Socialist Upsets Ex-Gov. Cuomo in NYC Primary Upset
What does Mamdani's victory mean? Where's Iran's enriched uranium? Plus: RFK pulls $1.2 billion from global vaccine program. And an interview about conditions inside ICE detention centers.
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In today’s newsletter, the latest on Iran and its highly enriched uranium, plus Trump makes a deal with NATO allies. Does Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York City signal a shift in national politics? RFK is undermining vaccine science, again, now at the expense of children around the globe. We’ve got some rare good news about our national parks. And, for our paid subscribers, the latest news on ICE’s seemingly lawless actions and how Stephen Miller stands to profit—literally— from the mass deportation program. Finally, a conversation with Amanda Schuft, Director of Legal Services at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, a legal advocate who spends time inside ICE detention centers.
Here Are Your Headlines
Believe Your Eyes: Trump attacked “scum” media outlets for reporting that his strike on Iran didn’t fully destroy the country’s nuclear program. According to a leaked US report, the operation only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months. But today Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard insisted that “new intelligence” shows Iran’s nuclear facilities were “destroyed,” though she did not specify what intelligence she was referring to.
Lost and Found: “All the indications” point to Iran having moved its highly enriched uranium to another, secret location, a BBC analysis concluded. Vice President JD Vance suggested the same on Monday, and said “that’s one of the things that we’re going to have conversations with the Iranians about.”
Bigger Picture: This Iran nuclear arms expert assessed that Iran should be able to build 10 nuclear bombs “inside a year”— in part because the US targeted some but not all of Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. What does this mean? It’s time to practice patience. We’ll have to learn more about the status of Iran’s nuclear program and see if the ceasefire holds. For now I’d urge anyone interested in this topic to watch my interview with national security expert Jeremy Bash. We are working on another Iran interview for later this week.
Defense Spending: NATO leaders today agreed to Trump’s demand for increased defense spending. The new goal for members is to spend 5% of GDP on defense, a major increase from the previous goal of 2%. “We had a great victory here,” Trump said. But Spain exempted itself from the goal, which Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called “disproportionate and unnecessary,” to Trump’s annoyance. Experts are also unconvinced member nations will ultimately spend that 5%. “They will not get there,” one said of the goal. Another pointed out that meeting the target would require spending cuts, like to the welfare state, that will leave “disgruntled populations … even easier prey for populist or nationalist politicians gathering strength across Europe.”
This headline caught my eye today: “NATO Chief calls trump ‘Daddy’ after president drops f-bomb.” That’s not your typical news from the NATO summit. To go deeper on that story or understand how different outlets overseas are covering the summit and the US strike on Iran, I rely on Ground News. Their app and website gather sources from outlets across the globe, and rank them for their factuality, bias, and even let you know about their ownership. Ground News is offering the News Not Noise community 40% off their all-access vantage subscription plan. To subscribe, go to GroundNews.com/NNN.
Shock Victory: New York State Rep. Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won the NYC Democratic mayoral primary election in what one Democratic consultant called “the biggest upset in modern New York City history.” Polls consistently showed former State Gov. Andrew Cuomo far ahead, but Mamdani took home 43.5% of the vote to Cuomo’s 36.4%, enough to declare victory.
What’s Next: Mamdani will be the Democratic candidate in the general election in November. He’ll face controversial incumbent Eric Adams, who’s running as an independent. Cuomo is weighing doing the same. And there will be a Republican candidate, too, but they don’t perform well in deep blue NYC.
About Mamdani: By his own description, Mamdani was a “no-name” at the start of this election cycle. His professional experience includes working as a housing counsellor, and he’s currently a state assemblyman. He was a founder of his college’s first Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. During the campaign, his opponents highlighted his controversial views on Israel, including backing a boycott of the country and refusing to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.” His campaign focused on policy issues that resonated with young and first time voters, especially the affordability crisis and promises to bring down prices across the board. He ran as a highly accessible candidate — walking most of the city to interact with voters — and as an online personality putting out viral videos and distributing merchandise. While he gave endless interviews and focused on small-dollar donations, Cuomo courted support from traditional business interests, including some Trump supporters.
Racism: Mamdani, if elected, would be the first Muslim mayor of New York. Some Republicans reacted to his victory yesterday with Islamophobic attacks, comparing the election result to 9/11 and claiming it would lead to terrorism. The NYPD last week began investigating death threats made against Mamdani and his family, including one voicemail in which a man called Mamdani a “terrorist” who “is not welcome in New York or America.”
Pass the Torch: Mamdani’s victory demonstrates the widening generational divide within the Democratic voter base. It could also suggest the balance of power is shifting youthward. Yesterday, House Democrats chose Rep. Robert Garcia to lead a key committee over the more experienced (and aged) Rep. Stephen F. Lynch.
Best You Can Do? It’s unclear to what extent the results of this race can legitimately be used to draw conclusions about the direction of national politics. New York City is hardly a microcosm of well, anything else. (New Yorkers, that’s not an insult! You’re unique!) Here’s one question few people are asking: Was Andrew Cuomo the best candidate Democrats could field? Yes he has a track record of governance and the ability to land a punch, but frustrated and cynical voters may not be in the mood to support someone who resigned in disgrace after facing credible allegations of sexual harassment and who national Democrats called on to resign just a few years ago. Also Cuomo was barely visible on the campaign trail while Mamdani was everywhere. For centrists who don’t want to see Democratic Socialists define the direction of the Democratic Party, here’s a question: why isn’t the Party fielding more fresh candidates with inspiring messages that energize new voters?
Certain Kind of Advice: Health Secretary RFK Jr’s new CDC vaccine committee met for the first time today over the objections of multiple lawmakers concerned with the expertise — or lack thereof — among committee members. One of the eight members hand-picked by RFK resigned yesterday; others rose to prominence over the last few years by criticizing vaccines. One of the committee’s co-chairs, for example, said earlier this month he considers the label “anti-vaxer” to be “high praise.” “Kennedy is setting up a committee that would be skeptical of vaccines,” one expert said, “and possibly willing to implement an anti-vaccine agenda.”
No Money: RFK Jr announced today the US will pull $1.2 billion in funding from Gavi, an agency that helps buy vaccines for kids in developing countries. He accused the organization of having “neglected the key issue of vaccine safety” in its “zeal to promote universal vaccination.” It’s strange that RFK can do this, considering America’s support of Gavi is done through the State Department, not RFK’s health department. “In the face of demonstration that vaccines are the single most lifesaving technology for children,” an expert said, RFK “is asserting a position that the US will not support vaccination. This is utterly disastrous for children around the world.” Research suggests that childhood vaccines have saved over 150 million lives over the last half-century.
Sale Stopped: The GOP’s plan to mandate the sale of over 2 million acres of federal lands is no more, after the Senate parliamentarian ruled it would violate Senate rules. You can see a list of Republican proposals similarly struck from the “Big Beautiful Bill” here.
That Said: Hundreds of millions of acres of public land would still be made eligible for sale under the bill. And this week Trump’s Agriculture Secretary announced the administration will revoke the Roadless Rule, which protected almost 59 million acres of public land from road building, logging, and mining.
What’s Going on In ICE Detention:
Today I spoke with Amanda Schuft, Director of Legal Services at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles California. They provide pro-bono legal services to people in the immigration system.
We discussed conditions inside detention centers, where the Trump administration's quotas are overwhelming the system. This has led to inhumane conditions, individuals disappearing within the system for days, people living without essential medications due to processing delays, and some being deported without their families' knowledge. I asked her to explain the oversight mechanisms and laws governing detainee treatment.
You can watch that below. And we end with the latest immigration news.
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