Supreme Court allows mail-in ballots received after Election Day
In a surprise 5-4 decision this morning, the Supreme Court upheld late mail-in ballot practices seen in states like California. Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett joined the leftists to allow ballots received as many as five days after Election Day, so long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Watson v. RNC centered on a Mississippi law intended to allow college students and the elderly to cast their votes. The decision is a significant win for Democrat mail-in ballot schemes, which Republicans view as opening the door to fraud. Justice Samuel Alito, in his dissent, argued, “Today’s decision leaves open opportunities for voter fraud that may further undermine Americans’ faith in the integrity of this country’s elections.”

Supreme Court allows president to fire bureaucrats without cause
Also this morning, the Supreme Court sided with President Donald Trump in POTUS v. Slaughter. Written by Chief Justice Roberts, the 6-3 decision explicitly allows the executive branch to fire Federal Trade Commissioners — and, by extension, other federal bureaucrats — without cause, since the “for cause” provision was held to violate the separation of powers. As constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley said, “The Slaughter decision is aptly named. It is a transformative ruling for the executive branch and future presidents. This has been a long-sought result of both Democratic and Republican presidents.” At the same time, SCOTUS held that Federal Reserve member Lisa Cook could not be fired until current lawsuits are allowed to play out.

U.S. strikes back at Iran
The U.S. struck Iran over the weekend in response to a one-way Iranian attack drone striking the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely tanker. U.S. forces targeted Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites, throwing the fragile “ceasefire” into sharp relief. Iran responded with bluster, saying it will “shatter the illusions of aggressors.” For his part, President Trump commented that Iran should not be striking tankers. “Obviously,” he added, “this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement.” Strikes once again ceased as the weekend ended, and technical talks on a lasting peace deal are expected in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.

Bolton pleads guilty
Last October, President Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton, was indicted on 18 counts tied to the mishandling of classified information and sharing over a seven-year period, from 2018 to 2025. After initially pleading not guilty, Bolton on Friday agreed to plead guilty to one count of retaining classified information and will pay a $2.25 million fine, serve up to 60 months in prison, and perform 100 hours of community service. Bolton, who has become a strident critic of Trump, admitted that the facts of the Justice Department’s case against him were “accurate,” telling U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang, who asked him if he had committed the action, “I did, your honor,” and that he was “sorry for it.”

Mistrial for alleged Palisades arsonist
The trial for Jonathan Rinderknecht for allegedly setting the fire in the Palisades last year ended in a hung jury and mistrial after 10 jurors were convinced of his innocence and just two insisted on his guilt. Steven Haney, attorney for the defense, asserted that the hung jury was a result of the lack of evidence against the suspected arsonist. The Palisades fire, which appeared to have begun just feet from where Rinderknecht’s cellphone was videoing him setting a fire, caused over $35 billion in damages and killed 12 people. When investigators asked Rinderknecht why someone might start a fire in the Palisades, he answered that it would be out of resentment of the rich as “we’re basically enslaved by them.”

Potential death penalty outcome for Tyler Robinson remains
The man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk was denied a motion raised by his legal team to get the possibility of a death penalty removed should he be convicted. Judge Tony Graf agreed that Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard was in contempt of court for publicly expressing his opinion on the strength of the evidence against Tyler Robinson, yet Graf rejected the defense’s claim that this would prevent a fair trial. “The court finds that striking the death penalty is grossly disproportionate to the misconduct and legally unavailable in this civil contempt framework,” the judge stated. Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that it had not violated any gag order when Ballard “set the record straight” on misleading reporting surrounding the ATF’s ballistics report. Robinson has yet to enter a plea, but he will likely do so after a preliminary hearing in July.

Ragin’ Cajun calling for Dem civil war?
A growing division within the Democrat Party is being exposed by recent primary wins by radical Democratic Socialists of America candidates. That division is between the old-school center-left Democrats and the upstart socialist/communist DSA. Consequently, longtime Democrat political strategist James Carville is calling for action. Podcaster Al Hunt noted to Carville that “Republicans are gleeful” regarding these radical leftists winning Democrat primaries. Carville pointed to the recent primary winner for New York’s 13th District, Darializa Avila Chevalier, observing, “[She] has attacked interracial relationships and the American flag. Lady, I ain’t in the same party as you. I’m sorry, I’m just not.” He added, “It’s time for Democrats to talk the S word: schism. … [There’s] just some s**t that I can’t be in the same tent with.”

Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission report released
In May 2025, in response to rising antisemitism and rampant anti-Christianity in academia, President Trump created the Religious Liberty Commission. Now the RLC has released its report, which includes 12 recommendations to strengthen religious liberty. Some recommendations include new DOJ guidance on the proper understanding of the Establishment Clause and the extraconstitutional nature of the phrase “separation of church and state,” “Know Your Rights” posters in schools and workplaces to educate religious Americans, and the nomination of judges who support religious liberty. In the Oval Office on Friday, President Trump summarized the report’s purpose: “America was founded by people of faith … for religious freedom,” adding, “We work to strengthen this fundamental right.” Quite right, Mr. President, although here at The Patriot Post, we remember that it wasn’t a vague faith that founded America, but a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Minneapolis legalizes AIDS super-spreaders
In honor of Pride Month, the Minneapolis City Council voted to lift the ban on adult bathhouses and sex venues. The council began considering the change in April and voted 9-2 to remove the 38-year-old ban. The bathhouses were originally outlawed in 1988 because they were a super-spreader spot for AIDS. The “Pride in Policy” package that was passed includes updating city codes to be gender-inclusive, a study on expanding all-gender restrooms across the city, and enshrining support and protections for LGBTQ+ people in Minneapolis. Mayor Jacob Frey claims he wants to focus on “safe streets, housing, and economic development,” but instead he is prioritizing bathhouses for sexual deviants. Supporters of the policy say it will promote “safe sex,” but it will more than likely become a super-spreader for monkeypox.

TX mandates Bible reading in schools
On Friday, Texas’s State Board of Education approved a required reading list for the state’s public schools, including passages and stories from the Bible. The rationale for the requirement is that the Bible is fundamental to understanding our nation’s social, civic, and cultural foundations. Simply put, the United States of America would not exist if not for the Judeo-Christian cultural framework out of which it was birthed. As Texas Public Policy Foundation senior fellow Mandy Drogin explained, “These timeless works, including biblical passages, have shaped American culture and history, and have influenced generations of thinkers, leaders, and citizens, and they continue to offer valuable lessons about human nature, virtue, liberty, and civic responsibility.” The board’s action is in response to a 2023 state law that mandates at least one literary work be taught in each grade.

Biden gets lost on stage
“Have you noticed that Americans are saying the economy [under Biden] is a hell of a lot better than under Trump?” asked former President Joe Biden on Saturday. No, Joe, no one has been saying that. It’s not even a common talking point on the Democrat side. What most Americans remember about “Sleepy Joe” is … how sleepy he was, the morning-only operational White House, and how badly he slurred through public appearances. Doctor Jill Biden may have gone on a book tour proclaiming that the Joe we saw on that infamous debate two years ago was not familiar to her, but that’s a lie. Expectedly, Biden slurred and coughed throughout his most recent appearance on Saturday and needed help finding his way off stage. He walked back onstage to shout for his granddaughter before Jill escorted him away.

Headlines

• Gavin Newsom endorses a new national wealth tax, signaling huge shift toward socialism (Hot Air)

• “Supergirl” opens well below expectations after Milly Alcock’s comments (OutKick)

• America’s troubling patriotism polarization (Washington Examiner)

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