This is the June 12, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter. Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.

JOE’S NOTE

After months of promising peace deals, Iran’s leaders are finally agreeing publicly with President Donald Trump that a deal may be forthcoming. 

Iran’s foreign minister tweeted that a deal between the United States and his country has never been closer, and that members of the media should not speculate on what the terms of that agreement might be.

Vice President JD Vance has also said that Iran will not be receiving payouts or sanctions relief, but added that “economic benefits will flow” if Iran “meets its obligations.”

The devil is in the details. 

I suspect both sides will do all they can to hide whatever windfalls the Iranian government may receive from this deal. I would be surprised if the deal did not contain a big windfall for the Islamic Republic of Iran – putting them in a much better position after the war ends than before it began. 

In the meantime, let’s watch football!

ON THE CALENDAR

It’s kickoff time: The World Cup has begun. A record 48 countries are competing. If you’re not traveling to one of the host cities in the U.S., Canada or Mexico to scream “GOAL!” in person, you can still get the best of the fan experience in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, and more. 

Also this weekend: Game 5 of the NBA Finals matchup between the Knicks and the Spurs. (From the team here at the Tea: #Knicksin5.)

Coming up for air from all of the sports? There’s more.

In New York City, the country’s historic and largest Puerto Rican Day parade begins marching down Fifth Avenue on Sunday. Celebrities Daddy Yankee and Dayanara Torres are set to make an appearance.

On the same day, Philadelphia is bringing the community together for Odunde, North America’s largest African American street festival. Expect streets packed with multiple stages, performances, workshops, and happy hours.

Adrenaline chasers, Chicago’s Red Bull Spin Off is the place for you. Teams of two will race across a floating track on custom-made flashy bicycles. Answers to your questions (about all of the above) here.

Down south, things get tropical at Miami’s “juiciest weekend”: The Annual Mango Festival at Fairchild is stocking more than 400 varieties of mango, along with smoothie bars, cooking classes, and cocktail flights.

The rhythms of jazz, R&B, and funk are pouring out of LA’s Hollywood Bowl this weekend at the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Come for Patti LaBelle and Wyclef Jean; stay for the vibes.

MAILBAG

Thank you to all our readers who wrote in this week. As always, you’re welcome to write to us anytime.

I can’t understand how grown men and women are so afraid of “King Trump” that they don’t pay attention to their constituents and yield to Trump by bowing down and kissing his feet. Maybe someone could explain to me why our Congress is so afraid of him.

—Lt. Col. (ret.) Lionel R., Bluffton, Texas

Republican politicians have been afraid of Trump for a decade because of the sway he holds over their primary voters. Both John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost their primary contests last month because Donald Trump endorsed their opponents.

They have now returned to the Senate, scorned men with little to lose. We’ve already seen that work against Trump’s interests, and Cornyn has predicted the next two years will be politically hellish for him. I agree.

All that being said, I can tell you that blindly following the party line and ignoring the interests of all of your constituents is a terrible way to spend your time in Congress. I was constantly pushing back against Democratic presidents, Republican presidents, and Republican leadership in my own party. And when I did, it actually made me more popular in my district because people knew I would always speak my mind, and not blindly follow the party line. 

I wish more Republicans would do that today. 

Are you concerned that, given the issues surrounding the World Cup, the calls for boycotts or moving the Olympics may light a fire against attendance in the USA in 2028?

—Anonymous

We are already seeing a real backlash to the Trump administration’s policies. As a massive soccer fan for decades, I have been looking forward to the World Cup being played in the United States. It is very unfortunate that the White House’s hateful policies have already had a negative impact on the tournament.

Here’s hoping the World Cup proves bigger than the politicians and MAGA pundits who are trying to destroy the spirit of these remarkable games. 

How do you and your team feel history will look at this time in America? What do you think will be the most egregious thing they will focus on?

—Sheila H., Clearwater, Fla.

Americans will look back on this time in much the same way we look back on the evils of the McCarthy period, the horrors of the Jim Crow era, and the darkest chapters of Watergate. 

In many ways, what is happening today is worse. Richard Nixon followed the rulings of the Supreme Court when it ordered him to turn over the tapes. Donald Trump‘s administration continues to ignore one federal court order after another. 

The greatest blight on this administration will be the internment camps that Stephen Miller and the Trump administration have placed all over America. 

They cynically believed white Americans would remain quiet while brown and Black immigrants were abused and beaten by the powers that be. 

They were mistaken.

Americans will also look back at the heroes of Minneapolis, the sacrifice of Renee Good, the killing of Alex Pretti, and the refusal of American citizens to sit back and shut up when their Constitution was being shredded and their values undermined in the pursuit of hateful policies.

They will not succeed because Americans are standing up and speaking out against this injustice, just like they did during the Civil Rights era. 

What is your secret of combining humor, irony, and serious commentary? How do you keep the show rolling?

—John F., New Orleans

That’s very kind of you to say, John. It certainly helps that we all love doing the show together, and that Willie, Mike, Jonathan, Mika, and myself see each other as more than on-air acquaintances. We are family.

I feel so blessed to have been able to spend the last two decades with these dear friends, and here’s hoping we get to spend some more time together over the next few years. 

Hope you have a great weekend!

ONE MORE SHOT

Performers dance during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony before a match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium. 

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This is the June 11, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered straight to your inbox Monday through Friday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I love the inflation.”

— President Donald Trump,asked for comment about May’s inflation numbers, the highest since 2023

JOE’S NOTE

“I love the inflation.”

Donald Trump’s confession is a revealing one. 

At a time when working Americans are struggling under the weight of higher grocery bills, rent spikes, and punishing interest rates, the president’s bizarre quip is more than tone-deaf. It is political suicide. 

Trump’s callousness underscores a bigger problem for Republicans fighting to win elections in November. 

Their leader has a strange habit of openly discounting the economic pain working Americans are confronting under his presidency. 

And yet Trump keeps dismissing the affordability crisis as a “hoax.” 

When asked what he thought about negotiations as Americans are struggling because of the war, he told reporters, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.”

Maya Angelou said, “Believe someone when they tell you who they are.” Voters will this fall, and that will likely be very bad news for Republicans. 

STEVE RATTNER’S CHARTS

Rattner: “In January, the markets were expecting substantial rate cuts. Now the market thinks interest rates will be higher at the end of this year than they are now, which means higher costs for consumers. This is potentially very bad news for the president, politically.”

ON THIS DATE

On June 11, 1963, Vivian Malone and James Hood enrolled at the University of Alabama, becoming the first Black students admitted into the college and marking the start of school desegregation in the state. Gov. George Wallace, a segregationist, stood in the doorway to block their entry until President John F. Kennedy sent in National Guard troops to remove him. 

Vivian Malone and James A. Hood, both 20, interviewed by reporters as segregation in schools was broken by their entrance to the University of Alabama. 

WHAT THEY SAID

Willie Geist on the Knicks victory 

“It was the most extraordinary sporting event I’ve ever seen in person: With a 29-point deficit, there was no way the Knicks would have won that game, and there’s no way the Spurs would have lost that game — until the Knicks mounted the biggest comeback in the history of the NBA Finals.”

Richard Haass on U.S. strikes on Iran water infrastructure

“The last thing in the world we should want to see is a crisis become a true calamity for the region and the world. Not only will more military action probably not bring the negotiating result, escalation will not serve us. The president knows that.”

Katty Kay on the World Cup 

“It’s a train wreck. This should have been America’s big soft-power debut, but the stories are about the referees who can’t get in, tourists that can’t get the visas, and empty hotel rooms, because nobody wants to come to America at the moment.”

David Drucker on Congress’ inaction

“Over the last 25 years, there’s been a slow degradation of Congress exercising its power. We’ve seen members of Congress of both parties willingly abdicate their authority as long as the guy in the White House is their guy. Our politics gets dysfunctional when one branch doesn’t show up for work.”

EXTRA HOT TEA

48

— The record number of countries participating in the World Cup, which begins today

and a bonus

8

—The number of countries that have won the men’s FIFA World Cup since it began in 1930.

ONE MORE SHOT

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This is an excerpt from the June 11, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered straight to your inbox Monday through Friday.

STEVE RATTNER’S CHARTS

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The post The inflation Trump “loves” is outpacing wage growth appeared first on MS NOW.

This is the June 10, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.

JOE’S NOTE

Donald Trump assured us last year that Iran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated” after he launched attacks against three of the country’s nuclear facilities. 

On June 24, 2025, Trump wrote: “It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability.” 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also declared that same week that thanks to the leadership of President Trump, “Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.”

Reporters who dared to cite an intelligence assessment that contradicted the administration’s fantastical claims had their patriotism questioned.

And yet, earlier this year when Trump officials were trying to justify their coming war with Iran, they had the temerity to warn that the Islamic Republic was only two weeks away from building a nuclear weapon. 

There were, of course, no apologies for members of the media who had accurately called out the president’s previous lies. 

Fast-forward to March of this year. Once again, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth questioned the patriotism of reporters asking about White House claims that Iran’s military capabilities had been obliterated by a week of intense U.S. airstrikes.

Yesterday, we learned that extreme claim was also false when the Islamic Republic somehow managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump responded to the Iranian attack by ordering strikes against several strategic targets across Iran — proving once again that members of the media had accurately called out the president and the secretary of defense for overstating the success of their military operations. 

Again, no apologies to the media. Just more bluster, more bombs, and more bullshit. 

Americans now know better because they see the bitter reality staring them in the face every time they fill up their gas tanks.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We’ve won. Let me say we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won.”

— President Donald Trump on March 11

CHART OF THE DAY

ON THIS DATE

On June 10, 2018, NASA’s Opportunity rover sent its last message from the surface of Mars. Originally expected to serve a three-month mission, Opportunity functioned for over 14 years, traveling more than 28 miles across Mars and revealing fascinating discoveries about the planet’s geology.

WHAT THEY SAID

David Ignatius on President Trump’s limited options

“President Trump’s problem is he can’t finish this war. It’s a war that he desperately wants out of, but can’t seem to find an acceptable formula yet.”

Jonathan Martin on the strain of war

“Politically, it’s straightforward. Gas prices are going to keep going up, and that’s going to increase Trump’s political burden. And that is the burden Trump is putting on his candidates this fall.”

Willie Geist on new reporting on the Epstein files

“Donald Trump absolutely did not want to talk about this. JD Vance was the voice saying, ‘We’ve got to get it out there,’ but Trump would just snap at people bringing it up, which opens the question of why is he so defensive about this?”

U.S. FACING QUESTIONS OVER FIFA WORLD CUP VISA DENIALS

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, draped in the Somali flag, is surrounded by fans following his arrival in Mogadishu on June 9, 2026.

Questions are growing about who the U.S. is allowing to attend the FIFA World Cup.

U.S. officials confirmed that Omar Artan, a Somali referee set to officiate, was barred from entering the country after flying into Miami on Saturday. He would have been the first Somali to referee at the World Cup.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection told MS NOW that the denial was related to “vetting concerns.” Multiple reports cited “an anonymous official” who said — without providing evidence — that Artan was denied for “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”

Iran is also accusing the U.S. of barring members of its team staff, though U.S. officials have said visas for Iranian “athletes and necessary support staff” were issued.

The International Sports Press Association president also says “many” reporters from Iran and some African countries have been denied the necessary visas. The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on those specific cases.

EXTRA HOT TEA

2032

— The year by which Social Security funds are expected to hit a “critical low.” The drop will reportedly be partly driven by reduced immigration and Trump’s tax cuts.

ONE MORE SHOT

Serena Williams competing in — and winning! — her Round of 16 doubles match at the HSBC Championships 2026 women’s tennis tournament at The Queen’s Club in London.

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This is an excerpt from the June 10, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.

Asked about the numbers this morning, President Trump said: “I love the inflation.”

Q: Are you concerned about the latest inflation numbers that came out this morning?TRUMP: No, I love it. I love the inflation. You know why? Because as soon as this war is over — do you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? You know who doesn't know? Iran until right now.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-06-10T16:08:03.927Z

Meanwhile, wage growth continues to lag behind the rise in the cost of living, for which 70% of Americans blame President Trump. As my colleague Steve Benen writes:

Perhaps most importantly, NBC News’ report emphasized that inflation’s rise “has surpassed wage growth,” which necessarily exacerbates the affordability crisis gripping American consumers.

Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council and the top economist at the White House, has argued in recent weeks that rising inflation should be blamed on Democratic policies in blue states. Those claims, like much of what Hassett has to say, have been thoroughly discredited.

And no one is buying it. The latest national CNN poll found that 77% of respondents, including a majority of Republican voters, agreed that Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living. The same poll found that just 30% of Americans approve of the president’s handling of the economy, a career low for the Republican across both terms. That mirrored the results of the latest national Associated Press poll.

There’s no reason to assume those results won’t continue to get even worse.

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