• Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo apologized for guest Kevin O'Leary accusing opponents of his Utah data center of being paid by China. Media Matters called out Fox and O'Leary for pushing this claim; now Bartiromo has been forced to issue a correction.

• Republicans are calling into C-Span to say they are unhappy with Trump’s Iran deal, with one caller saying, “Trump has failed.” 
• Tim Dillon on the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran: “Iran is coming out of this stronger and better than ever before.” 
• A Newsmax guest: “This memorandum of understanding is a surrender” by the United States. 
• Another Newsmax guest: “We’re supposed to be jumping down with joy that the strait is reopened, but guess what? The strait was opened before the war.” 
• Podcaster Dave Smith said Ben Shapiro’s coverage of Iran is “low IQ slop propaganda.” 
• Newsmax’s Greg Kelly: “Fox News, I am telling you, vast portions of that place are woke and weird, and they do not like Trump.”

Trump’s war with Iran has inflated prices at the gas pump and beyond, leaving many Americans struggling to afford groceries and other essentials. In May, inflation surged to 4.2%, the highest level in three years. Trump responded to that report by saying, “I love it. The numbers were great.” 

But Fox News and Fox Business personalities have continued to insist that “our economy is doing extremely well,” claiming that Trump’s war has had only a “rather modest” impact on the oil market and “hasn’t affected our economy.” Fox hosts have also downplayed reports that consumers “may be tapping into savings for some items,” and claimed Americans understand that the cost of living has gone up “for good reason.” 

Media Matters has this great breakdown of the costs the Iran war has imposed on Americans, and Fox’s refusal to recognize this very real hardship. 

• On Wednesday, Trump launched the Great American State fair in Washington, D.C., as part of this summer’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was a sparsely attended low-energy dud, with the president praising himself and his administration’s accomplishments to a shockingly small audience. This mars his Fox News’ propagandists efforts to use the semiquincentennial celebrations to smear Democrats as unpatriotic, as Media Matters’ Matt Gertz writes. 

Last week we told you that some right-wing media figures were starting to blame Vice President JD Vance for the MOU signed by the United States and Iran. Well, this trend has continued, with more pundits supportive of the war attacking the MOU. Vance has become the face of Trump’s Iran policy as he heads negotiations with Iran. His ongoing negotiations have faced bipartisan criticism because the deal unfreezes Iranian assets. Right-wing media figures have been trying to put space between Trump and the Iran deal as more information about the deal became public. 

Vance added more fuel to the fire during a June 18 press conference, in which he claimed members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet had been overly critical of Trump, warning them to not attack “the only powerful ally” they had left “in the entire world.” Some commentators called the remarks “disgusting” and lamented “the complete Tucker Carlsonificiation of the vice president of the United States,” accusing Vance of messaging “in ways that would make jihadists proud.”

Meanwhile Media Matters’ Matt Gertz has this breakdown of how deep in delusional waters MAGA hawks are swimming.

•  Fox’s Jesse Watters on Cuba: “My banking buddy told me that after we topple Castro, we’re going to be able to buy 100 acres of pristine Cuban coastline for like 50 Gs.” 
• Right-wing media figures melted down over this week’s primary elections in New York City. Benny Johnson said New York City “is no longer an American city” and Jesse Watters said, “This is what happens when you import the Third World.” 
• Steve Bannon: “New York’s a foreign city. Go look at the Knicks parade.”

On his podcast War Room, Steve Bannon and his guests are celebrating Bill Pulte’s appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence following Tulsi Gabbard’s resignation. Bannon and his guests are claiming Pulte will “get to the bottom of the 2020 stolen election.” Earlier this month, Trump himself said that Pulte “may find out some things about the rigged election.” 

Pulte started in his role last week after Trump intervened to stop the Senate confirmation hearing of his DNI nominee, Jay Clayton, despite congressional backlash to Pulte’s original appointment as acting DNI. Bannon has been pushing for Pulte as DNI since Trump originally appointed him in early June, calling him “a patriot” and claiming, “It’s time now for smashmouth” with members of Congress who opposed his appointment. Even Republican senators have noted objections to Pulte. 

Bannon’s podcast is a hub for election denial and was instrumental in stirring up the January 6 riot. Bannon has already begun laying groundwork for interfering in the midterm elections or denying their legitimacy on the show. Now, he and his guests are suggesting Pulte’s time in office will lead to proof that the 2020 election was stolen.