Weekly News Recap - June 22nd 2025
Trump strikes Iran, NATO raises spending goal, & Oil prices jump. Read all the news you've missed out on:
The Weekly News Recap is being moved from Fridays to Sundays to cover the news of the entire week.
In this week’s news recap:
US Enters War: Trump Strikes Iran
Nato Agrees to 5% Spending Goal
Oil prices jump to 5-month high
G7 summit falters
Trump Strikes Iran Without Consulting Congress
Last Weekend, the US attacked three underground nuclear sites in Iran using special bunker-busting bombs. While Trump spoke of a success, it remains unclear if the strikes fulfilled their purpose to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
While Iran vowed to retaliate against the US with force, Trump faces growing criticism at home. Polls show that a clear majority of Americans do not want another US war in the Middle East, so any future escalation (which seems likely at the moment) could be problematic for Trump.
Additionally, he didn’t get authorization from Congress before conducting the strikes, which violates the constitution. Trump’s refusal to follow the law and get approval for his strikes has prompted prominent Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to call for Trump’s impeachment.
The world now waits for Iran’s response. Their retaliation could include striking US military bases in the Middle East or closing important shipping lanes.
Nato Agrees to 5% Goal
Leaders of NATO members gathered in The Hague to agree on raising their defense spending to 3.5% of GDP (plus 1.5% for infrastructure).
With Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and boiling tensions in the Middle East, NATO leaders see a higher defense budget as vital.
Oil Prices Climb
Oil prices have reached a five-month high last week. The war between Israel and Iran sparked the sudden rise in prices (Iran is a large oil producer).
Prices had been falling for months as experts expected a recession and weakening demand in the US.
G7 Summit Falters
Donald Trump’s early exit laid open the problems that G7 nations are facing as they failed to reach joint agreements on key issues. With the United States becoming more and more unreliable, leaders of the other Western nations look to strengthen their ties.
Ahead of the Summit, Canada and Britain announced new trade and defense partnerships amid the Middle East crisis.