Todd Blanche defends Trump relationship and new audio in Nolan Wells case: Morning Rundown

Todd Blanche faces questions about Trump, the Epstein files and more in his attorney general confirmation hearing. Friends of Nolan Wells called for help with their boat on the day the teen went missing, according to new audio. And some companies are starting to limit their employees’ use of AI products. Here’s what to know today. Todd Blanche says he’s not a Trump ‘yes man’ In a confirmation hearing before the Senate yesterday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced questions about his friendship with President Donald Trump and the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files. He also insisted he’s not a “yes man” to the president — but said Trump is still his boss. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. After the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham last weekend, a single Republican defection could block Blanche’s confirmation for the permanent job. Sen. John Cornyn, who has been caught in Trump’s crosshairs, said he’s “not there yet” on voting in favor of Blanche. When asked whether he’d run the DOJ independently from the White House, Blanche said he’d operate it with the goal of protecting Americans — but as a member of the executive branch, he reports to the president. Blanche also defended himself when questioned about whether his previous dealings with Trump as his former personal lawyer would be a conflict of interest. “I’m his lawyer. Was his lawyer,” Blanche said at one point, correcting himself, while being questioned. Sen. Thom Tillis grilled Blanche on the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund to settle Trump’s suit against the IRS, asking if the fund was truly “dead.” Numerous Democrats also pressed Blanche about his handling of the Epstein files, prompting him to apologize for a mistake “in about 1% of the documents.” Read more top takeaways from Blanche’s hearing. More politics news: In a rare public disagreement, House Democrats were deeply divided over a vote to end U.S. aid for Israel. The U.S. military will begin testing the testosterone levels of some service members, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. For subscribers: Democrats running for Senate in Maine after Graham Platner dropped out are racing to build an early advantage before a nominating convention in less than 10 days. For subscribers: At her Senate confirmation hearing, Dr. Erica Schwartz, Trump’s pick to lead the CDC, dodged questions about whether she supports RFK Jr.’s vaccine policy changes. ICE leadership surprised by Trump’s call for continued traffic stops When Trump overturned the Department of Homeland Security’s pause on ICE vehicle stops, there had been no prior discussions among senior leadership within DHS, ICE or the White House, a senior DHS official said. Many officials learned about Trump’s reversal through his Truth Social post yesterday morning, the DHS official said, and were surprised by the move. In his post, Trump called ICE vehicle stops one of the agency’s “most important and effective crime fighting tools.” But the reversal drew criticism from Maine Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins as they demanded answers about Monday’s fatal shooting of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. More reactions to Trump’s reversal. Durán was repeatedly described by family, co-workers and neighbors as kind, hardworking and family-oriented. He was often seen in Biddeford, a small city of nearly 23,000 people, with his 3-year-old daughter and worked multiple jobs to provide for his family. How the community is mourning Durán. New audio sheds light on malfunction on boat Nolan Wells’ friends were on The friends of Nolan Wells — the 18-year-old who was found dead two days after a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island, Mississippi — called for help because their boat was taking on water before they returned to the mainland, according to new audio. At about 3 p.m. that day, the boat’s operator requested help to be towed off the island, according to audio obtained by a public records request. The caller said, “our bilge pump stopped working. We’re going. We’re sinking. Can you all please come?” A cause of death for Wells has not yet been determined, and his family has launched its own investigation. What else the newly obtained records reveal. Read more: For subscribers: The family of 18-year-old Daniel Erving, who drowned in Texas in April, said the recent arrests of two teens are only “partial justice.” The mother of one of the teens charged defended her son’s actions. U.S. expands strikes into northern Iran; Tehran releases American citizen The U.S. intensified its strikes targeting Iran early Thursday, hitting targets further north as American forces also fired into a ship it accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait before dawn and warned its attacks may escalate. Meanwhile, a U.S. citizen held in Iran since 2024 has been released, Trump and her lawyer separately announced yesterday evening. Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer who has been involved with other high-profile cases of U.S. citizens detained in Iran, named the released citizen as Dena Karari, one of his clients. Genser said Karari had been “subject to a coercive exit ban” but “never physically detained.” She was “interrogated dozens of times” by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry because of her work with a nonprofit organization called the Children of Mehr Foundation, Genser said. Messi leads Argentina to consecutive World Cup finals With six minutes plus stoppage time remaining, England appeared on the verge of advancing to the country’s first World Cup final in 60 years. But when the final whistle was blown, it was Argentina who was celebrating, thanks to two assists from 39-year-old superstar Lionel Messi. The 2-1 comeback victory against England sends Argentina to Sunday’s World Cup final, where it will take on Spain. This will be the first time the Copa America winner takes on the reigning European champions in a World Cup final. Argentina could become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962. How Argentina capitalized on England’s risky defensive strategy. The British government today urged FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, to investigate Argentina’s team after players posed with a banner claiming sovereignty over the contested Falkland Islands. 📩 Join the excitement: Sign up for The Sports Desk newsletter for more in-depth World Cup coverage. Staff Pick: Is the AI bill coming due at your company? A growing number of companies say they are starting to place limits on employees’ use of AI as questions swirl about the return on investment from a technology that is supposed to be saving money but whose costs have begun to spiral. Amid reports of memory and chip shortages, end-user companies such as Uber and Walmart are now facing higher costs for the so-called tokens they submit to AI models to handle tasks. That has led those companies and others to set up new rules stating which employees can use certain AI applications, and how frequently they can tap them. So far, experts say anecdotal instances of throttling back usage do not represent a reversal of the AI investment that has powered markets and economic growth higher for the past three years. But they say that those two forces have become exceedingly reliant on AI gains, and any significant disruption risks rippling through to U.S. households’ balance sheets. — Rob Wile, tech reporter Read All About It Heavy smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota is expected to blanket the Midwest and northeastern U.S. and expose millions of people to dangerous air pollution. Terrifying video shows a train trapped in one of the wildfires. For subscribers: The search for three people who went missing when their boat sank this week near Alcatraz Island transitioned into recovery mode. Jalen Brunson won “Best Championship Performance” at the 2026 ESPY Awards. For subscribers: The Senate will soon vote on legislation proposing to make daylight saving time permanent. America already tried out the concept in the 1970s — and hated it. For subscribers: Would you pay extra for a flight if you were guaranteed an empty middle seat? United Airlines is betting its new perk will woo passengers. For subscribers: It’s a clamageddon! A species described as both invasive and delicious has been discovered off New England’s coast. NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified NBC Selected editors test thousands of products each year to find the ones that are actually worth your money. This month, tech reporter Harry Rabinowitz compiled the best point-and-shoot cameras after putting nearly a dozen to the test. And updates editor Mili Godio rounded up the best prepared meal delivery services that’ll save you time in the kitchen. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. 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