It was another wild week in U.S. politics, as it seems President Trump may have ended the war with Iran ... again. Here are a few stories that might not have come up on your radar.
Fall Guy Vance?
Some pundits think Vice President JD Vance is being set up to take the fall over the lame deal struck between the Trump administration and Iran. You can barely turn on a news channel without seeing the veep trying to sell the warm bucket of piss the administration managed to secure in its negotiations to end the war and reopen the Straight of Hormuz.
Iran will undoubtedly end up in a stronger position than it started, and the terms the U.S. seems likely to accept are certainly worse than those negotiated by the Obama administration in a deal that Trump scuttled after being elected to his first term. Vance was surprisingly critical of Israel, echoing his boss's frustrations.
Vance said Israeli leaders need to "wake up and smell the reality," noting that "two-thirds" of the weapons that have defended Israel over the past three months have been paid for by U.S. taxpayers. "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world," said Vance.
Peter Thiel's "secret society" is weird!
Dialog is a private, invitation-only society. Co-founded by billionaire right-wing tech investor Peter Thiel and data entrepreneur Auren Hoffman in 2006, it seeks out elites from politics, finance, tech, and the military for the off-the-record retreats it hosts each year. A data leak recently exposed the group's membership directory and registration records for its upcoming 2026 retreat. It reveals 222 attendees, including US senators, NATO commanders, and Silicon Valley executives who had previously remained anonymous.
The leaked records identify high-profile figures such as NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senator Ted Cruz, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale. The directory also lists six members of the "PayPal Mafia," senior officials from the Trump administration, and leaders from major surveillance and data-brokerage companies, as government oversight and private industry interests converge.
The 2026 retreat, scheduled for August near Dublin, Ireland, features sessions on topics such as "Navigating WWIII," "Build-a-Cult," and "How's Your Sex Life?" along with discussions of AI disruption and nuclear energy.
No Tax Dollars for Kanye Concert
Florida's Senior Senator Rick Scott is protesting a Kanye West concert at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, over the artist's antisemitic statements. West is scheduled to perform at the stadium June 26 and 28.
The event's promoter, Ikon Global, is covering all concert costs, with no taxpayer money used to stage the shows, to avoid further protests. The contract requires the promoter to pay a $1.5 million fee to the Tampa Sports Authority to cover expenses like security and cleaning, plus a $1 license fee and additional ticket surcharges.
The TSA will retain control of all ticket sales, parking, and merchandise revenue until all payments are settled, after which the promoter keeps the remaining net revenue. The contract is said to include clauses protecting the events from cancellation based on the artist's identity or past statements, citing First Amendment protections.
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