Trump says "there's a deal" on the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran talks resume this afternoon. Today, I break down what that means for the wider Iran deal, plus the Smithsonian budget cuts, Todd Blanche's confirmation fight, and Michigan's Democratic primary.

USS Nautilus became the first vessel to reach the geographic North Pole on August 3, 1958. The nuclear-powered submarine completed the secret mission beneath Arctic ice, proving American engineering could change the balance of power.

Question: How many amendments does the United States Constitution have?

Answer at the very end of today's briefing.

President Trump said Monday that talks with Iran will resume this afternoon, claiming there is now a deal in place on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with a follow-on agreement expected on Iran's denuclearization. The announcement comes after Trump called off planned U.S. strikes over the weekend to let negotiations proceed. Iran's Foreign Ministry gave a narrower account, saying Tehran is discussing a safe, temporary route through the Strait with Oman, and that it is not currently negotiating that specific issue directly with Washington.

That gap between Trump's framing and Iran's framing is the story underneath the story. Trump wants a public win on the world's most important oil chokepoint, roughly a fifth of global oil and gas trade. Iran wants to manage the optics of any concession without looking like it capitulated directly to the United States.

Both governments have strong reasons to describe the same moment differently. The deal traces back to a 14-point memorandum signed in June, which ended active hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, and set a 60-day window to negotiate sanctions relief, enriched-material disposal, and a roughly $300 billion Iranian reconstruction plan. Denuclearization was always the hardest piece left on the table.

If today's talks produce real inspection and enforcement terms, this is a genuine turning point. If they produce another framework-on-a-framework, Tehran gains time while Washington gets a headline. Watch whether the two sides release matching statements by the end of the day, or whether Iran keeps routing the Hormuz issue through Oman instead of Washington.

A 61-year-old woman says her chihuahua, Flag, repeatedly pawed beneath her arm until she finally investigated. Doctors found breast cancer near the spot her dog kept identifying, giving her a warning she might otherwise have missed.

President Trump proposed cutting federal support for the Smithsonian Institution below $1 billion, the first such funding level since 2020. The proposal follows a 162-page White House report accusing Smithsonian leaders of embedding left-wing ideology and DEI priorities across federally supported museums and programs. The Smithsonian budget proposal targets spending levels built during the Biden administration. Congress controls the final appropriation, and lawmakers will now have to defend every dollar in public.

Sen. Mark Kelly used CBS's Face the Nation to call President Trump's Iran policy "erratic" and "escalatory." Kelly offered broad warnings but identified no specific decision that failed. His attack on Trump gives Democrats their preferred frame just as today's Hormuz talks resume: pressure creates danger, restraint creates stability. The real measures are Iranian behavior and whether allies trust Washington's deterrence.

Republican nominee Darline Graham opened her general election campaign by promising to fight for Trump's agenda in the Senate. Her first major campaign speech drew a direct contrast with Democrat Annie Andrews before the November 3 election. Graham is making the race about border security, spending, energy, and judicial confirmations, leaving voters a clear choice.

Sen. John Cornyn announced an agreement with the Justice Department aimed at clearing Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination before the August recess. The Cornyn agreement rescinds Trump's anti-weaponization fund in writing and restates testimony from Blanche's hearing. That may speed confirmation, but it also hands future senators a playbook for extracting side deals from nominees.

TheBlaze argues that progressive concern about worker displacement changes depending on which workers face competition. Illegal immigration pressured entry-level wages, yet the political class called it growth. Now AI threatens office workers, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants an AI adoption tax to slow the transition. Washington protects organized professional groups while telling everyone else to accept disruption.

Michigan Democrats face a progressive challenge centered on Gaza, policing, and corporate influence. Party-aligned groups are spending money to contain the challenger while establishment candidates shift their message left. Activists describe the Michigan primary vote as "a little bit of stick it to 'em" — a mood that can produce damaging general election positions in a true swing state.

Todd Blanche moved closer to confirmation after rescinding a $1.8 billion fund connected to a dispute over IRS audit protections reportedly broad enough to cover members of Trump's family. Blanche's fund rollback addressed a major obstacle, but tax enforcement cannot depend on family names or private agreements. Congress should publish the relevant terms.

I keep seeing the same pattern in Washington. Agencies and institutions treat taxpayer money as an entitlement, then call basic oversight an attack. Congress must demand receipts, conditions, and measurable results before approving another dollar. You work too hard for Washington to spend your money without answering to you.

Today's trivia: How many amendments does the Constitution have?
Answer: The United States Constitution has 27 amendments.

I'll keep watching the votes, the money, and the people trying to hide both. Reply with one story you want me to cover this week.

Stay free,

Brett Lee
Editor, Project Liberty
projectlibertyus.com

Follow: @projectlibertyus | @real_brett_lee