18:24⇢Trump's Putin Call
⌨The newspapers report on Trump's 75-minute phone call with Putin, where the Russian leader indicated he would respond to Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian air bases (ABC News, CBS, CNN, NBC News, NPR, USA Today). Trump described it as a "good conversation" but stated it would not lead to "immediate peace," with the two leaders also discussing Iran during the call. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the Republican policy bill continues dominating coverage, with outlets reporting it would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit while removing healthcare from 11 million Americans (Common Dreams, NYTimes, HuffPost, The Daily Beast). The analysis has further inflamed what The Daily Beast characterizes as the "Trump-Musk civil war" over fiscal policy. Former Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced she is leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent while promoting her upcoming memoir about the Biden White House (Fox News, The Hill).