What Did Donald Trump Do Today?
June 24, 2025 Recap
Donald Trump’s impromptu remarks from the White House Lawn ahead of the NATO Summit were disjointed, combative, and diplomatically reckless, particularly in his handling of the Israel-Iran ceasefire and his inflammatory attacks on the press. The President veered between criticizing Israel’s military response and defending it, contradicting himself repeatedly. At one point, he condemned Israel’s post-deal bombing campaign, calling it “the biggest load we’ve seen,” and moments later minimized Iran’s potential ceasefire violation as a “mistake.” His attempt to appear as a neutral mediator was undermined by his erratic tone and emotionally charged outbursts. His declaration—“I’m not happy with Israel… I’m not happy with Iran either”—reduced an international crisis to a grievance session, lacking any sense of strategic clarity or responsibility expected of a sitting president.
Trump also dismissed legitimate concerns about ceasefire violations with little nuance, suggesting both sides had simply lost control rather than addressing the structural issues at play. When asked about the future of Gaza or the hostages, he shifted to a non-sequitur about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and issued vague praise without substance or strategy. Worse, his focus quickly pivoted to self-congratulation for the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites, using the opportunity to launch a profanity-adjacent tirade against CNN, MSNBC (“MSDNC”), and their executives. These ad hominem attacks distracted from serious policy questions and instead positioned Trump’s media grievances as a central theme of his foreign policy narrative. His demand for apologies from journalists on behalf of military pilots was a transparent deflection from criticism of his administration’s broader handling of the Middle East conflict.
In sum, the remarks were an incoherent mix of personal vendettas, vague geopolitical assertions, and erratic judgments. The President failed to articulate a coherent plan for peace, undermined U.S. diplomatic credibility, and elevated his media feuds above his duties as commander-in-chief. The spectacle further reflected a presidency increasingly defined by emotional volatility and reactionary posture rather than calculated statecraft.
Donald Trump’s gaggle aboard Air Force One on the way to the NATO summit in the Netherlands revealed a rambling, contradictory, and at times incoherent approach to U.S. foreign policy, NATO, energy prices, and national security. His comments on NATO were especially concerning: although he claimed he was “committed to being their friends,” he refused to affirm a clear commitment to Article 5, stating that it “depended on your definition.” This equivocation undermined the credibility of the alliance’s central mutual defense principle. Article 5 had only one legal definition under the NATO treaty, and suggesting otherwise introduced unnecessary doubt among allies and adversaries alike. Trump portrayed NATO contributions in purely transactional terms, taking credit for increases in member defense spending without acknowledging the broader diplomatic process involved.
His remarks on Russia reflected a dangerously casual attitude toward a major geopolitical crisis. He described a hypothetical phone call with Vladimir Putin, quipping, “I need help with you,” while expressing hope for a future deal, ignoring Russia’s role in the invasion of Ukraine. His unsubstantiated claim that “6,500 soldiers died last week” lacked credible sourcing and seemed designed more to dramatize the situation than to inform. He repeatedly insisted that the war “never would have happened” under his presidency, turning a humanitarian disaster into a self-congratulatory talking point.
On energy, Trump celebrated falling oil prices without engaging with the complexities of global markets. He declared that lower prices would lead to “a lot less conflict,” while asserting, “we’re drilling like we’ve never drilled before.” These statements oversimplified the dynamics of energy policy and international stability. His assertion that energy policy alone could resolve the wars he referenced ignored the root causes of the global conflicts.
The gaggle concluded with an unsubstantiated attack on President Biden, accusing him of incompetence and alleging that others signed documents on his behalf with an “auto pen.” He further claimed that Biden had allowed “supercells” from Iran into the U.S., repeating conspiracy-laden rhetoric with no supporting evidence. These remarks reflected not only a disregard for truth and accountability but also a continued reliance on inflammatory, fear-based messaging. Overall, the exchange reflected a chaotic and egocentric style of governance, marked by misinformation, oversimplification, and a lack of policy coherence.
The Trump administration postponed classified briefings for Congress regarding the recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and the subsequent ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel. The Senate briefing was rescheduled for Thursday to include key officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but the timing for the House briefing remains unclear.
President Trump had unilaterally ordered the strikes and later claimed a ceasefire had been reached, though tensions briefly flared again when Israel reported a missile launch by Iran. Many lawmakers, including both Democrats and some Republicans, criticized the administration for failing to consult Congress beforehand and demanded more transparency about the justification, impact, and goals of the operation.
Key figures, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, were expected to lead the briefings. Congressional Democrats, supported by some Republicans, expressed concern about bypassing legislative authority, demanding clearer intelligence and a defined strategy to avoid deeper U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.
While some Republicans celebrated Trump’s actions—praising him for "peace through strength" and calling for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination—Senate Democrats pushed for a vote on a resolution requiring congressional approval for future military actions in Iran. Lawmakers criticized the lack of communication, noting Trump only sent a formal notice to Congress two days after the strikes, justifying them as limited and aimed at deterrence.
Democrats like Sen. Richard Blumenthal emphasized the constitutional requirement for congressional oversight on war powers, stressing the need for public debate before risking American lives.
The Trump administration escalated a legal dispute with a federal judge after the Supreme Court allowed it to resume deporting migrants to third countries without giving them a chance to argue they could face harm. The administration accused U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of defying the Court by blocking the deportation of eight migrants to South Sudan, a country deemed highly dangerous by the State Department. Murphy had earlier ruled that migrants must be given at least ten days to raise fear-based claims before deportation and stated that his order still applied despite the Supreme Court's recent decision.
The Justice Department criticized Murphy's actions as "lawless" and disruptive to diplomatic efforts, urging the Supreme Court to clarify that its ruling overrides Murphy’s May 21 decision. They argued that the migrants, some labeled "dangerous criminal aliens," are being unnecessarily detained at a U.S. military base in Djibouti.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, dissenting from the Supreme Court's majority, accused the administration of repeatedly ignoring court orders and warned that the Court’s tolerance of such behavior undermines the rule of law. The migrants’ lawyers argued that deporting them to South Sudan without due process puts their lives at risk and asked the Court to deny the administration’s request.
Erez Reuveni, a longtime Justice Department lawyer, has filed a whistleblower complaint accusing Trump administration officials of planning to defy court orders to accelerate deportations. Reuveni, previously commended for his service, claims he was threatened and fired after reporting the wrongful deportation of an immigrant and attempting to uphold legal ethics. He specifically implicates senior officials, including Emil Bove — President Trump's nominee for a lifetime federal judgeship and a former Trump lawyer — who allegedly encouraged ignoring judicial rulings during a March meeting about deporting Venezuelan migrants.
The complaint alleges Bove insisted deportation flights "must take off no matter what" and suggested they might need to tell judges “f*** you.” These claims directly contradict public statements by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who denies any discussion of ignoring court orders.
Senator Dick Durbin warned that confirming Bove could undermine the rule of law, citing broader concerns over Bove’s role in targeting prosecutors and weakening corruption cases. Reuveni’s attorneys argue the case raises constitutional issues with implications for both deported immigrants and the integrity of the Justice Department. The complaint comes amid ongoing legal challenges to Trump's fast-track deportation policies.
The Trump administration has begun quietly rehiring federal employees and reversing some of the sweeping layoffs and early retirements that followed President Trump’s second-term push to downsize the federal workforce through the Department of Government Efficiency. While “reduction-in-force” plans remain in effect, critical service gaps, legal challenges, and political pressure have forced agencies to reinstate staff or approve new hires.
For example, the CDC reinstated hundreds of workers focused on public health issues, such as HIV, lead exposure, and mine safety, reversing roughly a third of the 2,400 HHS job cuts. The National Weather Service was granted permission to hire 125 meteorologists despite a federal hiring freeze, and Voice of America temporarily reinstated Farsi speakers amid rising tensions with Iran, only to lay them off again soon after.
Agencies such as the FDA and USDA also halted or reversed cuts to maintain vital operations like food safety and avian flu response. In some cases, agency heads like HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally intervened to block cuts, as with the Indian Health Service.
Critics warn that the damage may already be done. Experts say the loss of institutional expertise, disruption to programs like LIHEAP, and inconsistent staffing have degraded government function and jeopardized critical services. Agencies have scrambled to reinstate employees to perform essential tasks, such as running complex funding formulas or responding to public health emergencies. Analysts caution that the administration’s approach has created long-term vulnerabilities across federal operations.
The Trump administration announced plans to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which currently protects nearly 60 million acres of national forest land—approximately one-third of the U.S. total—from road construction and logging. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the announcement at a Western Governors’ Association meeting, framing the move as a way to promote forest management, reduce wildfire risk, and spur economic development. Republican lawmakers praised the decision as a boost for resource extraction and forest access, while environmental groups condemned it as a dangerous rollback of protections for old-growth forests, clean water, and public lands. Critics, including the Sierra Club and road ecology experts, argued the move benefits corporate interests and may actually worsen wildfire risk. The decision aligns with Trump’s broader deregulatory agenda and revisits logging policies previously reversed by the Biden administration.
A federal appeals court in New York has ordered the Trump administration to bring back Jordin Alexander Melgar-Salmeron, who was deported to El Salvador just 30 minutes after a court had suspended his removal. This is the fourth instance in 2025 where the administration has been told to reverse a mistaken deportation. The court blamed "a confluence of administrative errors" for Melgar-Salmeron's removal and gave the government one week to report his location and outline steps for his return.
Other recent cases include Kilmar Abrego Garcia, wrongly deported in March and later returned to face charges in Tennessee; a Venezuelan asylum-seeker deported in violation of a settlement agreement; and a Guatemalan man deported to Mexico despite fears for his safety, with a judge ruling that his removal likely violated due process.