LIVE COVERAGEUpdated 55 minutes ago
Live updates: Trump talks military aid with Lebanese president; Arizona elections underway
Arizona primaries today will set up competitive races for governor, secretary of state, and several congressional seats this fall
Trump gives update on war with Iran during meeting with Lebanese president
09:32
Add NBC News to Google
Updated July 21, 2026, 1:43 PM EDT
By NBC News
What to know today
- TRUMP MEETING LEBANESE PRESIDENT:Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with President Donald Trump today in a bid to bring about long-term calm in the war-torn country after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
- MILITARY AID TALKS:The two leaders said they would discuss aid to Lebanon’s military as it seeks to control areas where Hezbollah has operated amid a proposed withdrawal of Israeli forces.
- ARIZONA ELECTIONS:Today’s primaries in Arizona will set up several competitive House battleground races this fall, as well as competitive elections for governor, secretary of state and other offices.
55m ago / 1:43 PM EDT
Alaska wants to seize a pilot’s plane over a 6-pack of beer. The Supreme Court will hear his case
The Supreme Court agreed yesterday to review an Alaska bush pilot’s claims that state authorities have tried to illegally seize his $95,000 airplane after a passenger brought a six-pack of beer on a flight bound for a dry village
Pilot Ken Jouppi. James Wilson
The pilot, Kenneth Jouppi, sued to block his plane’s seizure after he was convicted of an alcohol-related misdemeanor charge. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in the state’s favor that Jouppi’s plane was subject to criminal forfeiture laws
Yesterday, however, the nation’s highest court agreed to hear Jouppi’s case. He argues that taking his 1969 Cessna would violate the Eighth Amendment’s “Excessive Fines Clause.”
Read the full story here
2h ago / 1:10 PM EDT
Marco Rubio to meet with Chinese foreign minister
Secretary of State Rubio will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Manila, a State Department official confirmed
The meeting comes as Trump appeared to downplay his own accusations of China’s interference in U.S. elections during a primetime address last week
“They do things and we do things to them,” Trump told reporters today during a meeting with the Lebanese president. “I’ll be honest, we do things to them, too. It’s not a one-way street. But we’ll be talking to them.”
Asked ahead of his departure for Manila on Sunday if he would raise election interference with China during any potential meeting with Wang, Rubio dodged the question
He did say he expected Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the U.S. in September as planned, stressing that China has continued to send teams to prepare for it
“When you have two big, powerful countries like the United States and China, there are always going to be irritants,” Rubio said at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before departing for the ministers’ meeting. “There are always going to be things we don’t agree on. But I think it’s incumbent on powerful and important countries like ours to continue to talk and have a relationship. We owe it to each other and to our people and to the world.”
2h ago / 1:03 PM EDT
Appeals court upholds Peter Navarro’s contempt conviction
A D.C. appeals court today upheld the conviction of Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro on two counts of contempt of Congress in 2022
Peter Navarro. Mandel Ngan / AFP – file
The conviction came after the House of Representatives voted to hold Navarro in contempt for failing to comply with a subpoena demanding he testify before the now-defunct House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol
“The district court had authority to resolve whether executive privilege had been invoked as to the Select Committee’s subpoena to Dr. Navarro,” a three-judge panel wrote. “And it correctly concluded that only the President or his designee could invoke the privilege. Because President Trump did not, in fact, invoke executive privilege, neither the Select Committee’s subpoena nor the prosecution for Dr. Navarro’s contumacy in the face of that subpoena presents the separation-of-powers concerns of which Dr. Navarro complains.”
Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison in January 2024 on the charges
In their ruling, the appeals court judges wrote that Navarro had “immediately and categorically asserted executive privilege without consulting anyone, whether counsel or the President to whom the privilege belongs. And he did so before even seeing the subpoena and its cover letter that made clear the subpoena sought some information that Dr. Navarro concedes is not privileged because he had discussed it publicly ‘in [his] recently published book, in interviews with reporters, and on a podcast[.]’”
“That all cuts against Dr. Navarro’s purported good-faith defense,” the judges wrote. “Not in favor of it.”
2h ago / 12:57 PM EDT
Trump enters an uncertain moment in Iran war that threatens to become a quagmire
A plume of smoke rises after a strike on the Iranian capital of Tehran on March 3. Atta Kenare / AFP
The Iran conflict is entering a dangerous and murky new phase, with the regime showing it has retained enough firepower to kill and wound American personnel, though Trump has said repeatedly that the U.S. won the war
Read the full story here
2h ago / 12:38 PM EDT
Trump and Lebanese president to discuss aid for military
Trump told reporters at the White House that he plans to discuss potential U.S. help for Lebanon’s military during his meeting today with the country’s president
Asked if the U.S. would help Lebanon take over villages that Hezbollah has withdrawn from, Trump said, “We’ll be speaking about that today with the president, and we have some very concrete plans already in store for that, with others going in and helping. But they’re also becoming much more self-sufficient, and we will be speaking about that.”
When a reporter posted a similar question about the Lebanese Armed Forces, Aoun said that when he had earlier spoken on the phone with Trump, “I told him I need two things from you: political support and supporting of the LAF, which is the most trusted institution in the country, and it has the most powerful weapon, which is the trust of the public.”
Asked separately if he has spoken to Hezbollah, Trump said, “I would speak to Hezbollah. I speak to everybody. I’ll speak to people that a lot of people think I shouldn’t be speaking to, and things work out.”
3h ago / 12:14 PM EDT
Trump says U.S. could strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain amid reports of potential nuclear-related activity
During the meeting with the Lebanese president, Trump told reporters at the White House that the U.S. could strike the area of Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site in Iran, after reports that Tehran could be trying to move nuclear centrifuges there
When asked by a reporter if he believes Iran has moved centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, Trump responded: “Well, I think that they may have. We don’t have it on record. All we do is read the fake news,” adding that the U.S. priority was tracking Iran’s nuclear materials
“You’re talking about the centrifuges,” Trump said. “It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material. They don’t have — we follow the material, that’s where the action is, and we’ll be hitting that area very, probably pretty soon, and there’s not not a thing they can do
“But, you know, normally I wouldn’t say that if I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that,” Trump continued. “But we’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily.”
Trump has previously commented on striking Pickaxe Mountain, telling Fox News in an interview last week the U.S. is monitoring the site
“We have cameras on it,” he said. “There’s very little activity there, but if there’s even just a small amount, we’ll hit it and we’ll hit it hard.”
4h ago / 11:33 AM EDT
Trump’s primetime speech fails to unlock votes to pass the SAVE America Act
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, didn’t mince words when he was asked whether Trump’s primetime speech succeeded in its goal of nudging the Republican-controlled Senate to pass his sweeping elections bill, known as the SAVE America Act
Read the full story here
4h ago / 11:10 AM EDT
Man arrested after setting fire outside Manhattan federal building
Video shows a man pouring liquid and igniting a massive fire outside a federal building in New York City that includes offices for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and other agencies. Authorities say the suspect, identified as 43-year-old Andrew Arrabaca, a United States Army veteran, also fired an airsoft rifle and ignited incendiary devices. NBC’s Emilie Ikeda reports for “Today.”
Man Arrested After Setting Fire Outside Manhattan Federal Building
02:00
4h ago / 11:00 AM EDT
Epstein survivors urge GOP Sens. Tillis and Cornyn to oppose Blanche’s nomination
Over a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse sent a letter to Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, urging them to oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general
“We understand that both of you remain open to opposing his nomination, and we are asking you to stand with survivors of human trafficking and sexual assault at this critical moment,” they wrote
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Eric Lee /
They criticized the DOJ’s handling of the release of its Epstein records, some of which mistakenly revealed personal information about survivors
They noted in the letter that they questioned Blanche during a meeting with him last week about the “redaction failures and whether he would pursue the investigative leads that remain.”
“Todd Blanche showed no remorse for the horrific release of materials that exposed survivors’ identities and images,” they said. “He also gave no indication that he believed there were investigative leads worth pursuing, or that he intended to seek accountability beyond Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”
They added, “A vote to confirm Todd Blanche would be a vote against those survivors.”
Blanche met with a group of survivors last week following his confirmation hearings after Tillis said his support for the attorney general nominee was contingent on such a meeting taking place
During an interview on NBC News NOW’s“Hallie Jackson Now” that taped shortly after the meeting, Epstein survivor Dani Bensky said that the sit-down was “not productive.” She added, “I don’t think there’s a single survivor who walked out of that meeting feeling like anything was accomplished.”
Because Republicans have only a narrow majority on the Judiciary Committee following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, even a single Republican no vote could hold up his confirmation. Both Tillis and Cornyn indicated this week their minds aren’t made up yet
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill yesterday, Tillis said it was a “good faith gesture” by Blanche to meet with the survivors, but the senator said that he wants more information about the meeting. Cornyn, meanwhile, reiterated his concern about the anti-weaponization fund potentially being revived despite the administration claiming it’s dead
Representatives for Tillis, Cornyn and the DOJ did not immediately return a request for comment
5h ago / 9:59 AM EDT
Appeals court rejects Biden’s bid to block release of recordings of ghostwriter interviews
A federal appeals court has rejected a request by Joe Biden to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of his interviews with a memoir ghostwriter before he was elected president
A divided three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit suspended its decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal
The panel’s 2-1 ruling late yesterday found there is a “substantial” public interest in disclosing the material that Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions to the recordings would help protect Biden’s privacy, the majority noted
Read the full story here
6h ago / 9:08 AM EDT
Pentagon identifies soldier killed during controlled detonation of a drone
The Pentagon identified the active duty soldier killed in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed drone as Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
The incident, which occurred Sunday at Erbil air base, is under investigation, the Defense Department said
Swinton was assigned to the 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and was supporting contingency operations in Iraq
6h ago / 9:03 AM EDT
Sen. Lindsey Graham to be honored with ceremonies in D.C. and South Carolina
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be honored with a special ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda today, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced today
The ceremony will be closed to the public, but it will be available to watch by livestream, Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, announced. She was sworn in last week to serve the remainder of her brother’s term and plans to runfor a full-six year term, which begins in January
After the ceremony at the Capitol, Graham’s body will be moved to the Washington National Cathedral for a funeral service later in the day, where Trump will deliver a tribute, her office said
In a statement, Thune called the late senator “more than a colleague, he was a friend.”
“From the military to state politics to decades of representing South Carolinians in Congress, Lindsey dedicated his life to giving back through public service,” Thune said in a statement “As we say our final goodbyes, it seems fitting for his friends and colleagues to give back to him through this special Capitol honor.”
The following day, July 29, Graham will be honored with a funeral procession at the South Carolina State House and a service at First Baptist Church of Columbia, Darline Graham’s office said
6h ago / 8:42 AM EDT
Rubio arrives in Philippines as U.S. criticizes Beijing’s ‘dangerous’ actions in South China Sea
The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia today, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own
Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the U.S. and Iran resumed open conflict, raising fears about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth
Risks have increased in recent days, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis announcing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front in the conflict and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf
Read the full story here
7h ago / 8:23 AM EDT
Eisenhower Executive Office Building to undergo paint and stone condition testing
The Trump administration informed a federal judge yesterday of its plans to conduct a “Façade Condition Assessment” and “Painting Feasibility Study” on the exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, as plans to paint the historic government building become clearer
The work, which is expected to be completed by an undisclosed building consultant and environmental services consultant beginning July 30, will consist of extracting samples of the stone from various parts of the wall to test its condition, including for microfractures, weathering and any pre-existing coatings and contaminants
The administration said it will choose several inconspicuous spots to test whether mineral silicate paints can bond to the building’s surface without the need to scrape the surface away, as well as the ability to remove the paint from the stone without damaging it
In each test area, the building consultant will “use the gentlest means possible to clean the stone, apply one of the potential options for mineral silicate paint and, after sufficient cure time, remove the paint from that test area,” the deputy director of the Office of Administration, Heather Martin, wrote in a sworn declaration
The executive office building provides workspace for White House staff, including the vice president and his staff, on the grounds of the White House complex. This filing comes in the lawsuit brought by the law firm Cultural Heritage Partners late last year over Trump’s reported plans to paint the building white. A federal judge has yet to rule on the broader legality of Trump’s planned paint job
The administration said it was providing Judge Dabney Friedrich with the notice of its plans “to avoid potential confusion about the nature of the activity that will occur,” attorney Michelle Nkeng wrote
The testing doesn’t mean the administration is moving forward with Trump’s renovation plan, Nkeng wrote
“None of the preliminary testing activities outlined above constitute a decision to proceed with a painting project at the EEOB,” she wrote
7h ago / 7:54 AM EDT
U.S. carries out 10th night of strikes after service members killed
U.S. Central Command released video of its 10th night of consecutive strikes flying deep into Iran, targeting command centers, launch sites and air defenses. Trump says Iran “will pay” anytime it kills an American service member. Meanwhile, the State Department issued a rare global travel warning to Americans abroad after Iran sent another barrage of missiles into Jordan. NBC’s Keir Simmons reports for “TODAY.”
U.S. carries out 10th night of strikes after service members killed
02:17
8h ago / 7:10 AM EDT
Trump imposes 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, citing disputes over autos, alcohol and cheese
Trump imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods yesterday, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products
The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump’s return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump’s previous tariffs and must be held accountable
Read the full story here
8h ago / 7:10 AM EDT
Lebanon’s president will meet with Trump in Washington to push for Israeli troop withdrawal
Lebanon’s president will meet with Trump today to wrap up a four-day visit to Washington, in a bid to bring about long-term calm in the war-torn country after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group
Joseph Aoun’s landmark meeting with Trump comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington. Lebanon hopes they will result in Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon that they currently occupy, and for the Lebanese military to receive support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway
Read the full story here
8h ago / 7:10 AM EDT
Battleground Arizona gets ready for another round of hotly contested elections
Today’s primaries in Arizona will set up several competitive House battleground races this fall, as well as competitive elections for governor, secretary of state and other offices. And as the 2026 election looms, the 2020 election still continues to play a big role in campaigns in the tightly divided swing state
Read the full story here
