Trump Gives Iran a ‘Last Chance’, Mamdani Discovers ID, Senate Blocks Grant Reform - 8/4/26

President Trump says he wants to give Iran every last chance before decapitation. I'm Josh Mercer with your morning LOOPcast. President Trump said yesterday that talks with Iran are already underway. He said Gulf allies backed the effort after he called off a massive strike, and negotiations would start with reopening the Strait of Hormuz, then move to Iran's denuclearization.

Tehran denies it's negotiating with Washington at all. New York City Mayor Zoran Mondami's government grocery plan may require shoppers to prove they're New Yorkers through a library card-esque system. Trump asked why New York wants identification at their discount grocery stores, but not access to the voting booth, while House Republicans contrasted the socialist mayor's plan with broader Democratic opposition to voter ID and proof of citizenship. Wait, is checking IDs suddenly become common sense?

A Senate funding deal would freeze President Trump's proposed grant reform protections against taxpayer dollars going to abortion and trans procedures for kids. Catholic Votes' Tom McCluskey says Catholics should oppose the Senate provision that blocks this key reform. If it stays in, it would keep taxpayer money flowing to these left-wing bad actors, he said. Today is the memorial of St. John Vianney, the curer of ours, and Patron Saint of Parish Priests. Go to zeal.co for the rest of today's loop, and while you're at it, subscribe to get the loop in your inbox every morning. Again, that's zeal.co.