Trump’s Pulte Problem

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for June 10, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Mike Johnson is putting up a short-term proposal to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until July 2 before it expires in two days. But because a suspension vote requires approval from two-thirds of the House, the measure will all but likely fail with Democratic holdouts — which many in Republican leadership expect to happen, sources told NOTUS. Members are currently scheduled to fly out after votes.

Donald Trump proposed the extension this morning, but Senate Democrats still say they won’t play ball as long as Bill Pulte is the nominee for acting director of National Intelligence.

• Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) suggested Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas would be an acceptable temporary option. The White House has also reached out to Pete Hoekstra, a former House Intelligence Committee chair, in its search for a permanent replacement.

• Trump’s Truth Social post also noted Pulte, who will start next Friday, will begin downsizing agency operations — which could open the door to shuttering it altogether.

THE ADMINISTRATION

Government lawyers argue that a temporary restraining order against the White House UFC event should be dismissed, saying the alleged harm — including the potential “hideous” and “disgusting” sights — is easy to avoid.

• The court filing also cited former presidents’ South Lawn exhibitions, from George W. Bush’s annual tee-ball games to Joe Biden’s ice-skating rink.

Inflation has risen for a third-straight month. The Consumer Price Index report showed a 4.2% rise in May compared to last year, with overall prices increasing 0.5%.

• “No, I love it. The numbers are great,” Trump said when asked if he was concerned about today’s numbers.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the U.S. has been taking “millions of barrels of oil” out of the Strait of Hormuz unbeknownst to Iran. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he was unaware of this during a later House committee hearing.

• “I do not think the president’s lying — I think the president’s talking casually about our efforts to stop the flow of Iranian oil,” Wright told Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio). “I don’t have any serious objection to what he said.”

The IRS is scrambling to hire thousands of staff after facing sweeping cuts last year, contradicting leaders’ assertions that the downsizing was inconsequential.

THE HILL

Bill Gates told House Oversight Committee members that Jeffrey Epstein had tried to blackmail him into a friendship after learning the tech billionaire had been unfaithful in his marriage.

• Gates, who has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection to Epstein, said he had never witnessed evidence of criminal conduct.
• Ranking member Robert Garcia (D-California) said Gates also provided information about people in Epstein’s circles.

Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Kentucky) wants to invite Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to sit for an interview this summer as part of the Epstein probe.

Republicans’ targeting of ActBlue, the Democratic fundraising juggernaut, could derail a bipartisan push for campaign finance reform.

AN ODE TO WEMBY

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe and Erik Schutz. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at finalnotus@notus.com.