Your Daily US Politics Briefing

Trump Reinstates Iran Blockade with 20% Toll, McConnell Reveals Hospitalization, and Judge Sanctions Trump Lawyers

• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) publicly addressed his recent hospitalization, revealing it was due to a fall, ending weeks of silence about his health. His return to the Senate, alongside the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), further complicates the Republican agenda, which faces a thinner working margin and stalled spending bills.

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• President Trump announced the reinstatement of "THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE" in the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the U.S. will control the strait and charge a 20% reimbursement fee on all cargo for providing safety and security. This follows an escalation of exchanges between the U.S. and Iran from July 11-13, during which Iran launched at least 31 projectiles, and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted to its lowest levels since June 14, with only four vessels transiting on July 12 and none on July 13.

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• A federal judge lambasted and penalized attorneys involved in President Trump's IRS settlement, characterizing the case as an "improper purpose" to provide judicial cover for a deal granting Trump audit immunity and establishing his controversial anti-weaponization fund. This comes as Republicans grapple with Trump's continued push for the "Save America Act," which aims to ban mail-in ballots and impose new voting restrictions nationwide but faces significant opposition in the Senate.

  AxiosPbsThe Guardian