A lot moved yesterday. Let’s get into it.

The war powers vote failed. Again.

The House voted 212-212 on a Democratic resolution to rein in Trump’s authority to strike Iran — falling just short of a majority. That’s the third time a war powers resolution on Iran has come up and died. We’re bombing another country without a congressional vote, and half the House won’t even try to stop it. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is reportedly considering renaming “Operation Epic Fury” to “Operation Sledgehammer” — in what looks like an attempt to get around the War Powers Act’s 60-day limit on strikes without congressional authorization. They’re not even hiding it anymore. They’re just renaming the war to dodge the law.

Trump came home from China with nothing.

The Trump-Xi summit ended with no major breakthroughs — no progress on Taiwan, no progress on the war in Iran, no deal on the Strait of Hormuz. Before the trip, his allies were quoting “The Art of the Deal” on Fox News. Apparently Beijing didn’t get the memo. The guy who promised to solve everything in 24 hours spent days in China and flew home empty-handed.

The IRS slush fund is real.

Trump is reportedly preparing to unveil a $1.7 billion “compensation fund” — built from a settlement in his own lawsuit against the IRS — that Democrats say would effectively hand taxpayer money to his MAGA political allies and January 6th insurrectionists. Rep. Jamie Raskin called it a “massive and unprecedented presidential plunder of the American people.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said it was “insane levels of corruption — even for Trump.” When Warren and Raskin are using words like plunder, that’s not hyperbole. That’s a description.

They gerrymandered a congressman out of existence.

Rep. Steve Cohen announced Friday he won’t run for reelection after Tennessee Republicans passed a new map that splits up District 9 — a majority-Black, majority-Democrat district he’s served for 19 years — into three GOP-leaning seats. His retirement comes amid a wave of redistricting battles following a recent Supreme Court ruling that significantly weakened Voting Rights Act protections for minority communities. They didn’t beat him at the ballot box. They just erased his voters. That’s the play.

A lot happening and none of it is normal. Share this with someone who needs to know.

— Sean | Cup of Culture