The Sunday — June 21

This is the Tangle Sunday Edition, a brief roundup of our independent politics coverage plus some extra features for your Sunday morning reading.

What the left is doodling.

What the right is doodling.

Suspension of the Rules.

In a special Father’s Day edition of Suspension of the Rules, Isaac, Ari, and Kmele are joined on the podcast by two guests: Executive Producer Jon Lall and Isaac’s father (and Tangle editor) Bailey Saul. The five of them represent different phases of fatherhood — from soon-to-be father to dad of two school-aged children to three-kid veteran (and grandfather) — and discuss what they’ve learned through their separate experiences. You can listen to the special edition here.

Monday, June 15.

A tentative deal with Iran. On Sunday, June 14, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has served as a mediator in peace discussions between the United States and Iran, announced that the two countries reached a deal to end their conflict. The Pakistani leader said that both countries would immediately cease military operations and formally sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday, June 19. The text of the memorandum was not released as of June 15, but the MOU would be signed on Wednesday, June 17. 

Our take: “Why would we expect this latest agreement to bring about lasting peace? Negotiations and ceasefires have repeatedly failed throughout this war, and an artificial timeline won’t make them succeed. Cynically, I don’t expect the conditions for real peace to even exist until after the midterms.”

Reader Survey:

Tuesday, June 16.

UFC Freedom 250. On Sunday, June 14, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hosted a mixed martial arts fighting event on the South Lawn of the White House, billed as a celebration of the United States’s 250th anniversary this summer. The event, which coincided with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, was held in front of approximately 4,000 spectators, including top Trump administration officials, active military members, and high-profile business executives. Some lawmakers criticized the cost and aesthetics of the event. 

Our take: “Americans have been arguing about what is ‘real America’ for almost as long as humans have been fighting. Some aspects of the event were bothersome, but I don’t really care that the White House hosted a UFC fight. The real story to me — again and still — is the grift and corruption.”

Reader Survey:

Wednesday, June 17.

Social media bans. On Monday, June 15, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that in 2027, the United Kingdom will ban children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube (but not YouTube Kids). Several other countries have passed similar bans, but the UK’s measure will go further, blocking features like live-streaming and communicating with strangers while gaming. Furthermore, Starmer said the regulations will restrict access to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships for users under 18 and may also impose curfews on social media use for under-18s. 

Our take: “Kids’ social media use is a demonstrable problem. Total bans and age restrictions have failed to mitigate similar harms — but total policy abdication has failed, too. My ideal solution is for the government to mandate more parental tools and for a gradual and thorough cultural shift.”

Reader Survey:

Thursday, June 18.

The Iran deal. On Wednesday, June 17, both the United States and Iran remotely signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war between the two countries after more than 100 days of conflict. The White House also announced the details of the 14-point plan, which included calls for the U.S. and Iran to allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz and commits the United States to facilitating a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran.

Our take: “If the MOU holds, the U.S. will have achieved none of its core objectives in this war. Trump appears to be backing down in a way he hasn’t before. Iran is poised to emerge from this war emboldened and more powerful.”

Reader Survey:

Friday, June 19.

Tangle did not release a Friday edition in observance of Juneteenth.

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What just happened.

Here’s a rundown of the major stories that have broken since our newsletter on Thursday.

• On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance suggested that Israeli lawmakers should refrain from criticizing the Trump administration’s peace deal with Iran, saying, “If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.” (The comments)
• On Thursday, Ukraine launched what is believed to be its largest airstrikes on Moscow since Russia’s all-out invasion in 2022. Ukrainian officials said drones struck some Russian oil refineries, and all four of Moscow’s airports were closed down. (The strikes)
• On Friday, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire, following days of intensified strikes between the sides that imperilled the memorandum of understanding to end the U.S.–Iran war. (The ceasefire) However, on Saturday, Iranian officials said they had re-closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing new clashes between Israel and Hezbollah after the ceasefire was agreed to. (The latest)
• On Friday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled his planned trip to the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s claim that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him at the G7 Summit in France last week. Meloni called the comments “completely fabricated” and questioned Trump’s treatment of U.S. allies. (The response)
• On Friday, President Trump unveiled the aircraft that was gifted to the U.S. government by Qatar and will serve as the new Air Force One for presidential transport. (The aircraft)

Reader essay.

Studies show that 57% of college students report feelings of loneliness. In this essay, recent college grad Jac Cochran explores what he thinks is one of the top reasons why: the decline of third spaces, or places where people can gather that aren’t home or work. Jac draws from personal experience and sociological evidence to make the case for combating the loneliness epidemic by reviving third spaces.