Trump's New Travel Ban

Hi Global Recap readers,

This is quite unusual of me, but before jumping into today’s newsletter, I would like to run a quick poll for our US readers.

(Our non-US readers are also welcome, of course!)

Yesterday, we reported that Elon Musk is going hard after Trump’s "Big Beautiful Bill," and he’s not backing off. Musk argues that the bill will add trillions in new debt and bankrupt the US.

• On X, many are calling out Musk for not thoroughly reading the bill and, along with some Republican lawmakers, for “going against Trump.”

• But over in the Fox News comment section, many people appear to be siding with Elon, saying enough is enough when it comes to adding trillions more to the national debt.

There are two contradicting claims:

• The White House claims the bill will cut spending and boost economic growth.

• Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office claims the bill would pile on another $2.4T in debt, despite mandatory spending cuts of ~$1.6T targeting clean energy tax credits, food assistance, etc.

For reference, here’s the entire bill.

Unlike the platforms mentioned above, I’d say our readers are far more thoughtful and balanced than the anonymous writers flooding social media, which is exactly why I’m curious to hear what you think. 👇️ 

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇺🇸 Trump Expands Travel Ban. President Trump just signed a proclamation banning entry from 12 countries, citing national security risks. The ban blocks travelers from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, and Libya, while imposing partial restrictions on seven others, including Cuba and Venezuela. The White House says that they either have “high visa overstay rates” or don’t share enough info with the US. It kicks in Monday at 12:01 a.m., but there are exceptions—athletes heading to global events, UN diplomats, and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, among others.

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🇩🇪 Germany Evacuates for Bombs. Cologne just had its biggest evacuation since World War II after workers found three massive US bombs from the 1940s buried under the city. More than 20,000 people had to clear out—hospitals, retirement homes, even the main train station shut down while bomb squads got to work. It took nearly 12 hours, but by 7:19 p.m. local time, officials posted, “The three World War II bombs in Deutz have been defused.”

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🇷🇺 Russia: Bridge Undamaged. Moscow insists that a Ukrainian bomb attack on the Crimean Bridge did nothing, despite Kyiv's SBU security service releasing footage of an explosion under the structure. SBU claims it “severely damaged” the base of the bridge supports. Although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted “there was indeed an explosion,” he said, “Nothing was damaged. The bridge is working.”

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🇸🇾 Syria, Israel Trade Fire. Two rockets fired from Syria hit the Israeli Golan Heights for the first time in over a year, prompting Israeli airstrikes on military targets. Syria denied launching the rockets, blaming “numerous parties… trying to destabilize the region,” while condemning Israel’s retaliation. A jihadi group calling itself the Mohammed Deif Brigades took credit, though little is known about them. Israeli officials hold Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa directly responsible, but Syrian authorities insisted Wednesday that they would “never be a threat” to anyone in the region.

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🇧🇬 Bulgaria to Join Eurozone. Bulgaria is officially set to ditch the lev and adopt the euro in early 2026 after getting approval from the European Central Bank and the European Commission. The country has been trying to ditch its currency since joining the EU in 2007, but inflation and political instability have kept delaying the move. Some Bulgarians aren’t happy, though. Anti-euro protests have erupted, and President Rumen Radev even tried (and failed) to get a referendum on it. Final approval from eurozone finance ministers is expected on July 8.

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🇮🇷 IRAN
Khamenei Rejects US Proposal

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has shut down the US’s latest nuclear proposal, calling it “100% against our interests.” He insists Iran will keep enriching uranium.

The US Deal

On June 1, the United States, with Oman acting as a go-between, offered Iran a nuclear deal to rein in its uranium enrichment.

• The proposal demands that Iran halt enrichment and ship out its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

• Khamenei dismissed it outright, saying, “Who are you to decide whether Iran should have enrichment?”

Why Iran Won't Budge

Iran sees uranium enrichment as central to its nuclear program, arguing it’s key to national self-reliance.

• Khamenei says Western nations “focus on enrichment” because it gives Iran leverage.

• Tehran maintains its nuclear ambitions are peaceful, despite skepticism from the West.

Khamenei on X

On top of that, Khamenei has posted on X, claiming that the country has achieved “a complete nuclear fuel cycle.”

• If true, this means Iran now possesses the full capability to mine uranium, convert it into gas, enrich it to weapons-grade levels if desired, and fabricate fuel rods, all without relying on foreign assistance.

Trump’s Maximum Pressure

Since his return to office, Trump has revived his hardline stance, tightening sanctions and threatening military action.

• Remember the TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) meme? People online are now questioning whether he will do the same with his threats against Iran, where he previously warned that there would be “all hell to pay” if it didn’t abandon its nuclear program.

• Currently, Iran is grappling with economic problems, regional conflicts, and Israeli threats to bomb its nuclear sites. As a result, Trump could effectively deliver “all hell to pay” by simply aiding or greenlighting an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

• However, critics argue that Trump’s approach risks further destabilizing the region, while supporters describe it as a “peace through strength” strategy.

What’s Next?

That said, despite rejecting the US proposal, Iran hasn’t halted negotiations.

• Iran continues to demand sanctions relief, while the US remains unwilling to back down.

• The future of nuclear talks now hinges on whether either side makes a serious compromise.