Friday June 13th, 2025
Senate Fireworks, Farm Freakouts, and NPR on the Chopping Block
The House axes aid and slashes for the poor, the Senate preps for a brawl, and Trump’s immigration crackdowns boomerang on American farms. Meanwhile, California and the White House are trading barbs that would make a playground jealous.
Today in one sentence: House Republicans jammed through a Robin Hood-in-reverse tax bill, Trump’s war on foreign aid and public broadcasting inches closer to reality, a senator was handcuffed for asking questions, Newsom called Trump senile, and Trump’s immigration raids are whacking the very businesses he pretends to love.
1. Senate Set To Gut GOP Tax Bill
The House’s tax and spending plan—gutting Medicaid and food aid for the poor, pumping cash into the pockets of the rich—faces a Senate buzzsaw. Democrats are sharpening their talking points, and at least a handful of moderate Republicans are sweating their re-election prospects. Public backlash is mounting (NBC News), and with 53% of voters already opposed, expect Senate leaders to slow-walk or torpedo the bill outright. Why? Because even some red-state senators can count votes back home—and they know what happens when grandma loses her medication and billionaires get a yacht subsidy.
2. Foreign Aid, NPR Cuts Hit Senate Wall
Trump’s push to axe $9.4 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting cash is headed for a Senate reality check. After the House’s razor-thin vote, Senate Democrats are vowing a blockade, and several GOP moderates are signaling cold feet. Expect a high-profile standoff, with frantic lobbying from PBS/NPR fans and global aid orgs. The White House will try to strong-arm the Senate, but the odds of a clean passage are slim—especially with midterms looming and local stations threatening to go dark (NBC News).
3. Padilla Handcuff Fallout Escalates
The senator-in-cuffs spectacle is going viral, and the blowback isn’t just from Democrats. Senate leadership is demanding an apology and a probe into the Secret Service’s manhandling, while the White House continues to call Padilla’s move a ‘theater-kid stunt’ (NBC News). Expect hearings, more viral clips, and a few Republicans looking for a graceful way to walk this one back before it morphs into a midterm headache.
4. Newsom-Trump Feud Gets Nastier
Gavin Newsom and Trump are locked in a mudslinging contest over National Guard deployments in L.A. Newsom’s questioning of Trump’s mental fitness is getting traction, especially after Trump’s recent verbal stumbles and invented phone calls. Don’t expect a truce—both camps are using this feud to fire up their bases, and the next round will likely feature dueling pressers, more Truth Social rants, and California’s legal team prepping fresh lawsuits (NBC News).
5. Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Backfires On Farms
After Trump admitted his raids are gutting farms and hotels, business groups are set to blast the administration for killing their workforce. Expect ag and hospitality lobbyists to turn up the heat, while the White House promises ‘changes’—but those changes probably just mean more chaos. Meanwhile, immigrant advocates are prepping lawsuits and protests, and the ag sector is warning of food shortages and price hikes (NBC News).
Notables
EV Mandate Lawsuit Blitz
California and 10 states are expanding their lawsuit against Trump’s EPA waiver rollback. Expect more states to pile on, with automakers caught in the crossfire.
IRS Commissioner Scandal Watch
Billy Long’s confirmation as IRS chief is drawing fresh scrutiny over his anti-tax record and campaign finance shenanigans. House Dems are already drafting subpoenas.
Israel-Iran Strike Countdown
White House warnings intensify as Israel signals it’s days away from hitting Iran’s nuclear sites. U.S. military families are being moved, and oil markets are sweating bullets (NBC News).
Tune in tomorrow—unless NPR goes dark and the farmworkers all get deported.