Today's Headlines: Trump's 80th birthday UFC fight at the White House went ahead as planned, sponsored by Meta, Polymarket, Bud Light, and Monster Energy, with fighters' bonuses paid in Trump crypto instead of actual dollars, weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial, and a crowd of million-dollar VIP ticket holders plus military members pre-screened for waist-to-height ratio — just as the Founders intended. The $14 million reflecting pool renovation, completed mere days ago, is already growing green algae because the color choice is algae growth friendly, which is a perfect metaphor. The Kennedy Center name removal deadline came and went with maximum drama — the Trump administration filed last-minute court motions to stop it, millions watched a live stream of construction workers put up a giant tarp, though the tarp remains up for unclear reasons. On the war beat, The US and Iran reportedly agreed on a peace deal, with a formal signing scheduled for Friday in Switzerland — terms not fully disclosed because the administration was busy with the birthday cage match — but the Navy blockade will end and the Strait of Hormuz will open toll-free when signed, kicking off 60 days of nuclear negotiations. The deal was briefly delayed by Israel launching strikes on Beirut, prompting Trump to tell Axios "Why did Bibi have to do a f---ing attack? I was so pissed off. He has no f---ing judgement" — which is a remarkable thing to say about your closest ally on your birthday. On the erosion of free press, the DOJ approved Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Brothers Discovery, with Bari Weiss reportedly set to oversee CNN as well as CBS News after the deal closes, because apparently the documented viewership collapse at CBS wasn't enough of a red flag. And finally, Argentina's Javier Milei submitted legislation to create a legal category for "non-human corporations" — essentially corporate personhood for AI systems — as part of his plan to make Argentina the Silicon Valley of unregulated AI, which Peter Thiel is presumably thrilled about.
Resources/Articles mentioned:
NBC News: No heavyweights allowed: Troops must meet fitness criteria to attend White House UFC event
The Guardian: UFC to pay White House fighters in crypto issued by Trump company
TikTok: MAYBE WE’LL NEVER EVER TAKE IT DOWN | eiffel tower
Yahoo: A tarp now covers where Trump's name used to hang at the Kennedy Center
The Independent: Algae in the Reflecting Pool started growing just days after Trump’s $14M renovation: report
Axios: Scoop: Trump aides fear Haberman and Swan obtained Situation Room tapes for "Regime Change"
USA Today: CBS won't air UFC White House event, viewers will need Paramount+ to watch
The Guardian: Gee, whiz: elephant relieves itself on floor of Texas Republican convention
WSJ: U.S. and Iran Say They Have Reached a Deal to Stop Fighting
NY Post: CBS News boss Bari Weiss poised to oversee CNN editorial operations: report
Axios: Scoop: Paramount seeks business counterpart for Bari Weiss at CBS News
Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
