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Graham funeral, two meetings
President Donald Trump delivered remarks at Sen. Lindsey Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral as congressional colleagues and world leaders paid their respects.
“Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for the seventh time during his second term, flouting the political risk of holding a high-profile meeting with the increasingly unpopular leader amid the US-Israel war with Iran”
Trump also met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House earlier Tuesday, with both meetings described as “positive and productive.”
NBC News said the Senate was expected to confirm Jay Clayton’s nomination to be Trump’s director of national intelligence tonight, with Clayton replacing Bill Pulte, who had been serving as acting intelligence chief.
In a separate update, Sky News said Zelenskyy and Netanyahu met Trump back-to-back in the White House ahead of Graham’s funeral, and quoted Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt describing the meetings as “positive and productive.”
Russia sanctions advance
NBC News reported the Senate voted 86-12 tonight to advance a bill that would levy additional sanctions on Russia, moving the legislation one step closer to final passage.
The NBC News update said the bill, named after the late Lindsey Graham, would place new sanctions on Russian officials and allow the White House to place tariffs on China, India and other countries that purchase Russian oil and gas.
NBC News quoted Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., saying, "In typical Lindsey fashion, he found a way for us to vote on this bill right after we came back from celebrating his life."
In the same NBC News account, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said, "we want a law, not just a bill."
Intelligence pick and Iran talks
NBC News said the Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence tonight on a 51-47 vote, with the Republican majority voting for the federal prosecutor who sidestepped questions about the 2020 election at his confirmation hearing.
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NBC News described Clayton as the president's principal intelligence adviser who would oversee 18 spy services and influence secret intelligence budgets, replacing Bill Pulte, the acting director of national intelligence.
In parallel, Sky News reported Zelenskyy said he had a “good meeting” with Trump and that they discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor missile production, and Zelenskyy also said he was “grateful to the United States for its firm support.”
CNN Arabic quoted Netanyahu describing his meeting with Trump as “one of the best conversations” and said the encounter was characterized by “full partnership and mutual support, with an understanding of the shared goal of ensuring that Iran does not possess nuclear weapons.”
