What we know about the Justice Department investigation into Jennifer Siebel Newsom

2026-06-16T18:10:19.880Z / CNN

By Tierney Sneed, Hannah Rabinowitz, Katelyn Polantz

PUBLISHED Jun 16, 2026, 2:10 PM ET

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s first partner, speaks during a Gender Equity Summit in Sacramento, California, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. Bloomberg’s Emily Chang meets California’s First Couple, Governor Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and visits their home in Marin County and offices in Sacramento to see how they work together. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images

A Justice Department probe into the wife of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom burst into public view Monday after Newsom — prominent critic of President Donald Trump and a potential 2028 White House contender — accused the administration of spearheading a politically motivated investigation into his inner circle.

CNN confirmed Monday that California’s first lady, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is under investigation. However, a person familiar with the probe denied that it was launched by the department’s Trump-appointed leadership in DC.

Related article California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, looks on during an election night gathering on November 4, 2025, in Sacramento. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Justice Department tax probe includes Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wife 5 min read

Still, the conduct of the department in the investigation — and any charges it ultimately produces — will be closely scrutinized after Trump’s Justice Department has brought a series of prosecutions against the president’s foes. Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, could face questions about it as well, as he advances in his Senate confirmation proceedings, which are expected to begin as soon as next month.

Here is what to know about the Newsom investigation.

What are federal investigators looking at?

Siebel Newsom, who founded a non-profit focused on gender equity in media, is being investigated for tax-related conduct, as are other people with connections to the governor, a person familiar with the investigation told CNN on Monday.

It has involved both interviews of potential witnesses and grand jury subpoenas, the person said.

People close to Newsom and his wife have been interviewed by investigators, according to Newsom’s office, which believes that records related to the family’s finances have also been subpoenaed.

Newsom’s office has not confirmed that documentary subpoenas were issued but believes records have been obtained based on the nature of the questions to the family’s associates were asked.

When was the probe launched and who launched it?

The investigation was launched last year by the US attorney’s office based in Sacramento, which is California’s capital city. The person familiar with the probe told CNN it was started based on whistleblower reports, insisting that the leadership of the DOJ headquarters in DC was not involved in opening the probe.

Newsom and his allies are nonetheless drawing attention to Trump’s demands that his DOJ prosecute his political foes and the willingness of the Justice Department to pursue those cases.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 04: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (L) speaks as his wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom (R) looks on during an election night gathering at the California Democrats headquarters on November 04, 2025 in Sacramento, California. California voters approved Proposition 50, a measure that will replace the state’s current congressional district map with new, legislature-drawn lines from 2026 through 2030. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Who else in Newsom’s circle has been ensnared by DOJ’s investigations?

The investigation into Siebel Newsom began last year, according to the person familiar.

Separately, in November, a top aide to the governor, Dana Williamson, was indicted on charges that she was involved in a conspiracy to illegally funnel money from a dormant account of a past campaign of former federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

Before her indictment, Williamson, who was once Newson’s chief of staff, spoke with the US Attorney’s Office in Sacramento, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Investigators had pressed her toward speaking about a separate matter that surrounded Newsom — an inquiry into his administration’s handling of the company Activision, the person said. But Williamson had nothing to disclose related to Newsom and Activision, and wasn’t asked about Newsom’s wife or her businesses, the person said.

Last month, Williamson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, subscribing to a false tax return, and making false statements to a federal agent.

While investigators have been looking at various threads into people or entities close to Newsom for years — including the Williamson case — the probe into his wife is a separate investigation and is being worked on by investigators in Washington and Sacramento, according to two people familiar with the effort.

Becerra meanwhile is running to replace Newsom, having made it to a run-off election against the Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton. While Beccera’s primary opponents attempted to use the Williamson prosecution to impact him, the Democrat argued that he had not been implicated in the case.

What has Newsom said about the investigation?

Newsom blasted the investigation in a video posted Monday, in which he claimed that Trump was “coming after me because I’m considering running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out, over and over again, for his lies and deceit.”

The video cited the other Trump opponents who have found themselves in the DOJ’s crosshairs, including former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell and former FBI Director James Comey. Newsom called his wife “a public servant, a woman who’s dedicated her life to supporting women and girls.”

“If they can’t intimidate me, they’ll go after the mother of our children,” Newsom said. “Donald Trump picked the wrong target. We have nothing to hide.”

What are DOJ leaders saying about it?

The disclosure of the probe comes as Blanche is seeking to win over skeptical senators whose support he’ll need to be confirmed to as DOJ’s permanent leader. This week he is meeting with senators one-on-one on Capitol Hill, and the Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to host him for a public confirmation hearing next month.

Blanche repeatedly declined to respond to questions from CNN’s Manu Raju on Monday about Newsom’s claims.

“I’m not here to make any comments,” Blanche said during a pause in a closed-door meeting with Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Kevin Warsh set to lead his first Federal Reserve interest rate meeting. Here’s what to expect.

2026-06-16T15:08:00-0400 / CBS News

By

Updated on: June 16, 2026 / 3:09 PM EDT / CBS News

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh will hold his first press conference on Wednesday, offering borrowers and investors a chance to assess his plans to keep the U.S. economy on track.

Warsh, who has vowed that the Fed will remain “strictly independent” in overseeing monetary policy, last month succeeded former chair Jerome Powell at a difficult juncture, with inflation surging to its highest level in more than three years.

At the same time, President Trump has previously underlined his eagerness for the Fed to lower interest rates, the central bank’s main tool for spurring economic growth. Yet Warsh could also benefit from some economic tailwinds, including robust job growth in recent months.

With investors overwhelmingly expecting the Fed to keep its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday, the focus will be on Warsh himself and his handling of the press conference that follows the central bank’s policy statement, economists told CBS News.

“The story at this meeting is not what’s going to happen with rates — that’s pretty much a foregone conclusion,” said NerdWallet senior economist Elizabeth Renter. “The most interesting thing that’s happening at this meeting is Warsh’s debut and what that means for how we see the Fed moving forward.”

Warsh, a former Fed board governor, has suggested the Federal Reserve should provide less guidance on future rate moves and expressed his view that the AI boom will boost economic productivity, helping to ease inflation and potentially supporting lower borrowing costs.

To be sure, much has changed about the economic outlook since December, when the Fed penciled in one interest rate cut for 2026. Since the Iran war started in late February, inflation has flared amid higher oil and gas prices, pushing the Consumer Price Index to an annual rate of 4.2% in May— the highest since April 2023.

Some economists now think the Fed’s next interest rate move could be to raise borrowing costs to counter rising inflation.

Relatedly, the jump in both consumer and producer prices makes it far more difficult for Warsh and other members of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed’s rate-setting panel, to push for a rate cut in 2026, according to economists.

What will the Fed do with interest rates?

Economists overwhelmingly expect the Federal Reserve to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, keeping the federal funds rate — what banks charge each other for short-term loans — in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, according to FactSet.

The Fed has kept its short-term rate steady throughout 2026, with its last cut occurring in December 2025.

Investors and borrowers will instead focus on Wednesday’s release of the Fed’s Summary of Economic Projections, a report that distills the FOMC’s forecasts for unemployment, GDP growth and other barometers. The projections also include the so-called “dot plot,” which shows policymakers’ expectations for interest rates over the coming years.

The June dot-plot could “show the Fed on hold for the rest of this year,” noted Bank of America U.S. economist Aditya Bhave in a report. At least three of the FOMC’s 12 voting members may also project rate hikes this year, he added.

When is the Fed’s interest rate announcement?

The Federal Reserve will announce its interest rate decision at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

That will be followed by a press conference with new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh at 2:30 p.m. ET, where he’ll take questions from journalists.

What will Warsh say about future interest rates?

Investors will pay particular attention to Warsh’s comments about inflation and, more broadly, the path of monetary policy, especially given Mr. Trump’s criticism of former Fed Chair Jerome Powell for moving too slowly to cut interest rates.

“Watch for questions asking Mr. Warsh to reconcile statements seeking to lower interest rates with recent trends in inflation and employment,” Jerry Tempelman, former senior analyst at the New York Federal Reserve Bank and vice president of economic and fixed income research at Mutual of America Capital Management, in an email.

Warsh will likely use the press conference to start putting his own stamp on the central bank, especially given Powell’s decision to remain a Fed governor after stepping down as chair. Although no policy changes are expected this week, investors are looking for whether Warsh will signal changes in how the Fed communicates its economic views or interprets inflation data.

“We already know it’s going to be contentious because there’s a lot of feelings out there, but he’s probably got to exert his control quicker,” Ben Fulton, CEO at investment advisor WEBs Investments, told CBS News.

Is the Fed likely to cut interest rates later this year?

That is seen as increasingly unlikely given the hottest inflation in more than three years, according to economists. Instead, the Federal Reserve is more likely to keep rates steady for the remainder of 2026 — or even usher in a rate hike to tame rising prices.

“The balance of risks has definitely shifted toward inflation being the biggest concern, and so that’s really going to drive any language around what the Fed’s next steps might be,” Renter of NerdWallet said.

She added, “In the past several Fed meetings, the language is really skewed toward that potential future cut, and I think that’s going to be missing both from the policy statement and possibly in the press conference.”

Blue state’s anti-ICE pledge collapses as GOP warns of new sanctuary ‘confederacy’

June 16, 2026 1:34pm EDT / Fox News

Gov Jared Polis signed a bill creating a carveout after attorneys said the state was coopting them into sanctuary policies

By Charles Creitz, Fox News

Former ICE official says Trump has ‘strong argument’ in sanctuary lawsuit of Colorado, city of Denver

Retired ICE field director John Fabbricatore joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss the Department of Justice suing Colorado and the city of Denver for their sanctuary city policies.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Colorado has reversed a controversial requirement that attorneys using the state’s court e-filing system certify they would not use court information to assist federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The verification requirement was removed from state law last week after Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 26-1276, creating a carveout for attorneys seeking to use the filing system.

Multiple attorneys spoke out in April after the state’s e-file system required them to certify they would not share such personal information with the federal government — a requirement Colorado officials said stemmed from the Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status Act of 2025.

Colorado Springs attorney Ian Speir told Fox News Digital that Colorado appeared to be “unlawfully coopting private attorneys across the state to further its anti-federal sanctuary policies,” while noting that he doesn’t practice criminal nor immigration law but couldn’t sign into the state court system without “saluting the resistance.”

COLORADO LAWYERS SAY COURT E-FILE SYSTEM NOW MAKES THEM CERTIFY THEY WON’T ASSIST ICE

Video

The House Judiciary Committee took note of Fox News Digital’s reporting on the matter and notified Colorado officials in April that their immigration-related certification wrongly “commandeers private attorneys into Colorado’s radical sanctuary policies, handcuffs federal officials from enforcing immigration law in Colorado, and violates fundamental free speech principles.”

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s immigration integrity, security and enforcement subcommittee, told Fox News Digital in a Monday interview that he was pleased to see Colorado reverse itself but warned that the incident is just the latest volley in sanctuary states’ battle against federal supremacy.

He called it the latest example of the notion that any state “can obstruct federal laws they don’t like.”

REP JIM JORDAN, REP TOM MCCLINTOCK: DEMOCRATS THINK THEY CAN OVERRULE LAWS

“I think they’ve crossed the line into obstruction by forbidding attorneys access to the court system without this outrageous pledge under penalty and perjury that they wouldn’t report any information for federal immigration enforcement purposes,” McClintock said.

“Obviously, the state recognized what tenuous ground they had staked out, and it reversed themselves. But I remain concerned over what other sanctuary jurisdictions that comprise this new ‘Confederacy’ may take in the future.”

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., arrives for the House Judiciary Committee markup on the Justice in Policing Act in the Capitol Visitor Center on June 17, 2020.(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Sipa USA)

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), celebrated the news and noted it was prepared to file a lawsuit against the state government in Denver on First Amendment grounds if it did not repeal the provision.

“Colorado made the right move removing the certification requirement, which was a clear viewpoint-based regulation that violated the First Amendment,” the Washington-based group said in a statement.

Speir added that while the state may be able to tell its own public lawyers what to say to ICE, he, as a private attorney, “work for my clients, not the government.”

Greg Greubel, FIRE’s senior attorney, said in a statement that the government by law cannot condition an attorney’s access to courts “on a promise not to use information for a lawful purpose the state disfavors.”

BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG PUT ON NOTICE AS NEW BILL CURBS BLUE STATE SANCTUARY POLICIES

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents stand outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, May 28, 2026.(Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital.)

“Kudos to Colorado legislators and the governor for acting quickly to resolve this issue, but it’s troubling that the state attempted this in the first place.”

Laws restricting speech must be viewpoint-neutral under the First Amendment, but critics argued that by forcing attorneys not to speak with ICE, they were putting their thumb on the partisan scale.

McClintock said his panel’s focus continues to be on the variety of sanctuary policies in states and cities that are “resisting and in many cases obstructing federal law enforcement,” citing the Supremacy Clause’s assertion that immigration falls under the federal government’s authority.

“That’s particularly important in regions such as mine where the local sheriffs very much want to cooperate with ICE,” said McClintock, who notably chaired the raucous hearing that featured Fairfax County, Virginia, prosecutor Stephen Descano and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid who have been lambasted for their handling of illegal immigrant-related cases.

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A measure his panel is working on would allow victims of sanctuary policies to sue those jurisdictions for damages created by the release of illegal immigrant criminals and the like.

Fox News Digital reached out to Polis and ICE for comment.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

Lawmakers in the dark on Iran deal as Trump says he will send it to Congress

2026-06-16T18:18:00.867Z / Reuters

Summary

Trump says he will send deal to Congress after formal signing
US president typically briefs ‘Gang of Eight’ on big news
Thune says Republicans press Trump for memorandum text

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was willing to send his interim deal to end the war with Iran for review by the U.S. Congress, as lawmakers, including many of his fellow Republicans, said they were largely in the dark about the pact.

The U.S.-Iran agreement, announced on Sunday, has spurred optimism that a conflict that has killed thousands and disrupted the global economy will soon end.

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According to officials from both countries, the memorandum of understanding would extend a tenuous ceasefire announced in April by another 60 days and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route effectively blocked since the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28.

But the details remain unclear and the text of the pact has not been released or sent to Congress.

Trump also insisted on Tuesday that Iran would abandon its nuclear weapons program. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Democrats have questioned Trump’s latest promise of a peace deal.

“We’ve been told dozens of times that the war is over and dozens of times we’ve been disappointed,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said as he opened the Senate session on Tuesday.

“It’s been two days since Trump claimed he had reached an ‘understanding’ with Iran and he still hasn’t released any details… about what it actually is,” Schumer said.

Schumer called on the Trump administration to hold a classified briefing for Congress’ “Gang of Eight,” a group of intelligence committee and congressional leaders typically briefed on major national security developments.

Schumer also said officials should brief the entire Congress, and inform the American people.

No plans for any such events have been released.

‘I LIKE THE IDEA’

Trump told reporters in France that he had not thought about sending the memorandum of understanding with Iran to Congress for review but that he would do it. “I like the idea,” he said during his meeting with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates, on the sidelines of the G7.

Trump said he wanted to wait until after a formal signing ceremony expected on Friday.

Trump could be legally obligated to involve Congress. Under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, a 2015 U.S. law passed as Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration finalized an Iran nuclear agreement, any such agreement must be submitted to Congress for review before sanctions can be eased.

That review leaves open the possibility that lawmakers could try to block parts of the deal.

Some Republican lawmakers have been willing to break with the president, voting with Democrats, unsuccessfully, to force Trump to seek congressional approval for the Iran war. Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress, not the president, has the power to declare war.

But most Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, have shown little appetite during Trump’s second term for challenging his foreign policy.

Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate’s Republican leader, told reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday that party members were pressing Trump to provide the text of the MOU.

“We’re trying to get it,” he said, acknowledging that it is unusual for an administration not to share information about such a major development with its own party.

“Since I’ve been in this job, we haven’t had this issue,” Thune said.

Other Republicans joined Democrats in expressing frustration at the lack of information.

“If it’s a secret deal, then how can I take it seriously?” Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told reporters on Monday evening.

Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Don Durfee and Sanjeev Miglani

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CNN poll finds more voters ditching the party label. What does that mean for the midterms?

2026-06-16 1:34 PM EDT / CNN

By Phil Mattingly and David Chalian, CNN

Published 1:34 PM EDT, Tue June 16, 2026

CNN poll finds more voters ditching the party label. What does that mean for the midterms?

Inside Politics

In 2021, 36% of Americans identified as independents. Now, it’s 47%. CNN Political Director David Chalian joins “Inside Politics” to break down a new CNN poll showing the highest percentage of independent voters in a decade, and why it should worry both parties.

3:14 • Source: CNN

Todd Blanche earns attorney general bid endorsement from law enforcement alliance ahead of confirmation

June 16, 2026 12:21pm EDT / Fox News

The organization representing sheriffs from Missouri to Washington state urged the Senate to quickly confirm Blanche

By Peter D’Abrosca Fox News

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

EXCLUSIVE — President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general has earned the endorsement of a sprawling sheriff’s association in what is expected to be a contentious confirmation process.

The Western States Sheriffs’ Association sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., along with high-ranking Senate Judiciary Committee members expressing their support for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s permanent confirmation to the position.

The organization represents sheriffs and their command staff from 19 states in the West, from Missouri to Washington state.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche testified during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“We believe Mr. Blanche possesses the experience, integrity, and commitment necessary to lead the Department of Justice effectively during this important time,” the letter says.

“His background as a seasoned prosecutor, his demonstrated leadership as Acting Attorney General, and his focus on upholding the rule of law, supporting law enforcement, and prioritizing public safety align closely with the values and operational needs of America’s Sheriffs.”

TODD BLANCHE ‘HONORED AND HUMBLED’ BY TRUMP’S AG NOMINATION AFTER EXPLOSIVE WEEK OF FEDERAL ARRESTS

The letter notes that western sheriffs face “unique challenges,” particularly with border security concerns and policing vast rural areas — and they believe Blanche will help address those issues.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference alongside FBI Director Kash Patel at the Department of Justice on April 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C., following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center.(Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“As an organization dedicated to assisting Sheriffs with federal and state legislative issues, addressing policy matters, and promoting the strength and effectiveness of local law enforcement, we have long recognized the critical partnership between federal leadership at the Department of Justice and the frontline work performed by Sheriffs across The West,” the endorsement states.

The group said it is encouraged by Blanche’s understanding of the role that local and state officials play in federal law enforcement operations, and his willingness to work with those local and state officials to combat violent crime, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other community threats.

RED STATE AGS WELCOME TRUMP CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AFTER FOUR YEARS BATTLING BIDEN

“WSSA members stand ready to partner with Attorney General Blanche to advance policies that empower Sheriffs, enhance officer safety and wellness, secure our borders, and ensure that federal resources are directed toward the real-world problems facing our counties and states,” the letter says.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6396046401112

It concludes with a call to action for Congress, urging the Senate to quickly confirm Blanche as U.S. attorney general.

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Blanche’s nomination was formally sent to the Senate on June 8 after he was installed as acting AG following former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s bombshell ouster in April.

Republicans are reportedly targeting late summer for a full Senate confirmation vote.

Peter D’Abrosca is a reporter at Fox News Digital covering politics.

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.

Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is “safe, secure and pristine.” Shipping companies aren’t convinced.

June 16, 2026 / 12:46 PM EDT / CBS News

By Joanne Stocker Verification producer
Joanne Stocker is a verification producer for CBS News Confirmed. She was previously chief editor of Kurdistan 24 English and managing editor at The Defense Post. She has combined open-source investigation methods with on-the-ground reporting to cover conflict, terrorism, and misinformation for over 15 years.

Read Full Bio

Major shipping companies still see transiting the Strait of Hormuz as “very risky” and say there’s little appetite to resume normal operations through the vital waterway until more details of the U.S.-Iran deal become clear. Multiple companies say firm security guarantees are needed, despite an assurance from President Trump of a “totally safe, secure, and pristine” route through the strait.

The U.S. and Iran are set to sign a memorandum of understanding Friday in Switzerland that will formally lift restrictions imposed by both countries on traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran on Feb. 28, about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies typically transited the strait.

Iran’s attacks on and threats against commercial vessels, launched in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes, brought that traffic to a virtual standstill, driving global energy prices up significantly.

Mr. Trump, in a Sunday post on his Truth Social platform announcing the agreement with Iran, said: “I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade.”

“Ships of the World, start your engines,” Mr. Trump said. “Let the oil flow!”

A person sits in shallow water as cargo and commercial vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, June 8, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP

A day later, the president said tankers were “starting to move, many loaded up with Oil, out of the Strait of Hormuz.” He said ships could take a southern route through the strait, “which is totally safe, secure, and pristine. There are other areas of travel, also!!!”

As Mr. Trump urged a resumption of strait crossings, however, the Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational naval operation that includes the U.S. military, warned Monday that the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports and vessels would remain in effect until Friday, “pending execution” of the ceasefire.

“The maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains SEVERE due to blockade operations,” read an advisory note.

Amid the mixed messages, shippers have welcomed the tentative agreement between Iran and the U.S., but remained cautious.

“Our policy remains unchanged”

Mr. Trump’s announcement of an agreement on the memorandum of understanding with Iran sparked a major rally on global equity markets, and crude oil prices have dropped nearly 5% this week.

Public tracking data shows shipowners have been repositioning empty vessels in anticipation of a spike in demand when the strait reopens, and a handful of tankers have transited the waterway this week, but compared to pre-war levels — around 135 ships per day — it’s just a trickle.

Shipping analyst Richard Meade at Lloyd’s List said “none of this should be mistaken for a return to normality.”

“Due to lack of details and a history of overly optimistic reassurances, we believe the security situation for the shipping industry remains volatile, and we still consider it very risky for ships to commence transits at this point,” Jakob Larsen, head of safety and security at BIMCO, one of the largest international shipping associations, said Monday.

“The next step is for shipowners to be reassured that transiting the Strait of Hormuz is not only permitted but also safe,” he added.

Most shippers appear to be waiting for concrete assurances.

A spokesperson for Mitsui OSK Lines, a major Japanese logistics company, told CBS News on Tuesday that the firm recognizes “signs of movement toward a ceasefire,” but its “policy remains unchanged: Operations will not be resumed until safety has been sufficiently confirmed.”

“What will have to come in place is not just a simple agreement between the relevant countries, but it has to be material and translated into the real situations in the Strait of Hormuz, so that shipping lines can make themselves comfortable to go through,” the company’s CEO Jotaro Tamura told the Financial Times.

“Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks, or if not, a month,” he said.

Even that could be optimistic.

A return to normal cargo flows in the strait will “most likely take around three to four months,” Leon Schulz, a spokesman for Hapag-Lloyd, another major shipping company, told CBS News on Tuesday.

The tentative agreement between Tehran and Washington does give “reason to hope” for an improved security situation, Schulz said, adding that the “risk assessment for transits of Hapag-Lloyd vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is currently being reevaluated.”

The Danish shipping giant Maersk told the Reuters news agency on Monday that it was still “too early to assess” the impact of the deal, adding: “At this stage, there are no changes to our operations in the region.”

“Solid evidence”

The path back to real normality in the Strait of Hormuz may be a minefield, literally and figuratively.

Reuters quoted sources in the shipping industry as saying Monday that removing Iranian sea mines from the strait could take 40 to 50 days.

“The threat of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further down the line, and mine-free routes need to ⁠be established,” Larsen, of BIMCO, said Monday.

The text of the agreement between the U.S. and Iran has not been shared by either government, and the practical steps expected in the immediate future to reopen the strait safely remain unclear.

In the longer term, Iran has demonstrated an ability over the last 109 days to effectively use the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure-point, and analysts believe the risks of another closure may linger.

Marine insurance firms have said they’re not yet ready to readjust rates that soared during the war. Premiums are “quick to go up, slow to go down,” one maritime insurer in Singapore told Lloyd’s List, adding that it would only change its prices after seeing “solid evidence” of safety improvements for ships in the region.

北极竞争与贸易摩擦升温 冰岛8月公投重启入欧谈判

2026年6月16日 23:03 / 联合早报

冰岛将在8月公投决定是否重启入盟谈判；财长认为，北极竞争、贸易摩擦和美国对格陵兰政策的变化，让加入欧盟更符合冰岛经济和安全利益。 （路透社）

冰岛将在8月公投决定是否重启入盟谈判；财长认为，北极竞争、贸易摩擦和美国对格陵兰政策的变化，让加入欧盟更符合冰岛经济和安全利益。 （路透社）

冰岛将在8月29日举行公投，决定是否重启加入欧盟的谈判。

路透社报道，冰岛财政部长克里斯托弗松认为，在北极地缘竞争升温和全球贸易摩擦加剧背景下，加入欧盟更符合冰岛的经济和安全利益。

克里斯托弗松说，对人口仅约40万的小型开放经济体而言，自由贸易和以规则为基础的国际秩序至关重要，因为冰岛没有能力通过武力维护自身利益。

作为北约成员国，冰岛虽无常备军，却坐落于北大西洋重要战略通道。

克里斯托弗松指出，冰岛与美国1951年签署的防务协定及北约成员身份，仍是国家安全基础，但美国总统特朗普有关取得格陵兰的言论，在一定程度上改变了冰岛的安全考量。

冰岛曾在2010年启动入盟谈判，但在2013年疑欧派政府上台后决定中止谈判。此次公投并非决定是否入盟，而是决定是否恢复谈判；若未来达成协议，仍须再经公投批准。

冰岛目前是全球物价最高国家之一，央行基准利率达7.75%。克里斯托弗松认为，加入欧盟有助降低利率，并为冰岛克朗未来与欧元挂钩甚至采用欧元提供更多选择。

但反对者认为，冰岛已通过欧洲经济区享有欧盟单一市场准入，无须承担正式入盟的额外成本与义务。此外，渔业是冰岛经济命脉，业界担心加入欧盟后，本国渔场可能需向外国船队开放。

美伊协议附带3000亿美元重建基金

2026年6月16日 23:14 / 联合早报

美国总统特朗普周二（6月16日）表明，美国不会向伊朗投入任何资金。 （路透社）

（华盛顿／德黑兰综合电）美国政府高官称，美国和伊朗正式签署和平协议后，船只无需付费即可穿行霍尔木兹海峡，而伊朗必须履行承诺才可获得经济利益，包括高达3000亿美元（约3845亿新元）的重建基金。

美方也透露，美国副总统万斯和伊朗议会议长卡利巴夫星期天（6月14日）已经以电子方式签署了谅解备忘录。两人也将出席本星期五（19日）在瑞士举行的正式签署仪式。

伊朗媒体星期一（15日）报道，伊美谅解备忘录草案有14点内容，其中包括美国与盟友须提出总额至少3000亿美元的伊朗重建计划。

英国《金融时报》同日引述美国高级官员报道，特朗普政府正考虑为伊朗重建设立一个3000亿美元的基金，作为伊方同意结束战争并达致核协议的条件。这将与伊朗是否遵守谅解备忘录的“具体表现”挂钩。

万斯接受美媒采访时称，只要伊朗政府遵守承诺，就可获得资金。美国官员说，这笔资金不会来自特朗普政府，而是由有兴趣投资伊朗的公司出资。

在法国出席七国集团（G7）首脑峰会的美国总统特朗普星期二（16日）也对记者说，美国不会向伊朗投入任何资金，因为美方没有义务投资伊朗。“我们已与伊朗达成协议，而且应该会成功，现在进入第二阶段，我认为这实际上会更容易。”

特朗普同日在社交媒体发文，否认他为了达成协议而向伊朗支付3亿美元。他指那是美国民主党放出的假消息，并坚称伊朗已经同意绝不发展核武器。

伊朗外交部长阿拉格齐星期二则说，伊朗将谈判分为两个阶段。第一阶段讨论结束战事、开放霍尔木兹海峡、解冻伊朗资产以及战后重建等议题。随后谈判将继续进行60天，以达成最终协议，到时将讨论伊朗核问题及解除对伊制裁等。

阿拉格齐重申，结束黎巴嫩的战事是美伊达成协议的基本条件之一。他强调，在黎巴嫩停战和以色列从黎巴嫩撤军是彻底结束战争不可分割的部分。

不过，以色列政府已一再表明，以军将无限期留在黎巴嫩的安全区。以色列国内的极右翼也表明绝不接受美伊协议，认为它抹杀了以色列的军事成果。

另一方面，特朗普星期一说，一旦清除水雷的工作完成，霍尔木兹海峡可在星期五“完全开放”。他还说：“许多满载石油的船只正开始驶出霍尔木兹海峡。”

特朗普在G7峰会上称，在确保海峡重开的问题上，美国不太需要盟友的帮助。

据报道，欧洲领导人准备在G7峰会上寻求特朗普同意，在海峡启动排雷行动，但特朗普一直淡化这个工作可能面对的挑战以及欧洲可扮演的角色，因此有关问题恐怕难以在会上达成共识。

伊朗媒体星期一晚报道，有三艘油轮和两艘货船已通过此前被美国海军封锁的区域。

伊朗外交部星期一曾说，会对越过霍尔木兹海峡的船只征收“海事服务费”，而不是“过路费”。伊朗媒体早前也引述消息报道，伊朗同意给予船舶60天的免费通行期，之后将收费提供海上服务。

音乐串流平台Spotify出现故障 无法登录

2026年6月16日 22:59 / 联合早报

音乐串流平台Spotify出现故障 无法登录

手机用户进入Spotify应用页面时，会出现故障提示。 （Spotify手机应用截屏）

音乐串流平台Spotify星期二（6月16日）晚上无法登录。

网络状况监测网站Downdetector显示，陆续有本地用户在晚上9时50分左右反馈Spotify出现故障，无法登录。到了晚上10时30分，已有119名用户提出反馈。美国当地则有超过4100起反馈，指网站出现故障。

手机用户进入手机应用（App）时，会出现故障提示。在电脑桌面打开Spotify网站，则会显示连接故障。

截至晚上11时38分，Spotify服务已陆续恢复运作。