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Today’s top stories

Democratic lawmakers are calling on Graham Platner to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Maine, after a former girlfriend said that he sexually assaulted her. Yesterday, Politico reported the allegation that in 2021, Platner allegedly entered her home while intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her repeated objections. The news outlet says it corroborated the allegations by reviewing past messages exchanged between the accuser and her therapist, as well as speaking with individuals to whom she confided. NPR has not independently verified these claims.

• 🎧 In a statement to NPR, Platner denied the allegations, describing them as “troubling, serious, and false,” NPR’s Elena Moore tells Up First. Platner posted a video saying he is assessing his next steps. Platner has faced other allegations regarding his behavior toward women, but this is the first time a major news outlet has reported an allegation of assault, according to Moore. This very serious claim follows several other significant scandals, including his campaign confirming reports that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women early in his marriage. These allegations have dealt a serious blow to the Democratic Party, as this race is considered crucial for their efforts to regain control of the Senate this fall, Moore says. Maine election law says that a general election candidate has until the second Monday in July to drop out of a race.

President Trump and NATO leaders gather today in Ankara, Turkey, for the defense alliance’s annual summit. Ahead of his arrival, the president expressed his dissatisfaction with the organization. On July 2, he posted on social media, “The United States spends more money on NATO than any other country, by far, to protect them, without getting any benefit from so doing.” This meeting comes amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and the unresolved U.S.-led conflict with Iran.

• 🎧 The summit’s opening day is intended to showcase unity and credibility, but it comes as the U.S. is planning to shrink its presence in Europe, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi says. The administration has announced a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. forces in Europe. At the summit, NATO leaders are expected to discuss increasing defense spending, investing in military capabilities and maintaining support for Ukraine to continue deterring Russia, Al-Shalchi says. Allies are also expected to reaffirm their commitment to spend 5% of GDP on defense and broader security needs — a significant increase over NATO’s previous target. Trump has argued that NATO allies rely too heavily on the U.S., making this summit a crucial moment for European allies to show their commitment to stepping up, Al-Shalchi says.