CNBC Daily Open: Trump takes the stage - without his longtime teleprompter operator

Key Points:

• U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a primetime speech on election security, amid controversy involving his teleprompter operator who is under federal investigation for allegedly profiting over $90,000 from bets on Trump's statements via the prediction market platform Kalshi.
• Iran issued a stern warning against U.S. interference in the Middle East, threatening to "crush" key targets if American infrastructure is attacked and asserting it will not allow foreign interference in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Netflix shares dropped over 8% after the company issued a disappointing earnings forecast and announced it will reduce updates on engagement metrics, shifting its "What We Watched" report from semiannual to annual publication to focus more on financial results.
• Alphabet's stock fell 4% following reports that its Gemini 3.5 Pro AI model is delayed by months due to underperformance in coding capabilities, contributing to a broader market decline despite strong earnings in many sectors.
• Short sellers have significantly increased bets against SpaceX, with nearly 29% of the company's public float sold short, totaling about $25 billion in bearish wagers, as the stock struggles and recently fell below its $135 IPO price.