Good evening everyone. We have major news to cover tonight. The top story: Donald Trump says the war in Iran is “very complete” and appears to be searching for an off-ramp after speaking with Vladimir Putin today. He also floated the idea that the United States could take control of the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iran says countries will only be allowed access to the critical shipping route if they expel U.S. and Israeli ambassadors. Meanwhile, a Republican congressman is facing backlash after posting a bigoted message claiming that Muslim people do not belong in America. And that is just the start of what we are covering tonight.
On a personal note, I spent much of the afternoon working to get dozens of AI-generated spoofs of me taken down across multiple platforms. This was not a single video. There were many of them, which is deeply concerning. I do not know yet whether this is a coordinated campaign or a one-off incident, but please know this: if it does not come directly from me on this page or from one of my verified accounts, it is most likely fake.
We knew that growth would bring attacks and attempts to undermine this work, and that is exactly what we are seeing with this wave of AI manipulation. It will not work. I am fighting back. If you value this reporting, consider subscribing today to support the work and help keep it going.
Here’s the news:
- Trump told CBS News that the war with Iran is “very complete” and ahead of schedule, claiming U.S. forces struck over 3,000 targets and largely destroyed Iran’s navy, air force, communications, missiles, and drone production; he also said he’s considering U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz as shipping through the key oil route stalls, warned Iran against interference, and said he has “no message” for new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei while suggesting he has someone else in mind to lead the country.
- Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone about ending the wars in Iran and Ukraine, with the Kremlin saying the hour-long call included Russian proposals for a ceasefire with Iran and discussions about oil market disruptions caused by the conflict.
- Trump described the U.S. war with Iran as a necessary but temporary action, saying the U.S. took “a little excursion” to eliminate “some evil” and predicting the conflict will be “short-term.”
- This came despite Trump previously saying that Iran must unconditionally surrender:
- Two hours before, this is what the Department of Defense posted:
- Trump says he’s considering U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway carrying about 20% of global oil shipments, telling CBS News the U.S. “could do a lot” about the situation and warning Iran that any interference with the strait could lead to devastating consequences for the country.
- According to ABC News, U.S. officials intercepted encrypted transmissions believed to originate from Iran that may serve as an “operational trigger” for sleeper cells abroad, prompting a federal alert to law enforcement to increase monitoring for suspicious radio signals after the message—sent across multiple countries following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader—appeared intended for covert operatives using encrypted radio rather than the internet or phone networks.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says Arab or European countries that expel Israeli and U.S. ambassadors will be granted full access to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.
- Trump says he has “no message” for Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who took power after his father was killed early in the conflict, adding he already has someone in mind to replace him but did not provide further details.
- A reporter asked Donald Trump whether the U.S. would take responsibility for a video that appears to show a Tomahawk missile striking near an Iranian girls’ school, and Trump responded that Tomahawk missiles are used by multiple countries and said the incident is still under investigation, declining to confirm U.S. responsibility.
- Trump says the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is “very far ahead of schedule,” claiming Iran’s military capabilities are largely destroyed, including its navy, air force, communications systems, missile stockpiles, and drone production.
- Donald Trump referenced U.S. casualties from roadside bombs, saying many soldiers were killed or left permanently injured, including those “walking around with no legs.”
- Mike Johnson praised Donald Trump as an unusually active and energized president, saying he is highly productive in part because he “doesn’t sleep” and requires very little rest.
- Andy Ogles sparked backlash after posting that Muslims “don’t belong in American society,” an Islamophobic comment from the Tennessee Republican who has also pushed legislation to restrict immigration from several Muslim-majority countries.
- Authorities say an ISIS-inspired plot involving homemade explosive devices targeted protests outside NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence, where two Pennsylvania men allegedly ignited and threw bombs containing explosive materials and fragmentation toward crowds during an anti-Islam demonstration; the devices failed to detonate, no one was killed, and the suspects now face federal terrorism and explosives charges.
- Kevin Kiley announced he is formally leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, saying he will still caucus with Republicans in the House but is making the switch as he runs in a newly redrawn California district and protests what he called partisan gerrymandering reshaping congressional maps ahead of the midterms.
- According to the Daily Beast, the DHS is trying to fix a costly ICE vehicle rollout ordered by former deputy Madison Sheahan, after thousands of marked trucks and SUVs were purchased without consulting career officers; agents say the conspicuous branding makes them unusable for normal street-level enforcement, so many are now parked in storage while ICE works to shift remaining orders to unmarked vehicles.
- The FBI has subpoenaed records related to Arizona’s 2020 election audit, seeking documents from the Republican-led state Senate’s controversial Maricopa County review conducted by Cyber Ninjas; the move expands a broader federal inquiry into the 2020 election beyond Georgia, even though the audit ultimately confirmed that Joe Biden won the state.
- John Thune warned that using a “talking filibuster” to pass the GOP’s SAVE America Act would be “complicated and risky,” saying Republicans lack the votes to eliminate the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster rule and cautioning the tactic could take months of floor time and produce uncertain results despite pressure from Donald Trump and conservative allies.
- According to NBC News Dr. Mehmet Oz says Affordable Care Act enrollment may be “too high,” arguing millions of people could be improperly or fraudulently enrolled in Obamacare plans and predicting sign-ups could fall from about 23 million to around 19 million as the administration tightens eligibility checks.
- Police arrested a Florida woman after gunfire at Rihanna’s Los Angeles home, where authorities say the suspect fired four rounds from an AR-15-style rifle at the property while the singer, A$AP Rocky, and their children were inside; no one was injured, and the suspect faces attempted murder charges.
- Oren Alexander, Alon Alexander and Tal Alexander were found guilty on all counts in Manhattan federal court, including sex trafficking of a minor.
- John Diehl, the former Missouri House speaker, was sentenced to federal prison for fraud, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- According to Politico, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration illegally installed a three-person leadership team to run the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey, saying the Justice Department tried to bypass Senate confirmation rules and warning the move could jeopardize criminal cases if the appointments remain in place.
See you soon.
— Aaron
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