Shooting Scott’s Shot

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for June 23, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Donald Trump is coming to tomorrow’s Senate GOP lunch after Sen. Rick Scott extended an invite. The move has led several members to believe the Florida Republican could challenge John Thune to become conference leader later this year, NOTUS’ Al Weaver, Reese Gorman and Igor Bobic report.

Scott insisted he has no intention of running for leadership for a third time. But he also sent a letter to Senate Republicans last night laying out what he believes should be their agenda ahead of the midterms, including the still-stagnant SAVE America Act.

• Thune reiterated today that members need to “come to grips” with the fact that Trump’s priority election bill cannot pass.

Congress still hasn’t been briefed about the Iran memorandum of understanding, but Mike Johnson says he expects that will happen in the House this week. Trump says anybody critical of the deal — and many members are — will have “to be educated, even if they’re friends of mine.”

• Johnson said he’s always been a supporter of strong sanctions, which have been loosened following the deal, but “I’m not going to tell the administration what to do.”

THE ADMINISTRATION

The administration will provide $17.5 billion to develop 10 new nuclear reactors to meet data center power demands. The plants could begin construction by 2030.

A 79-year-old man received “compassionate use” access to an experimental obesity drug from Eli Lilly, and his application was arranged by a top NIH doctor. Could that recipient have been Trump? (White House spokesperson Kush Desai says no.)

DHS will allow Iran’s soccer team to travel to its next game location a day early.

• The president will attend at least one World Cup match this year — the final, where he’ll hand the trophy to the winners.

THE HILL

The Senate approved an Iran war powers resolution, 50-48, due to GOP absences. Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul voted in favor.

• The measure is largely symbolic and does not require Trump’s signature.

New farm bill text is out from the Senate — and it doesn’t include a Democratic request to delay a planned shift of SNAP costs onto the states.

• More than 4 million Americans are no longer receiving SNAP benefits, new data show.

THE COURTS

Expedited deportations, a pillar of Trump’s mass deportation plans, can continue nationwide, a federal appeals court ruled in a 2-1 vote.

A Rastafarian man whose dreadlocks were forcibly shaved by prison guards cannot sue state employees for money, the Supreme Court ruled.

Twenty-three Democratic attorneys general filed an amicus brief urging Judge Kathleen Williams to “rectify the fraud perpetrated” by Trump’s IRS settlement.

The DOJ withdrew subpoenas for reporters who covered national security for The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal after the subpoenas were challenged by the news organizations.

SEN. NICK CAGE

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