Iran launched missile and drone strikes against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following U.S. military action overnight, threatening the fragile Middle East ceasefire.
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Iran launched missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian ports and boats overnight, putting the Middle East ceasefire at risk. DETAIL: The U.S. strikes were a response to an attack on American warships in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald J. Trump described the U.S. strikes as “just a love tap” and maintained that the ceasefire was still “in effect.” KEY QUOTE: “They have to understand: if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain,” President Trump said of a proposed peace plan, which Iran is expected to accept or reject on Friday. IMPACT: The escalation threatens ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.…Open
Trump says attacks on Iran after it targeted US destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz was a "love tap," and said the ceasefire between the two countries is still in effect.
The Trump administration appears poised to reshape the U.S. approach to AI security ahead of President Trump's trip to China next week. Why it matters: What happens next could be the turning point for how the Trump White House handles the proliferation of the most advanced AI models in the world. - And there are new reports of possible coordination between the two countries that are fiercely competing on AI development — a signal that neither side wants a dangerous arms race. Driving the news: A fire-alarm moment is happening: - The pro-AI growth administration is realizing it may need more guardrails than originally thought, and may not want to go it alone. - There are new signs that the administration may consider executive action…
Does President Trump have a plan for finishing business in Iran in a way that leaves no room for doubt and that needs no explanation? In the part of the world that includes Iran, if you have to explain that you won you have in fact lost. President Trump’s announcement that he is pausing, after a day, Project Freedom, which had the US Navy escorting cargo ships through the Straits of Hormuz, is puzzling. As are his statements that a deal with the Iranian regime to end the war is within reach. Keep in mind that focusing too closely on Trump’s zigs-and-zags can be disorienting. Only he knows what he intends to do and how he will get there. And he has access to all the intelligence. We in the commentariat do not. One hopes the…Open
Grant Newsham explores Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s diplomatic mission to Vietnam and Australia to counter Chinese aggression. Takaichi is shifting Japan from purely economic influence toward a professional military posture. This approach is welcomed by Southeast Asian nations facing maritime bullying from China. Listen hereOpen
Forced to fight for political survival because of redistricting, Ken Calvert and Young Kim, both Republicans, are accusing each other of being insufficiently MAGA.