LIVE:
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 11, 2026************************
While President Trump has softened his rhetoric on China since his recent visit to Beijing, he has continued to keep the answer to one question close to his chest: would the United States go to war to defend Taiwan if China attempts to seize the island by force?
Though perhaps a better question is Should we? Tonight, the Cato Institute and Heritage Foundation join ZeroHedge Debates to tackle that question.
Taking the case against military intervention is Cato’s Doug Bandow, who argues that a war with China over Taiwan would impose enormous costs on the United States while serving interests that are ultimately peripheral to American security, and well… there’s the risk of nuclear war.
Advocating intervention is Steve Yates of Heritage, who contends that abandoning Taiwan would shatter U.S. credibility throughout Asia, embolden Beijing, and fundamentally alter the global balance of power in China's favor.
Our returning host David Rand of the Human Reaction podcast will ask whether Taiwan represents a vital American interest or a dangerous strategic tripwire. And, assuming Taiwan is a vital interest, is diplomacy superior to provocative acts (ie arms packages) in the name of “deterrence”?
Despite Trump’s and Xi’s shared kind words, the U.S. approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan last December. There was to be another package amounting to an additional $14 billion, which was recently paused amid the Iran war, sending hawks into a frenzy.
Debaters will also address the once-controversial Pentagon policy paper recommending the U.S. military blow up Taiwanese chip manufacturing plants in the event of a Chinese invasion… something the current #3 at the Pentagon, undersecretary of war for policy Ebridge Colby, called “table stakes”:
Disabling or destroying TSMC is table stakes if China is taking over Taiwan. Would we be so insane as to allow the world's key semiconductor company fall untouched into the hands of an aggressive PRC?
Taiwanese should realize that would be *the least* of their problems. https://t.co/Z8qmKxjWe9
Elbridge is the grandson of former CIA Director William Coby.
The debate begins tonight at 7pm ET, here on the ZH homepage, X feed, and YouTube and will also stream on the Human Reaction podcast.
Tyler Durden Thu, 06/11/2026 - 12:00Several floors and corridors of the Pentagon were locked down and partially evacuated Thursday morning following the detection of a hazardous materials incident and air quality concerns, according to officials and multiple reports.
What we know...Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that building systems detected an air quality issue, triggering standard hazardous materials response protocols. Response teams are actively investigating the source.
NEW: Pentagon employees have received the following notice this morning as the building has gone on lockdown due to a hazmat-related situation. pic.twitter.com/yCDEmpg7mc
— Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) June 11, 2026Developing...
Tyler Durden Thu, 06/11/2026 - 11:20Update (1100ET): A key spy law could expire after the House blocked its short-term reauthorization.
The June 11 vote set back an effort to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
President Trump’s selection of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence drove Democratic opposition to reauthorizing Section 702. Some Republicans have voiced concerns about how the authority, though targeted at foreigners abroad, enables the incidental warrantless surveillance of Americans.
The White House could attempt to bridge the gap with an executive order.
In a June 6 letter to the White House, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recommended such a course of action in anticipation of a possible lapse.
As American Greatness detailed earlier, The House is preparing to vote on a short-term extension of a key federal surveillance program after Senate negotiations stalled, setting up a battle over national security authorities that are set to expire this week.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, announced Wednesday that the chamber will vote Thursday morning on a temporary reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, extending the authority through July 2.
The vote comes ahead of a Friday deadline and follows resistance in the Senate, where Democrats blocked efforts to quickly advance a similar extension.
“We’re not having a great amount of confidence that they’re going to be able to get that done,” Johnson said of the Senate. “So, the House will once again do our job.”
The push for a short-term extension gained momentum after President Donald Trump urged Congress to act following a meeting with Johnson earlier Wednesday.
“FISA 702 is very important to our Military, and keeping the American People safe, especially during the World Cup and America250 Celebrations,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“If nothing is done, this important Law will expire this week. I am asking Congress to send me a short-term extension of FISA to provide time for the selection and confirmation of a permanent Head of the Agency,” the president added.
Section 702 has long been viewed by intelligence officials as a critical tool for gathering foreign intelligence and monitoring threats to national security.
However, the effort to extend the program has become entangled in a political dispute over Trump’s appointment of housing official Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
Senate Democrats have insisted they will not support a reauthorization agreement while Pulte remains in the position.
Johnson must also contend with opposition from conservative Republicans who have repeatedly called for reforms to the surveillance program. Several GOP lawmakers have argued that any extension should include a warrant requirement before federal agencies can access certain information.
Asked whether he would support the temporary extension, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-TN., said, “probably not,” citing the lack of a warrant provision.
If the House measure fails, Section 702 is expected to expire on June 12.
The timing has concerned supporters of the program because Congress is scheduled to leave Washington for a one-week recess after Thursday’s votes. Unless House leadership changes those plans, lawmakers would not return until June 23.
The recess would leave the surveillance authority inactive during a period that includes World Cup events expected to attract large international crowds as well as celebrations connected to America’s 250th anniversary.
Tyler Durden Thu, 06/11/2026 - 11:15The US Postal Service (USPS) has proposed a new rule requiring states to share voter information related to mail-in and absentee voting. The proposal follows a March executive order from Trump aimed at tightening regulations governing mail-in voting in federal elections.
Trump has made election integrity a central focus of his second administration, issuing executive orders designed to require proof of citizenship for voters and combat mail-in voting fraud. The administration has argued that stronger verification measures are necessary to restore confidence in elections and safeguard the voting process.
Several of those initiatives have faced legal challenges. Courts have blocked certain provisions, including proof-of-citizenship requirements, while appeals remain pending. Democratic-led states have also filed lawsuits challenging the administration’s mail-in voting policies.
As litigation continues, the Postal Service has moved forward with a proposal directing states and the USPS to coordinate on identifying eligible mail-in and absentee voters.
Under the proposed rule, states would submit lists of voters requesting mail-in ballots, along with personalized barcodes assigned to each ballot.
The Postal Service would then return a finalized “Mail-In and Absentee Participation List” to each state’s chief election official. The list would contain the names of approved voters and the corresponding ballot barcodes associated with each voter.
Under the proposal, only voters included on the final participation list would be eligible to receive mail-in or absentee ballots.
The USPS said the new system would help improve transparency and provide election officials and law enforcement with additional tools to verify election procedures.
“This provision will help determine adherence to federal law and facilitate law enforcement efforts,” the proposal states.
“For example, the provided lists will evidence how many ballots have been mailed, and allow law enforcement officials to compare the total number of mailed ballots to the total number of received ballots to detect potential issues meriting further investigation.”
Election integrity supporters argue that the process would create a clearer chain of custody for mailed ballots and help identify irregularities that might otherwise go undetected.
The Postal Service issued the proposal May 29, one day after Trump-appointed US District Judge Carl J. Nichols denied a request from Democratic plaintiffs seeking to block the administration’s mail-in voting executive order.
Nichols ruled that the challengers failed to sufficiently demonstrate that the order would cause “imminent and irreparable harm.”
The plaintiffs have appealed that decision, and the Postal Service proposal remains subject to ongoing legal uncertainty while the broader litigation proceeds.
Tyler Durden Thu, 06/11/2026 - 11:00