5/20/26 - Massie Ousted, $1.8B Slush Fund Fight, and Trump’s Ballroom Defeat in Senate

The Pentagon reportedly paused further strikes on Iran as Tehran improved its air defenses and aircraft tracking, making attacks riskier despite Iran retaining major missile capabilities. The war has raised oil prices, caused U.S. casualties, and stalled negotiations after Iran rejected a U.S. proposal tied to sanctions and nuclear restrictions. Domestically, Trump-backed Ed Gallrein defeated Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s GOP primary, while Trump’s endorsement of Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn deepened Republican divisions. Congress is also battling over a controversial $1.8 billion government “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” reconciliation spending, and a Senate War Powers push tied to Iran, while other headlines included PFAS regulation rollbacks, New Jersey data-center fights, and unverified allegations involving Elon Musk and the 2024 election