Trump Blasts CNN, Strikes Iran & Graham's Sister Named Senator

The dominant story of the day is the escalating U.S. military campaign against Iran. Monday evening marked the third consecutive night of strikes since President Trump declared the ceasefire over. U.S. Central Command confirmed that beginning at 4:45 p.m. ET on July 13, American forces struck military targets across Iran — including sites at Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas — over a five-hour mission that concluded at 10:15 p.m. ET. Two Iranian tankers in the Strait of Hormuz were also struck. CENTCOM stated the strikes are intended to "impose a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping." The backdrop: Trump told Fox News that negotiators had reached a long-term peace deal with Iran after an 11-hour July 12 meeting, but Iranian leaders subsequently introduced new demands, collapsing the agreement and triggering the resumed offensive.

On the home front, the conflict spilled into the press briefing room. After signing proclamations dramatically reducing the size of Bears Ears National Monument (from ~1.36 million acres to ~121,100 acres) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (from ~1.87 million acres to ~181,500 acres), Trump was asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins who would reimburse the United States for guarding the Strait of Hormuz — a reference to Trump's own statement that America would "get paid for guarding" the waterway. Trump blasted Collins and CNN before ordering the press out of the room. Separately, Trump hinted at a future strike target, dismissing Iranian leadership by saying they "have nothing going other than they have big mouths."

Meanwhile, a major Senate vacancy story is unfolding in parallel. Senator Lindsey Graham died at 71 from an aortic dissection, and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster — acting on a direct recommendation from Trump — appointed Graham's younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone, as interim senator. She pledged to "support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother." Senator Thune honored Graham on the Senate floor as Republicans moved quickly to protect their fragile Senate majority. The two threads — Iran and the Senate — converge in one figure: Graham was among the Senate's most hawkish voices on Iran, and his absence creates real uncertainty about the chamber's posture as military operations intensify.

Tomorrow, watch for any Iranian response to the third night of strikes and whether Tehran's new demands signal a collapse of peace talks or a negotiating tactic. Track whether Darline Graham Nordone is sworn in and how quickly she is seated, given the GOP's need to hold every vote. And keep an eye on the Strait of Hormuz — Trump's stated 20% fee on ships using the passage and the reinstated naval blockade will likely draw international reaction from allies and trading partners in the days ahead.