Politics and views in the United States

Trump admin defends Iran deal, as GOP and Dems push back. Record numbers of women run for governorships and California voters put a billionaire tax on the midterm ballot.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

Have a little bit of faith in the President of the United States.

The idea that he is going to strike a deal that's been bad for the American people, it's preposterous.

Vice President J.D. Vance is defending the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding signed by President Donald Trump and Iranian officials.

The deal would end sanctions on Tehran's oil and would create a $300 billion investment fund for rebuilding the country.

It leaves tough questions over Iran's nuclear program and ultimate control of the Strait of Hormuz to be negotiated.

That's angering Republican hawks.

Democrats are arguing a ceasefire is good, but the costly and deadly war is leaving the U.S. with a much worse deal than President Barack Obama made a dozen years ago.

Oil and gas prices have eased and may slowly continue.

The agreement is deeply unpopular in Israel, and that country looks likely to continue strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon in spite of it.

Citing the closing time window, a federal judge says she'll only consider challenges to Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting that impact this fall's election, leaving other issues until after November.

California's attorney general praised another part of the ruling for denying an administration motion to dismiss lawsuits by Democratic-led states and voting rights nonprofits.

The Justice Department is seeking to intervene in a first-of-its-kind reparations program.

The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, provides $25,000 to offset property costs to every black resident whose families were impacted by city policies promoting housing discrimination.

Responding to a suit by residents who are not black, the DOJ argues the program violates Equal Protection and the Fair Housing Act.

A record number of women are serving as state governors, and a record number are running to lead their states in the midterms. 14 states have women as the chief executive, 10 Democrats, and 4 Republicans.

Kelly Dittmar, with the Center for American Women in Politics, says more could be done to bring in their valuable experiences and perspectives.

Even in a year that looks good for women candidates running for governor, we're seeing women still be underrepresented in the pool, and we're seeing these partisan disparities that are persistent.

Californians will vote on a billionaire tax this November.

The 5% tax on all people or trust with incomes over a billion has officially qualified to be on the ballot.

It's dividing progressives for more centrist Democrats, including governor and likely presidential hopeful Gavin Newsom.

The Postal Service wants to close more than 400 post offices nationally, but postal workers are fighting to keep them open.

The postal unions argue the offices, often in small towns, are crucial for maintaining their community and democracy.

American Postal Workers Union Vice President Debbie Zaretti says the proposed closures come on top of hundreds that have already happened and undermine the bedrock of universal mail service.

They're destroying our democracy.

They're destroying our service.

A lot of our customers and community members, they don't realize that they have the right to have a voice.

In another sign that the tide of the war may be turning, Ukrainian drones have struck Moscow and badly damaged another Russian oil refinery there.

Russia is reportedly suffering gas shortages due to Ukrainian strikes.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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