On the back of hailing US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as a “victory for everybody”, president Trump has claimed success at the Nato summit in The Hague, praising the commitment by Nato allies to boost defence spending to 5% of GDP.
The US president described the summit as “a very historic milestone”. It was, he said, “something that no one really thought possible. And they said: ‘You did it, sir, you did it’. Well, I don’t know if I did it … but I think I did.”
The US president also received sycophantic praise from Nato secretary general Mark Rutte who, referring to Trump’s foul mouthed outburst about Iran and Israel a day earlier, said rather remarkably: “Daddy sometimes has to use strong language”.
Here are the key stories at a glance:
Trump hails ‘big win’ as Nato raises defense spending
A relaxed Donald Trump said Nato’s decision to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP was a “big win” for western civilisation in a digressive press conference at a summit in The Hague where he reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the military alliance.
Trump and Hegseth admit doubts about damage levels in Iran
Donald Trump and the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, have admitted to some doubt over the scale of the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear sites by the US bombing at the weekend, after a leaked Pentagon assessment said the Iranian programme had been set back by only a few months.
VOA aired Trump’s message to Iran during US bombings
Voice of America (VOA) may have been used to broadcast Donald Trump’s message to Iranians in Farsi during weekend military strikes, the president’s senior adviser told Congress on Wednesday, revealing how the crumbling, traditionally independent news service is possibly functioning as a conduit for presidential messaging.
Bondi denies knowing Ice agents wear masks despite evidence
The attorney general, Pam Bondi, professed ignorance of reports of immigration officials hiding their faces with masks during round-ups of undocumented people, despite widespread video evidence and reports that they are instilling pervasive fear and panic.
Costa Rican court orders migrants deported by US to be freed
A court in Costa Rica has ordered authorities to release foreign migrants who were locked up in a shelter after being deported by the US. About 200 people from Afghanistan, Iran, Russia as well as from Africa and some other Asian countries, including 80 children, were brought to the Central American nation in February under an agreement with the US administration of Donald Trump, a move criticized by human rights organizations.
Plan to open California’s largest immigration jail sparks outrage
Plans to open a massive federal immigration processing center in a California desert community has sparked outrage among advocacy groups who argue it will come at a “long-term cost” and “fuel harm”.
First meeting of new CDC vaccine panel reveals policy chaos sown by RFK Jr
The first meeting of a critical federal vaccine panel was a high-profile display of how the US health secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr has injected chaos into vaccine policy infrastructure.
What else happened today:
Donald Trump and CBS could settle their legal battle over a contested interview with Kamala Harris for $20m as the dispute continues to shadow a major media merger.
The New Jersey Democratic representative who is facing felony charges after a recent incident during a visit to an Ice detention facility pleaded not guilty in federal court.
The vice-mayor of a small California city is under fire after appearing to call on street gangs to organize in the face of immigration sweeps by federal agents in Los Angeles.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 24 June 2025.
