The ballroom money just got yanked
Plus: House rebukes Trump on Iran, Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, and tariffs
Morning Politics | Thursday, June 4, 2026
Today’s Deep Dive
Senate Strips $1 Billion White House Ballroom Security Funding From Immigration Bill
Senate Republicans quietly pulled $1 billion meant to upgrade security around President Trump’s new White House ballroom, clearing the way for a $72 billion immigration bill to move. The decision didn’t come from Democrats. It came from a single Senate official whose ruling Republicans decided not to fight.
World Politics
Israel and Lebanon Agree to Renew Ceasefire, Carve Out “Pilot” Security Zones
Israel and Lebanon just agreed in Washington to renew their broken ceasefire and create new “pilot zones” in the south. The catch: Hezbollah wasn’t in the room, and is already saying no. Why the Trump team thinks this still works, and what it has to do with Iran.
Economy & Money
Trump Invokes Forced-Labor Law to Impose Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners
After the Supreme Court and the Court of International Trade struck down two earlier tariff frameworks, the White House is reaching for a new statute and a new justification: forced labor in 60 countries’ supply chains. Critics say it’s a pretext, supporters say it’s overdue. The legal fight starts now.
Tech & Power
Seattle Moves Toward Year-Long Ban on New Datacenters
Four companies wanted to build five datacenters in Seattle. Together they would have consumed roughly a third of the city’s daily electricity, in the backyard of Microsoft and Amazon. Why tech workers themselves showed up to kill the projects.
Quick Hits
- Senate Republicans stripped $1 billion in Secret Service funding tied to President Trump’s new White House ballroom from a $72 billion immigration enforcement bill, the BBC reported, after the chamber’s parliamentarian ruled the provision violated reconciliation rules. details →
- Israel and Lebanon agreed in Washington to renew their ceasefire and create “pilot” zones in southern Lebanon under Lebanese army control, with Hezbollah barred and not at the table, PBS NewsHour reported. details →
- The Trump administration unveiled 10% to 12.5% tariffs on goods from roughly 60 trading partners under a forced-labor rationale, Vox reported. details →
- Seattle’s city council committees unanimously advanced a one-year moratorium on new datacenters, with a full vote expected Tuesday, according to The Guardian. details →
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