The Daily Five · Monday, June 29, 2026

Today's edition arrives at 8:45 AM ET — until then, the morning of June 29.

The lead
Ranked number 1: Supreme Court expands Trump’s power over the federal bureaucracy
The Supreme Court broadly expands executive power by allowing the Trump administration *almost* unfettered control over firing executive branch personnel. Previously, the precedent for firing many executive branch employees was "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office." not just political differences. Due to this prior prerequisite, incoming Presidents could not easily politicize agencies under their control, a system that many attribute to the US's strong reliability throughout turbulent administrations. With that now gone, we can expect a major increase in not just firings but also politicization of government agencies to align more closely with Trump's goals.
Washington Post· ustin Jouvenal· June 29, 2026
Ranked number 2: US and Iran pause strikes but disagree over next steps on talks
While strikes from both Iran and the US have now paused, the actions of each country throughout the weekend leave potential negotiations far from a conclusion. Iran, striking shipping vessels within the Strait of Hormuz, and the US, striking Iranian military assets in return, highlight the fragility of this conflict. With continued disillusionment from the US public and congressional members towards the war, and rising inflation, the Trump administration may begin feeling pressure to reach any deal they can.
Associated Press· Jon Gambrell & Josh Boak· June 29, 2026
Ranked number 3: Medicare is about to cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Here’s what to know.
In a huge first step to fight America's obesity crisis, Medicare will launch an 18-month program offering subsidized GLP-1 medications to at-risk groups. The program targets those whose health is at risk because of obesity in patients 65 and older, and younger people facing disabilities. Offering a $50/month co-payment to patients, it makes a major difference to the potentially hundreds of dollars patients would pay out of pocket monthly without the program. With many insurance companies still not offering GLP-1 medications under their coverage, and even with this only being a pilot program, it shows promising signs in the fight against obesity within America.
Washington Post· Christopher Rowland· June 29, 2026
Ranked number 4: The Overlooked Reason Europe Doesn’t Have AC
The author, Thomas Chatterton Williams, dives into the European public's aversion to AC from a psychological perspective, raising the key differences it has compared to the American public, specifically on physical suffering and discomfort. As Europe has reached record-breaking heat, raging debates have emerged in both online circles and real-world political discourse on the necessity or lack thereof of broader AC adoption within the continent. While many low-risk groups, such as young people, embrace the heat, major risks rise for the elderly, sick, and infants. With time being wasted on the psychological and environmental concerns around AC, real-world consequences continue to rise.
The Atlantic· Thomas Chatterton Williams· June 28, 2026
Ranked number 5: Stalled US permits threaten $121 billion in wind and solar investment, report shows
The weight of federal regulation continues to stall major infrastructure development within the US. As America faces impending energy shortages and the public braces for continued rising energy costs, the Trump administration has stalled key renewable energy projects with increased regulations and permitting. We continue to fall behind as a nation in energy generation, housing construction, and general infrastructure. Major political change, from both parties, will be necessary to get development back on track.
Reuters· Reuters· June 29, 2026

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Supreme Court expands Trump’s power over the federal bureaucracy

The Supreme Court broadly expands executive power by allowing the Trump administration *almost* unfettered control over firing executive branch personnel. Previously, the precedent for firing many executive branch employees was "inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office." not just political differences. Due to this prior prerequisite, incoming Presidents could not easily politicize agencies under their control, a system that many attribute to the US's strong reliability throughout turbulent administrations. With that now gone, we can expect a major increase in not just firings but also politicization of government agencies to align more closely with Trump's goals.

Washington Post· ustin Jouvenal· June 29, 2026

US and Iran pause strikes but disagree over next steps on talks

While strikes from both Iran and the US have now paused, the actions of each country throughout the weekend leave potential negotiations far from a conclusion. Iran, striking shipping vessels within the Strait of Hormuz, and the US, striking Iranian military assets in return, highlight the fragility of this conflict. With continued disillusionment from the US public and congressional members towards the war, and rising inflation, the Trump administration may begin feeling pressure to reach any deal they can.

Associated Press· Jon Gambrell & Josh Boak· June 29, 2026

Medicare is about to cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Here’s what to know.

In a huge first step to fight America's obesity crisis, Medicare will launch an 18-month program offering subsidized GLP-1 medications to at-risk groups. The program targets those whose health is at risk because of obesity in patients 65 and older, and younger people facing disabilities. Offering a $50/month co-payment to patients, it makes a major difference to the potentially hundreds of dollars patients would pay out of pocket monthly without the program. With many insurance companies still not offering GLP-1 medications under their coverage, and even with this only being a pilot program, it shows promising signs in the fight against obesity within America.

Washington Post· Christopher Rowland· June 29, 2026

The Overlooked Reason Europe Doesn’t Have AC

The author, Thomas Chatterton Williams, dives into the European public's aversion to AC from a psychological perspective, raising the key differences it has compared to the American public, specifically on physical suffering and discomfort. As Europe has reached record-breaking heat, raging debates have emerged in both online circles and real-world political discourse on the necessity or lack thereof of broader AC adoption within the continent. While many low-risk groups, such as young people, embrace the heat, major risks rise for the elderly, sick, and infants. With time being wasted on the psychological and environmental concerns around AC, real-world consequences continue to rise.

The Atlantic· Thomas Chatterton Williams· June 28, 2026

Stalled US permits threaten $121 billion in wind and solar investment, report shows

The weight of federal regulation continues to stall major infrastructure development within the US. As America faces impending energy shortages and the public braces for continued rising energy costs, the Trump administration has stalled key renewable energy projects with increased regulations and permitting. We continue to fall behind as a nation in energy generation, housing construction, and general infrastructure. Major political change, from both parties, will be necessary to get development back on track.

Reuters· Reuters· June 29, 2026