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What We’re Following Today
It’s Tuesday, June 18.
Shana-Can’t: Patrick Shanahan, the acting secretary of defense, withdrew from consideration to lead the agency after reports surfaced of domestic violence within his family. The announcement leaves the Defense Department without a permanent head as the U.S. faces growing tensions in the Middle East.
What’s the Big Deal?: President Donald Trump is traveling to Orlando today, where he will hold a rally to launch his 2020 reelection bid. But not only has the president already announced his reelection plans at least five times, argues David A. Graham, he’s never really stopped campaigning in the first place.
They Smell Blood: The several moderate men running in the Democratic presidential primary—Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, Montana Governor Steve Bullock, and Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio, to name a few—are getting punchy, reports Edward-Isaac Dovere. They think they’re starting to sense weakness in former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign. And they see an opening for themselves.
End of an Era: A small, private liberal-arts school in Brookline, Massachusetts, held its last commencement ceremony in May before permanently closing its doors. It’s one of the latest schools in a string of small colleges across the country that have completely ceased operations, leaving many students stranded partway through their higher-ed experience. Here’s what’s going on.