Trump Warns Iran 'Will Have To Pay The Price' For Taking 'Too Long' To Negotiate Peace DealIn a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump warned that Iran "will have to pay the price" after taking "too long" to reach a deal with the U.S. to permanently end the war."The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!" the president said.The president also derided Iran's military, calling it a "complete and total mess."Trump's post comes after the U.S. struck Iran after blaming Tehran for the downing of a U.S. Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by attacking Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.Latest Live UpdatesPanicked Trump Aides Met Without Him To Try To Clean Up Epstein Mess: NYTThe controversy over files related to Jeffrey Epstein consumed the Trump administration at the highest levels and caused rifts between top officials to a greater extent than previously shared, according to reporting by New York Times White House reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.In a New York Times Magazine article connected with their upcoming book, “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump,” publishing on June 23, the authors shared how the Trump administration struggled to contain the controversy over the administration's failure to release files related to the convicted sex offender."In their public statements, Trump’s advisers were full of bravado, dismissing the crisis. In reality, it was consuming the highest ranks of the administration as no issue had for the president’s team since the Russia investigation in his first term. His aides were determined to keep their rising sense of panic out of public view," they wrote.A summary of their reporting includes scenes from the Situation Room complex, a bunker normally intended for high-level national security and classified matters, and without Trump in attendance.While the president preferred that all files be buried, Vice President JD Vance insisted on releasing everything, even unsubstantiated material about Trump, at once to get ahead of congressional pressure. Several officials at the Department of Justice, including then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, allegedly exchanged expletives on the day the agency released a memo that claimed there was no "client list" of associates whom Epstein blackmailed or conspired with to victimize dozens of women.During one meeting in August 2025, officials began debating the veracity of accusations against Trump.Trump Flips Out At Joe Scarborough After Touting Bombshell NYT Epstein ReportPresident Donald Trump exploded at “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough after his MS NOW show highlighted bombshell New York Times reporting about the White House's response to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.On Wednesday morning, Trump took to Truth Social to hit out at “Joe Scarborough’s ever shrinking, low rated show.”“His serious case on Trump Derangement Syndrome, often referred to as TDS, has made him a laughing stock among those who know what is going on in the 'Wonderful World of Television,'” he added.The rant came almost an hour after Scarborough had highlighted the Times' reporting from Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, taken from their forthcoming book, which the former GOP congressman characterized as “one of the most important books on the Trump presidency.”Among the revelations is that Trump didn't want to release any of the Justice Department files linked to Epstein, a former friend of the president.Shortly after an interview with Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, Scarborough seized on the Trump attack — and offered a deeply sarcastic response.“I don't know what I'm going to do, Mr. President,” Scarborough said mockingly of Trump's ratings gibe.Co-host Willie Geist then pointed out the connection to the Times' Epstein reporting.“Oh, my God,” said co-anchor Mika Brzezinski. “This is something you cannot mention around the President of the United States,” Geist added of the Epstein files.Key MomentInflation Rises To A 3-Year High On Spiking Gas Prices, Squeezing Americans FinanciallyWASHINGTON (AP) — Spiking gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years last month, a headache for the Federal Reserve and a potential political challenge for the Trump administration as midterm elections near.Consumer prices rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.8% in April and the third straight increase. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.5% last month, after big gains of 0.6% in April and 0.9% in March.Rising inflation has soured many Americans on the economy, as the cost of gas, groceries, and other necessities hammer many Americans financially.Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.9% in March from a year earlier, up from 2.8% in April. On a monthly basis, core prices increased a modest 0.2%.Bill Gates To Testify About Epstein Relationship Before CongressMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, where he will answer questions in a closed-door interview about his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.A transcript of the interview is expected to be released in the days after.The billionaire businessman and philanthropist allegedly began a relationship with Epstein three years after Epstein's conviction for sex crimes involving minors. They continued to socialize in the years after. Gates has called his relationship with him “a huge mistake.”Gates has denied ever witnessing or participating in any of Epstein’s illegal activities.Trump, Stephen A. Smith Feud Escalates Over Knicks' Game 3 Loss In NBA FinalsPresident Donald Trump swung back at sports analyst Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday afters days of trading barbs with the sports analyst over his attendance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.In a Truth Social post, the president wrote that Smith — who has floated presidential aspirations — is "an arrogant fool, a low IQ individual," and suggested he is not smart enough to enter politics."In other words, he’s 'dumb as a rock,' and totally unqualified to ever think of running for high political office, or even low political office, for that matter! He’d get annihilated in a debate by the most incompetent of politicians. Joe Biden’s now 'fabled' performance would look great by comparison to anything that this loudmouth huckster has to offer, which isn’t much! Within a few weeks, they’d laugh him out of politics!!!" he wrote.The post comes after back-and-forth swipes between the two men over the Knicks game on Monday, where the Spurs won 115-111.Smith has repeatedly criticized Trump, a Queens native, over the heightened security and road closures for disrupting the fan atmosphere in New York City, and warned before the game that Trump would be to blame if the Knicks lost to the Spurs.In a monologue mimicking a presidential address, the ESPN personality also accused the president of sleeping during the game after videos surfaced of Trump with his eyes closed. Qatari Negotiators Visit Tehran To Help Push U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Across The Finish Line: ReportsQatari negotiators traveled to Tehran on Wednesday in an effort to finalize a prospective peace deal between Washington and Tehran amid the latest escalation in the war, according to multiple reports."Following consultations with the US, Qatari negotiators traveled to Tehran this morning to meet with the Iranians in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps," a diplomatic source told CNN.A U.S. source also told CNN the U.S. didn't expect the latest flare-up to derail peace talks. A DOJ Official Planned To Submit Claim To Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’A top Department of Justice official planned to submit a claim for Trump's now-abandoned "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and requested to be recused for related work for it, according to Politico.Patrick Davis, the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs at the DOJ, had raised the prospect of applying for the fund with colleagues due to his work investigating “Russiagate,” the years-long probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and alleged ties to the Trump campaign, according to colleagues familiar with the matter.Conversations about potential recusal had alarmed some colleagues at the department, particularly due to his role, which is responsible for representing the DOJ's communications regarding policy and legislative initiatives.The DOJ's nearly $1.8 billion slush fund aimed to pay claims to people who alleged to be victims of political persecution by the justice system. After weeks of intense backlash from both sides of the aisle, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers during a congressional hearing last week that the DOJ would no longer pursue it.Trump 2024 Campaign Manager Says Redistricting Will Help GOP Keep Control Of CongressIn an interview with Politico's Playbook released on Wednesday, Chris LaCivita, the co-manager of Donald Trump's 2024 campaign who now works for MAGA Inc., a top super PAC backed by the president, said he is confident Republicans will retain control of the House of Representatives in the November midterms, acknowledging that "redistricting has put us in a much more advantageous spot."LaCivita also sounded optimistic that the GOP will keep its Senate majority."We are very much in the driver's seat, and conventional wisdom is just not something that we abide by, or something that we listen to," he told Playbook.LaCivita, who was enlisted by Sen. John Cornyn to work as a senior adviser on a super PAC supporting his now-ill-fated bid for reelection, also described the Texas Senate race as a must-win election for his party.Read more at Playbook.Hegseth To Visit Guantanamo Bay Amid Tense U.S.-Cuba RelationsDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth will visit the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Wednesday to "engage with troops" there, the Pentagon said, as the Trump administration continues to put pressure on the Cuban government.The secretary will also make a stop at the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, as part of the trip.Victor Wembanyama Says He's Looking Forward To 'Having Fun' In Tonight's NBA Finals MSG GameIn an interview with ABC News, San Antonio Spurs' star player Victor Wembanyama said he is looking forward to "having fun" in Game 4 of the NBA Finals set to take place Wednesday night in New York City following his team's victory earlier this week."I think it's too easy to forget that, maybe because it's the best basketball game in the world, but it's too easy to forget to have fun sometimes," he said.Wembanyama also reflected on his team's performance on Monday night, saying that playing at Madison Square Garden in front of a crowd of about 20,000 people — which included Hollywood celebrities as well as President Donald Trump — further motivated the Spurs."I mean, we're as fired up as it gets right now," he said. "We were really locked in, really focused."Read more at ABC News:See All Updates