June 30, 2026

Good morning! Today is Tuesday, June 30th 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. The Supreme Court hands the Trump administration two losses and one win as the term winds down, with major rulings on mail-in ballots, the Federal Reserve, and the FTC reshaping the boundaries of executive power. Day twelve of the US–Iran ceasefire brings confusion over whether talks in Doha are actually happening, while Lebanon's leadership pushes back against Rubio's framework for disarming Hezbollah. As Keir Starmer's resignation clears the way for Andy Burnham, a fierce contest is underway to determine who will take the second most powerful job in British politics. and now for the details. We begin at the Supreme Court, which issued three significant rulings Monday morning as the term nears its close, with the Trump administration coming out on the losing end in two of them. In Watson v. Republican National Committee, a five-to-four majority upheld Mississippi's grace period for mail-in ballots postmarked by election day but received within five days afterward. The Court reaffirmed that the Constitution places election regulations primarily in the hands of the states, not the federal government. In a second five-to-four decision, the justices blocked the Trump administration's attempt to remove Federal Reserve Board member Lisa Cook while litigation over her dismissal proceeds. The administration had alleged Cook committed mortgage fraud. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said the administration's position would, in his words, "transform the Federal Reserve's for-cause protection into at-will employment—an interpretive leap out of step with the statute Congress enacted and our Nation's tradition of central banking protected from political interference." The administration did secure one major win. By a six-to-three margin, the Court struck down the law that shielded Federal Trade Commission officials from removal except for cause. As David Brady reports for The American Conservative, that ruling is a significant victory for advocates of the unitary executive theory, overturning a prior precedent that had insulated dozens of independent agencies from direct presidential control. Rulings on birthright citizenship, transgender athletes, and campaign finance are expected Tuesday. Turning to the Middle East, negotiations between the United States and Iran remain in an uncertain state on day twelve of the ceasefire period stipulated by the memorandum of understanding. President Trump posted on Truth Social Monday morning that Iran had requested a meeting and that it would take place Tuesday in Doha. Anonymous officials told several outlets that the United States would stand down and halt strikes on Iran while negotiations continue, and the White House indicated that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would travel to Qatar. However, as Harrison Berger reports for The American Conservative, no official confirmation has yet come from Washington, Tehran, or Doha that the talks are actually on. Iran's Tasnim News Agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi saying technical working group talks in Doha had not been scheduled or confirmed. Meanwhile, Iran's Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, told his Lebanese counterpart that Iran is, quote, "seriously pursuing" the goal of ending Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory under the first clause of the Islamabad memorandum. And Lebanon's Speaker Nabih Berri publicly criticized the framework deal brokered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which would involve Lebanese forces in disarming Hezbollah. Berri warned the agreement could incite internal divisions and draw the Lebanese into a confrontation among themselves. Brent Crude was trading at $72.60 Monday morning, with the national average price of regular gasoline at $3.86 a gallon. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.