• Supreme Court protects kids from school groomers: California had implemented policies that allowed and even required schools to socially transition gender-confused students without their parents’ consent or knowledge. Aghast parents subsequently brought a lawsuit over the issue and were granted an injunction by a lower court, only for the Ninth Circuit to strike it down. Yesterday, however, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling restoring the injunction, meaning schools may not conceal gender identity, socially transition students, or compel teachers to lie to parents while the legal battle continues. SCOTUS’s 6-3 decision was issued based on the belief that California is in violation of religious liberty and that the parents will likely succeed on the merits.

• Supreme Court blocks New York redistricting map: On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, stayed a New York judge’s decision to allow the redrawing of the state’s 11th Congressional District, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. This ruling will likely preserve the current red district, favoring Malliotakis and the GOP. The state judge had ordered the district redrawn to intentionally include more black and Hispanic voters, saying that the current map violated the New York constitution. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a concurring opinion with the majority, observing that the state judge’s decision ironically “discriminates on the basis of race.” Alito further observed that the judge ordered a redrawing of the map based explicitly on racial consideration, noting, “That is unadorned racial discrimination, an inherently ‘odious’ activity that violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause except in the ‘most extraordinary case.’”

• U.S. military deaths now at six: The U.S. military death toll has risen to six since the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury over the weekend. Six Americans were killed and four seriously wounded when an Iranian missile hit a tactical operations center in Kuwait. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) explained, “U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region.” The identities of these service members will be withheld from the public until their families have been notified. As of Monday, CENTCOM noted that 18 U.S. service members have been seriously wounded. On Sunday evening, President Donald Trump said he anticipates more American casualties but reiterated the mission “will continue until all of our objectives are achieved.” He added, “We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is.”

• Reporter eschews the Praetorian Guard: A video clip that is going viral features CBS Austin news reporter Vinny Martorano preparing to report on groups rallying in the city following the U.S.-Israel strike on Iran. In the clip, Martorano is seen standing near a sizable gathering of pro-Iranian supporters who were celebrating and praising President Trump and Israel for striking Iran. As he is practicing and preparing to give his report, he is handed a phone by one of the CBS crew members, who shows him an apparent text message, about which he asks, “What does that mean?” The crew member answers, “It means they don’t want us to focus on this.” To which Martorano responds, dismissively, “All right. Well, I am.” He then begins his coverage, with the rally chants of “Thank you, Trump! Thank you, Bibi!” heard loudly behind him.

• Virginia mosque honors ayatollah: The leaders of Manassas Mosque in Virginia have made known that their loyalty is to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not the United States of America. In a post on social media, the mosque extended its “condolences” on the “martyrdom” of “our leader.” Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution outlines treason: “Treason against the United States shall consist only … in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.” In the past, a pledge of loyalty to an enemy of the U.S. has not been interpreted as treason absent other overt actions, although red-blooded Americans may be wondering if that needs to change.

• Columbia urged to fire faculty who called for death to America: Columbia University claims that it has no idea who runs the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition of over 80 student groups, and that it has no affiliation with the school. That argument doesn’t quite hold up given that Mahmoud Khalil was once the group’s public face. Furthermore, a May 2024 letter in support of the organization was signed by 30 faculty members. On Saturday, CUAD posted the Farsi phrase “Marg Bar Amrika” to its X account, which means “Death to America.” Later, the group posted that X had forced it to remove the post, but the sentiment still stood. Conservatives are calling for those associated with CUAD to be fired or dismissed. Columbia says it condemns the “unequivocally reprehensible language.” That condemnation rings hollow, though, when the university is actively trying to keep any individuals from being held accountable.

• Drugs and 2A tea leaves: Oral arguments before the Supreme Court on Monday indicated that a federal law that disarms users of illegal drugs may be struck down. The plaintiff, Ali Danial Hemani, a “regular” user of marijuana, is facing prosecution for owning a handgun discovered when the FBI searched his home in 2022. Disarming those who consume mind-altering substances seems fairly reasonable, except in the face of the Second Amendment’s “shall not be infringed” clause. The Trump administration is arguing in favor of disarming Hemani and against his Second Amendment rights on the theory of laws used to temporarily disarm “habitual drunkards.” The Court does not seem overly fond of that theory. Justice Neil Gorsuch asked if the administration’s theory would disarm for life a Coloradoan with a medical prescription who took one cannabis gummy every other night, which U.S. Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Harris admitted it would.

• Senate moves forward on bipartisan housing package: In an 84-6 vote, the Senate on Monday moved forward on a popular bipartisan push on housing legislation aimed at expanding housing supply and lowering purchasing costs. Senate Majority Leader John Thune explained, “By removing barriers to affordable housing construction and unleashing investment, this bill stands to open the door to Americans across the country.” The Senate is working off the House’s legislation, dubbed the 21st Century Act, which it passed in a 390-9 vote last month. The Senate’s version is called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Given the strong bipartisan support from both the House and Senate, expect new housing legislation focused on empowering greater homeownership to be passed soon.

• Amnesty loophole shut down by immigration court: A ruling that will affect hundreds of thousands of administrative “amnesty” cases was handed down Friday by the Board of Immigration Appeals. The decision closes the loophole called “administrative closure” used by immigration judges to put illegal aliens’ cases into an inactive docket, allowing them to stay in the U.S without having to face court-ordered deportations. The DOJ has led the way in shutting down this practice that has recently surged in use, creating a huge group of illegals whom ICE can’t legally touch. “The board and immigration judges have no authority to use administrative closure as a de facto extra-statutory form of relief that effectively grants amnesty to thousands of removable aliens because they may be eligible for a visa sometime in the future,” Judge Sirce Owen wrote. This ruling will streamline deportation cases and help clear the 340,000 cases currently on “administrative closure.”

Headlines

• Israel bombs Iran’s top mullahs as they count votes for next supreme leader (NY Post)

• U.S. shuts embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as Iran expands retaliatory strikes (Forbes)

• Federal appeals court rejects Trump administration’s push to delay start of tariff refund process (CBS News)

• Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna unveil $4.4 trillion tax increase (Washington Free Beacon)

• Nancy Mace faces House ethics committee investigation (Washington Times)

The Executive News Summary is compiled daily by Jordan Candler, Thomas Gallatin, Sterling Henry, and Sophie Starkova. For the archive, click here.