement as a strategic setback.

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Trump approval hits record low. A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found Trump’s job approval and economic approval ratings at their lowest recorded levels — bad timing ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

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Scandal-linked Democrat wins Maine Senate primary. Graham Platner won Maine’s Democratic Senate primary despite personal scandals, prompting debate among party strategists about whether voters are willing to set aside candidate conduct concerns.

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