The Wall Street Journal
What’s News
MONDAY, JULY 13, 2026
7/13/2026 5:22:00 PMShare This Episode
President Trump to Reimpose a U.S. Blockade of Iran
トランプ大統領、対イラン海上封鎖を再実施へ
cut down on と cut back on
は非常によく似ていて、どちらも「～を減らす」という意味で使えます。実際、多くの場面では置き換え可能です。
ただし、ニュアンスに少し違いがあります。
• cut down on ... /kʌt ˈdaʊn ɑːn/ ～を減らす、量を減らす
→ 今より少なくするという意味。特に「習慣・消費量・回数」を減らす時によく使う。
イメージ：
「多すぎるものを削る」
例：
I’m trying to cut down on sugar.
砂糖を減らそうとしている。
She cut down on drinking.
彼女は飲酒量を減らした。
Colleges are cutting down on the number of essays required.
大学は必要なエッセイの数を減らしている。
今回のWSJはまさにこの用法です。
「エッセイの数を以前より少なくする」という意味。
• cut back on ... /kʌt ˈbæk ɑːn/ ～を削減する、縮小する
→ 予算・支出・活動規模などを縮小するニュアンスが強い。
イメージ：
「広げすぎたものを後ろに戻す」
例：
The company needs to cut back on spending.
会社は支出を削減する必要がある。
The airline cut back on flights.
航空会社は便数を減らした。
The government is cutting back on subsidies.
政府は補助金を削減している。
比較すると：
|
cut down on |
cut back on |
|
|
基本イメージ |
量を減らす |
規模・支出を縮小する |
|
よく使う対象 |
食事、習慣、数、時間 |
予算、経費、事業、サービス |
|
日常会話 |
非常によく使う |
よく使う |
|
ビジネス記事 |
使う |
より頻出 |
例えば今回の文：
Tulane University ... are cutting down on the number of essays required.
これは、
「エッセイの数」という具体的な数量なので、
✅ cutting down on the number of essays
が自然です。
一方、
The university is cutting back on admissions costs.
なら、
「入試関連コストを縮小する」
という経費削減・規模縮小のニュアンスなので cut back が合います。
似た表現として：
• cut down（on なし）
→ 物理的に切る、削る
cut down a tree
木を切り倒す
• cut down on time
→ 時間を短縮する
We need to cut down on preparation time.
準備時間を短くする必要がある。
• cut back on time
→ 時間を減らす（使う時間を縮小する感じ）
こちらも可能ですが、日常では cut down on time の方が自然なことが多いです。
WSJ・ビジネス記事で覚えるなら：
• cut down on + 数量・習慣
→ number of employees / costs / consumption / essays
• cut back on + 支出・活動規模
→ spending / expenses / investment / operations
という感覚で覚えると読みやすくなります。
P.M. Edition for July 13. The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz heats up: President Trump says he is reinstating the U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping through the crucial waterway, sending oil prices soaring. Plus, a coalition of a dozen states is suing to block the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, the strongest legal challenge yet to the $81 billion acquisition. And Kathryn Ruemmler had said she would step down as Goldman Sachs’s top lawyer at the end of June after her long relationship with Jeffrey Epstein came under scrutiny. But instead she’s staying on, complicating efforts to find her successor. WSJ lead financial reporter AnnaMaria Andriotis discusses what’s going on inside the bank ahead of Ruemmler’s testimony in front of Congress on Wednesday. Alex Ossola hosts.
• reinstate /ˌriːɪnˈsteɪt/ 復活させる、再開する
• send ... soaring /send ... ˈsɔːrɪŋ/ ～を急騰させる
• stay on /steɪ ɑːn/ 引き続き職に留まる
• come under scrutiny /kʌm ˈʌndər ˈskruːtəni/ 精査・厳しい監視の対象となる
Alex Ossola: Trump says the U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping is back on and oil prices jump. Plus, Goldman Sachs' top lawyer was going to step down after she was named in the Epstein files. Instead, she's actively involved in choosing her successor and she's testifying to Congress this week.
AnnaMaria Andriotis: There has been concern inside Goldman about the impact that this could have on the reputation of Goldman Sachs.
Alex Ossola: And a dozen states are trying to stop the Paramount, Warner Bros. merger. It's Monday, July 13th. I'm Alex Ossola for The Wall Street Journal. This is the PM edition of What's News, top headlines and business stories that move the world today.
We begin tonight's show with the latest on the Middle East where a standoff over who controls the Strait of Hormuz has led to days of fighting between the U.S. and Iran. President Trump said today that he was reimposing the U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping. The military says that will resume tomorrow at 4:00 PM Eastern. And in an interview on Fox News's Fox & Friends, Trump said that the U.S. would be back in control of the waterway.
Speaker 3: Lindsey Graham was definitely on your side when it comes to Iran and the threat, them not having a nuclear weapon. It looks like they're back at their business trying to take over the strait. What's your response?
Henry McMaster: Well, we're taking over the strait. They have nothing.
Alex Ossola: On social media, Trump said that the U.S. would charge 20% of each cargo through Hormuz as compensation for its cause. He didn't lay out how that would work. Analysts say taking over Hormuz militarily would require a substantial ground invasion or a risky naval operation. Trump so far hasn't gone down that route and doing so could mean a lot of U.S. casualties. Iran's armed forces said it wouldn't allow the U.S. to "interfere" in how the strait is managed.
A federal judge today issued a scathing rebuke of President Trump and his family, saying that they acted in bad faith in bringing a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. Judge Kathleen Williams said that the lawsuit was an effort to manipulate the judicial process for Trump's benefit and that Justice Department officials abdicated their responsibility to defend the U.S. government's interests. She referred Trump's lawyer, Alejandro Brito, to Florida Bar authorities to determine whether any disciplinary action is appropriate.
• issue a rebuke /ˈɪʃuː ə rɪˈbjuːk/ 非難・叱責を表明する
• scathing /ˈskeɪðɪŋ/ 手厳しい、容赦ない
• act in bad faith /ækt ɪn bæd feɪθ/ 悪意を持って行動する、不誠実に行動する（法律・契約で頻出）
• abdicate one's responsibility /ˈæbdɪkeɪt wʌnz rɪˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/ 責任を放棄する
• disciplinary action /ˌdɪsəˈplɪnəri ˈækʃən/ 懲戒処分
Trump's case against the IRS led to the creation of a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and a government promised not to audit Trump, his family and his businesses. The administration has backed off the fund. A Justice Department spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump's legal team says the president was wronged by an IRS employee and that he will continue to hold those responsible to account.
• back off /bæk ɔːf/ 手を引く、撤回する、方針を後退させる
• wrong /rɔːŋ/ ～に不当な扱いをする（受動態でよく使う）
• hold someone to account /hoʊld ˈsʌmwʌn tə əˈkaʊnt/ ～に責任を取らせる、責任を追及する
Turning to Congress, Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, will serve as the late senator's temporary replacement in the Senate. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican, announced her appointment this afternoon.
Henry McMaster: Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed. It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now.
• years long departed /jɪrz lɔːŋ dɪˈpɑːrtɪd/ はるか昔、遠い過去に
日常会話では「many years ago」「long ago」の方が一般的。
Alex Ossola: Her appointment had Trump's approval. She'll serve out the remainder of her brother's term, which ends in early January. That brings Republican Senate majority back to 53 seats. Although Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell remains in the hospital and unable to vote. The president is separately discussing Republican candidates to fill Graham's seat for a new six-year Senate term. The Journal has learned that he's expressed interest in Representative Russell Fry of South Carolina for that.
Coming up, a new challenge to a Hollywood mega deal, lawsuits alleging a link between Tylenol and autism are back on the table and why a move to make it easier to apply to college might actually make it harder to get in.
Those stories and more after the break.
June 30th was supposed to be Kathryn Ruemmler's last day as Goldman Sachs general counsel. She had announced her decision to step down in February after the Jeffrey Epstein file show she had remained an ally of the convicted sex offender through his 2019 arrest. But her departure never happened. Ruemmler is still working at Goldman. Last month, the bank told employees that she was instead staying on in an advisory role and to help with her successor's transition. Journal lead financial reporter, AnnaMaria Andriotis, has been speaking to people inside the bank. AnnaMaria, what's the complication with Ruemmler's role in this case?
AnnaMaria Andriotis: She is critical according to the bank as somebody who should be involved in determining who will be the next general counsel, essentially who will be the one to take her seat. I spoke with people who talked to me about how at least some lawyers who've been approached for the role have shared that they were not interested given how close Ruemmler appeared to be to both the bank and to its CEO, David Solomon, concerns essentially that some of these lawyers have that she would be hovering over them if they were to become the new general counsel. The bank spokesman says that Ruemmler has agreed to stay at Goldman only through a transition to a new general counsel. But nevertheless, she plays a role in making a decision about who moves on in the process as a candidate, that's created some hesitation and for some just not being interested in taking this on.
• be approached for a role /bi əˈproʊtʃt fər ə roʊl/ 役職への就任を打診される
• given ... /ˈɡɪvən/ ～を考えると、～を踏まえると
• appear to be ... /əˈpɪr tə biː/ ～のように見える
• hover over ... /ˈhʌvər ˈoʊvər/ ～を常に監視する、口を出し続ける
• transition /trænˈzɪʃən/ 引き継ぎ、移行
• move on in the process /muːv ɑːn ɪn ðə ˈprɑːses/ 選考を通過する、次の段階へ進む
Alex Ossola: AnnaMaria, on Wednesday, Ruemmler is supposed to testify in a closed door congressional hearing about her ties to Epstein. Are there concerns inside Goldman about this hearing?
AnnaMaria Andriotis: There have been concerns inside Goldman for quite some time. And certainly those increased after the release of documents by a congressional committee and the Justice Department. Her name comes up thousands of times in terms of communicating with Jeffrey Epstein. This concern has been high level inside Goldman. At the same time, however, Ruemmler has some pretty big backers and supporters who've stood by her through all of this. First and foremost, David Solomon himself.
Alex Ossola: That was WSJ lead financial reporter, AnnaMaria Andriotis. Thanks, AnnaMaria.
AnnaMaria Andriotis: Thank you.
Alex Ossola: We should note that Ruemmler's spokeswoman said that Ruemmler has been open and transparent about her interactions with Epstein when she was a defense lawyer in private practice and that she had nothing to do with Epstein's crimes.
The escalation intentions in the Middle East drove international oil prices to their biggest gain since 2020. Brent crude jumped 9.6% to more than $83 a barrel. Meanwhile, AI stocks sold off, dragging the NASDAQ down 1.6%. The Dow and the S&P were also lower. In legal news, a dozen states are suing to block Paramount's $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. California's leading the group, which says that the merger would make film and TV more expensive and worse quality. They say the Trump administration has a record of not taking antitrust issues seriously. Paramount won a bidding war against Netflix for Warner about four months ago. The Justice Department moved fast to sign off on it as have many international territories. It's still waiting for approval from the UK and the European Union. Paramount said it plans to vigorously defend the deal.
And a federal appeals court has revived more than 500 lawsuits that allege Tylenol and generic acetaminophen can cause ADHD or autism. The court ruled that a trial judge had overstepped by excluding the plaintiff's expert medical witnesses. They were expected to testify that there was a link between pregnant women taking Tylenol and neurodevelopmental disorders. Scientists have been studying this for decades. A link hasn't been proven. Tylenol is made by Kenvue, which Kimberly-Clark has agreed to buy for more than $40 billion. Kenvue said today that it stands behind the safety of its product. The case now goes back to the lower court.
• acetaminophen /əˌsiːtəˈmɪnəfən/ アセトアミノフェン
• neurodevelopmental disorder /ˌnʊroʊdɪˈveləpməntəl dɪsˈɔːrdər/ 神経発達障害
• stand behind ... /stænd bɪˈhaɪnd/ ～を支持する、～の正当性を保証する
Some top colleges are making it easier to apply. Tulane University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are cutting down on the number of essays required in the application. They're getting rid of supplemental essays, which colleges use to ask questions that require more specificity like, why do you want to attend our school in particular? Or more creativity like, where is Waldo, really? Or what advice would a wisdom tooth have? These schools say they're doing it to help relieve students' stress because essays like this can really pile up. WSJ reporter, Roshan Fernandez, says that making the application easier to do also affects how many people apply.
• cut down on ... /kʌt daʊn ɑːn/ ～を減らす
• wisdom tooth /ˈwɪzdəm tuːθ/ 親知らず
Roshan Fernandez: The biggest thing is they want to see more applications. When you see more applications, then you can choose to accept the same number of students and you can inflate your ranking or your prestige. Now, some of these schools also want to grow enrollment. So for example, Texas Christian University told me that they removed some supplemental essays because they want to grow their enrollment and they saw a 14% jump in applications. Another reason colleges are doing this now is because of artificial intelligence. Tulane University was saying it's just become so much harder to tell whether the responses are AI polished.
Alex Ossola: And that's What's News for this Monday afternoon. Today's show is produced by Danny Lewis with supervising producer Tali Arbel. I'm Alex Ossola for The Wall Street Journal. We'll be back with a new show tomorrow morning. Thanks for listening.
WSJ:20260714
A Wave of Iranian Nationalism Is Drowning Out Its Diplomats
イランで高まる民族主義が外交官たちの声をかき消している
Fervor whipped up during the conflict is making it hard to compromise and easy for hard-liners to stymie progress.
• wave /weɪv/ 波、広がり
• nationalism /ˈnæʃənəˌlɪzəm/ 民族主義、国家主義
• drown out ... /draʊn aʊt/ ～をかき消す、圧倒する
• diplomat /ˈdɪpləmæt/ 外交官
• fervor /ˈfɜːrvər/ 熱狂、熱意
• whip up ... /wɪp ʌp/ （感情などを）あおる、かき立てる
• conflict /ˈkɑːnflɪkt/ 紛争、対立
• compromise /ˈkɑːmprəˌmaɪz/ 妥協する
• hard-liner /ˈhɑːrd ˌlaɪnər/ 強硬派
• stymie /ˈstaɪmi/ 妨げる、阻止する
「whipped up」は過去分詞で「conflict によってあおられた熱狂」を修飾している
「make it + 形容詞 + to do」は「～することを…にする」という頻出構文
「hard to compromise and easy for ... to ...」は並列構造になっている
U.S. Launches New Iran Strikes, as Trump Weighs Attacking Nuclear Site
米国がイランへの新たな攻撃を実施、トランプ氏は核施設攻撃を検討
The president earlier declared that a blockade on Iranian ports would be reimposed.
• launch /lɔːntʃ/ （攻撃などを）開始する、実施する
• strike /straɪk/ 攻撃、空爆
• weigh /weɪ/ 慎重に検討する
• nuclear site /ˈnuːkliər saɪt/ 核施設
• declare /dɪˈkler/ 宣言する
• blockade /blɑːˈkeɪd/ 封鎖
• port /pɔːrt/ 港
• reimpose /ˌriːɪmˈpoʊz/ 再び課す、再導入する
「weigh + 動名詞」は「～することを検討する」という意味
「would be reimposed」は未来を表す受動態
Oil Surges Most Since 2020, Reflecting Bet That Strait Won’t Go Back to Normal
原油価格が2020年以来最大の上昇、市場は海峡の正常化は当面ないと見込む
The international crude price climbed nearly 10% as President Trump said he would reimpose the U.S. blockade.
• surge /sɜːrdʒ/ 急上昇する
• reflect /rɪˈflekt/ 反映する
• bet /bet/ 見込み、予想
• strait /streɪt/ 海峡
• crude price /kruːd praɪs/ 原油価格
• climb /klaɪm/ 上昇する
• nearly /ˈnɪrli/ ほぼ
• blockade /blɑːˈkeɪd/ 封鎖
「reflecting ...」は分詞構文で前文全体を受け、「～を反映して」と説明している
「as」は「～なので、～すると」の意味で理由・時を表す
EXCLUSIVE
Data-Center Builders Are Racing to Offload Stakes Worth Billions
データセンター開発企業、数十億ドル規模の持ち分売却を急ぐ
Unrelenting demand for computing power has investors looking for chances to own the physical infrastructure behind AI.
• data center /ˈdeɪtə ˌsentər/ データセンター
• race to ... /reɪs tə/ 急いで～する
• offload /ˌɔːfˈloʊd/ 売却する、手放す
• stake /steɪk/ 持ち分、出資比率
• worth billions /wɜːrθ ˈbɪljənz/ 数十億ドル相当の
• unrelenting /ˌʌnrɪˈlentɪŋ/ 衰えない、容赦ない
• computing power /kəmˈpjuːtɪŋ paʊər/ 計算能力
• infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃər/ インフラ
「have + 人 + ～ing」は「人が～する状態にさせる」という使役に近い構文
「behind AI」は「AIを支える」という意味の前置詞句
Judge Says Trump Tried to Manipulate Legal System With IRS Lawsuit
判事、トランプ氏がIRS訴訟で司法制度を操作しようとしたと指摘
The ruling delivered a scathing rebuke to the president over a case that led to the creation of a $1.8 billion fund and a no-audit pledge.
• manipulate /məˈnɪpjəˌleɪt/ 操作する
• legal system /ˈliːɡəl ˈsɪstəm/ 司法制度
• lawsuit /ˈlɔːsuːt/ 訴訟
• ruling /ˈruːlɪŋ/ 判決
• scathing /ˈskeɪðɪŋ/ 痛烈な
• rebuke /rɪˈbjuːk/ 非難、叱責
• lead to ... /liːd tə/ ～につながる
• pledge /pledʒ/ 誓約、公約
「lead to」はニュースで頻出の結果を表す表現
「that led to ...」は「case」を修飾する関係代名詞節
Can a Dozen Blue States Block the Paramount-Warner Merger?
民主党支持州12州はパラマウント・ワーナー合併を阻止できるのか
Led by California, the states argue the deal is anticompetitive, would harm theaters and lead to price increases for TV bundles.
• dozen /ˈdʌzən/ 12、一ダース
• blue state /bluː steɪt/ 民主党支持州
• merger /ˈmɜːrdʒər/ 合併
• lead by ... /liːd baɪ/ ～に率いられる
• argue /ˈɑːrɡjuː/ 主張する
• anticompetitive /ˌænti kəmˈpetətɪv/ 競争を阻害する
• harm /hɑːrm/ 損なう、悪影響を及ぼす
• TV bundle /ˌtiːˈviː ˈbʌndl/ テレビ配信のセット契約
「Led by California」は分詞構文で「カリフォルニア州に率いられた」を表す
「argue (that) ...」では接続詞 that が省略されることが多い
「would harm ... and lead to ...」は助動詞 would に続く並列動詞になっている
Putin Was Xi’s Role Model. Now He’s the Junior Partner.
プーチン氏はかつて習近平氏の手本だった。今では「従属する側」となった。
Four years of war and economic isolation have reduced the Russian president to a supplicant in a relationship growing more imbalanced.
• role model /roʊl ˈmɑːdəl/ 手本、模範
• junior partner /ˌdʒuːniər ˈpɑːrtnər/ 従属的な立場の相手、格下のパートナー
• economic isolation /ˌiːkəˈnɑːmɪk ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/ 経済的孤立
• reduce A to B /rɪˈduːs ... tə/ AをBの状態に追い込む
• supplicant /ˈsʌplɪkənt/ 嘆願者、頼る立場の人
• imbalanced /ɪmˈbælənst/ 不均衡な
• relationship /rɪˈleɪʃənʃɪp/ 関係
「reduce A to B」は「AをBの状態にする」という重要表現
「growing more imbalanced」は現在分詞で relationship を後ろから修飾している
「more + 形容詞」で比較級を表している
In Washington, He Was a Power Broker. In South Carolina, He Was ‘Just Lindsey.’
ワシントンでは実力者、サウスカロライナでは「ただのリンジー」だった。
Friends and neighbors mourn the senator who never stopped coming home.
• power broker /ˈpaʊər ˌbroʊkər/ 政界の実力者、影響力のある人物
• neighbor /ˈneɪbər/ 近所の人
• mourn /mɔːrn/ ～を悼む
• senator /ˈsenətər/ 上院議員
• come home /kʌm hoʊm/ 故郷へ帰る
「who never stopped coming home」は senator を修飾する関係代名詞節
「never stopped ～ing」で「～し続けた」という意味になる
Darline Graham to Fill Brother’s Senate Seat
ダーリン・グラハム氏、兄の上院議員の議席を引き継ぐ
• fill a seat /fɪl ə siːt/ （議席・役職）を引き継ぐ、補充する
• Senate seat /ˈsenət siːt/ 上院議席
• appoint /əˈpɔɪnt/ 任命する
• successor /səkˈsesər/ 後任
• vacancy /ˈveɪkənsi/ 欠員、空席
見出しの「to fill」は未来・予定を表す不定詞で、新聞見出しで非常によく使われる
The Superrich Aren’t Just Buying Mansions—They Want the Entire Block
超富裕層は豪邸だけでは満足しない。街区全体を手に入れようとしている。
“Landmaxxers” like Ken Griffin and Larry Ellison are snapping up neighboring properties to create private compounds.
• superrich /ˌsuːpərˈrɪtʃ/ 超富裕層
• mansion /ˈmænʃən/ 豪邸
• snap up /snæp ʌp/ ～を素早く買い集める
• neighboring property /ˈneɪbərɪŋ ˈprɑːpərti/ 隣接する不動産
• compound /ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/ （塀などで囲まれた）私有地、大邸宅
• entire block /ɪnˈtaɪər blɑːk/ 街区全体
「aren't just ...—they ...」は「～だけでなく…も」という強調表現
「to create ...」は目的を表す不定詞
How $9.99 Became the Most Compelling Price in Retail
9.99ドルはいかにして小売業界で最も魅力的な価格になったのか
Companies are redesigning packaging and slashing marketing budgets to maintain the psychologically important threshold.
• compelling /kəmˈpelɪŋ/ 非常に魅力的な、説得力のある
• retail /ˈriːteɪl/ 小売業
• redesign /ˌriːdɪˈzaɪn/ 作り直す、再設計する
• packaging /ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ/ 包装、パッケージ
• slash /slæʃ/ 大幅に削減する
• marketing budget /ˈmɑːrkɪtɪŋ ˈbʌdʒɪt/ マーケティング予算
• maintain /meɪnˈteɪn/ 維持する
• threshold /ˈθreʃhoʊld/ 境目、しきい値
「are redesigning ... and slashing ...」は現在進行形で2つの動作を並列している
「to maintain ...」は目的を表す不定詞
Person Is Killed in ICE-Involved Shooting in Maine
メイン州でICEが関与した銃撃事件、1人死亡
Immigrant-rights groups said the person killed was a 26-year-old man from Colombia.
• ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) /ˌaɪ siː ˈiː/ 米国移民・関税執行局
• immigrant-rights group /ˈɪmɪɡrənt raɪts ɡruːp/ 移民の権利擁護団体
• shooting /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/ 銃撃事件
• involved /ɪnˈvɑːlvd/ 関与した
• person killed /ˈpɜːrsən kɪld/ 死亡した人物
• 26-year-old /ˌtwenti sɪks jɪr ˈoʊld/ 26歳の
「ICE-involved」は名詞を修飾する複合形容詞
「the person killed」は「killed」が後ろから person を修飾する過去分詞用法
「said (that) ...」では接続詞 that が省略されている