The Daily Brief — June 16, 2026
Trump ballroom costs taxpayers $600M, prosecutors charge 15 in MN, FBI says it thwarted attack on UFC event
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US Sanctions on Russian Oil
President Trump said today the US could reimpose sanctions on Russian oil to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine, more than four years after Russia’s 2022 invasion.
The US had eased some sanctions on Russian oil in March to cool global energy prices that spiked during its war with Iran.
Trump is currently at the G7 summit in France, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked him for help in ending the war in Ukraine and showed him photos of an 11th century cathedral burning after a Russian barrage that killed 11 people.
Trump said that now that an Iran deal has been reached, he will focus on Ukraine.
Trump Criticizes Israel
President Trump said today that Israel’s strikes in Lebanon over the weekend were “too much” and “vicious” and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.”
Trump objected to the timing of an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah command center in Beirut, saying he didn’t like that it came “two hours before we’re signing the agreement” with Iran.
Trump said he and Netanyahu have had an effective relationship, but that “without the United States, there would be no Israel.” He continued, “Without me, there would be no Israel because no other president was willing to do what I did.”
Israel was not a party to the US–Iran talks. The deal is set to be formally signed Friday in Switzerland, and its full text has not been released.
Minnesota Protesters Charged
Federal prosecutors have charged 15 people with allegedly obstructing federal agents during immigration enforcement operations carried out by ICE and other federal agents in Minnesota earlier this year.
Twelve defendants were arrested today, two remain at large, and one was already in custody, prosecutors said.
The charges stem from the period of protests surrounding federal immigration raids in the state, including the fatal shootings of Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal immigration agents in separate incidents earlier this year. The protests began soon after the Trump administration launched Operation Metro Surge in Dec 2025, and remain the subject of ongoing scrutiny and investigations.
According to the prosecutors, the investigation focused on members and associates of Direct Action Minnesota, a coalition of left-wing activist groups.
Prosecutors allege that participants tracked the movements of ICE agents, threw blocks of ice at government vehicles, and set up blockades around federal buildings. US Attorney Daniel Rosen declined to say whether any federal agents were injured. “Whether or not they actually, at the end of the day, cause bodily harm is not the measure of whether or not they committed a serious federal crime,” he said.
Newsbreak
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UFC Attack Thwarted
Federal agents foiled planned attacks on the UFC event held at the White House over the weekend and have made several arrests, FBI Director Kash Patel said today.
Writing on X, Patel said the FBI and other law enforcement agencies learned of the “potential threat” to the UFC America 250 event — which marked President Trump’s 80th birthday — from individuals outside Washington, DC.
According to court filings, the suspects allegedly planned to use explosive drones to create panic among the crowd and then open fire on fleeing attendees with sniper rifles. Investigators say the broader conspiracy involved at least 19 people who were communicating through encrypted messaging platforms and discussing targets and attack logistics.
Among those arrested were 19-year-old Tycen Proper of Ohio and California residents Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas. The charges include conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and weapons-related crimes.
According to investigators, the defendants were driven by anger over what they viewed as government corruption, the handling of the Epstein files by the Trump administration, and the impact of large data centers on communities.
Bomber Crash
A B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at a US Air Force base in Southern California yesterday, killing all eight people on board.
The bomber burst into flames after going down at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, military officials said. Officials are investigating the cause of the crash.
The bomber was on a routine test mission supporting a radar modernization program at the base. Military personnel, government civilians, and contractors were on board the plane.
Trump Ballroom Costs $600M
The estimated cost of President Trump’s White House ballroom project has increased by $200 million, bringing the projected total to $600 million, with roughly half expected to be paid by taxpayers, according to a report by The Washington Post.
On March 31, Trump said the project, which now includes a ballroom and a bunker, would cost up to $400 million and would not rely on taxpayer money.
When the White House first announced the project on July 31, 2025, it said contributions from Trump and “other patriot donors” would cover the cost, a claim Trump has repeated several times.
House AI Proposal
More than 200 state lawmakers from across the country are urging Congress to reject a proposal that would prohibit states and local governments from regulating the development of AI models for three years.
The lawmakers argued that AI poses a variety of risks, including chatbots that can expose children to dangerous content or encourage self-harm, threats to privacy and cybersecurity, and pressure on communities and power grids from rapidly expanding data centers.
Colorado has enacted rules requiring disclosures when AI is used in hiring and lending decisions, while New York recently adopted a law requiring advertisements to clearly label AI-generated depictions of people. Other states have passed measures addressing deepfakes, AI transparency requirements, and the use of AI in interactions with minors.
The members of Congress who drafted the proposal say a federal law is needed to regulate AI, and that it shouldn’t be handled by a patchwork of different state laws.