Trump Administration Faces Criticism on Multiple Fronts Amid Ongoing Iran Tensions and Immigration Controversies

The Trump administration is facing intense scrutiny on multiple fronts, with the detention of a New York City council employee by federal immigration agents sparking outrage from city leaders and renewed rebukes against the president's immigration actions. Mayor Zohran Mamdani decried the detention as "an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values," and called for the employee's immediate release. The controversy comes as the White House is doubling down on its threat of "lethal force" against Iran, with President Trump warning that any country doing business with the Islamic Republic will face a 25% tariff on US trade. The president's saber-rattling has been met with concern from analysts, who warn that the White House's pressure on the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates could put the economy at risk of 1970s-style inflation and trigger a global backlash in financial markets. The situation in Iran has been deteriorating rapidly, with growing protests against the government met with violent crackdowns. The Trump administration's handling of the situation has been criticized by many, including former Federal Reserve chairs, who have condemned the president's bid to weaken the central bank's independence. In other news, the family of Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother of three who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, has urged people to approach the situation with "humanity, empathy, and care for the family most affected." The family's statement came as they called for justice and accountability for Good's death. Meanwhile, in California, billionaire Peter Thiel has donated $3m to a lobbying group advocating against a proposed wealth tax that would target billionaires in the state. The donation comes as several ultra-wealthy tech moguls have left or threatened to leave California over the tax. In Alaska, former Democratic representative Mary Peltola has announced her bid for the state's US Senate seat, handing Democrats a major recruitment victory as the party battles to reclaim the chamber's majority in this year's midterm elections. In business news, Paramount Skydance has announced plans to nominate directors to Warner Bros Discovery's board to vote against the approval of its $82.7bn deal with Netflix. The company has also filed a lawsuit seeking disclosure of financial information related to the agreement. In sports news, US women's national team captain Lindsey Heaps is joining the NWSL's expansion Denver Summit this summer, returning to the US after playing for French club OL Lyonnes. The move comes amid a recent exodus of US stars to Europe. Finally, sporting tensions between the US and Canada have flared once again, this time in skeleton, as US athlete Katie Uhlaender has accused the Canadian team of depriving her of a place at the Milan-Cortina Games by manipulating a qualifying event. Sources: * Mamdani demands release of New York council employee detained by US agents (The Guardian) * Trump news at a glance: White House doubles down on threat of ‘lethal force’ against Iran amid unrest (The Guardian) * ‘Unimaginable loss’: Renee Good family urges ‘empathy’ in call for justice (The Guardian) * Trump says countries doing business with Iran face 25% tariff on US trade (The Guardian) * Peter Thiel makes $3m donation to fight California’s proposed billionaire tax (The Guardian) * Ex-Alaska Democratic representative launches bid for US Senate seat (The Guardian) * Trump’s attempts to influence Fed risk 1970s-style inflation and global backlash’ (The Guardian) * Paramount to nominate directors to Warner Bros board to vote against Netflix deal (The Guardian) * USWNT captain Heaps signs with NWSL’s Denver Summit (The Guardian) * Olympic tensions flare as US skeleton star alleges Canadian coach rigged qualifying event (The Guardian)