Donald Trump's dangerous ‘war of whim’  —  Anyone who claims to know where this conflict will go is bluffing  —  The trouble with strongmen is that they can easily change their minds.  —  In his inaugural address last year, President Donald Trump promised to be a “peacemaker” who ended wars of choice.

U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for “Armageddon,” Return of Jesus  —  To support my reporting and keep it free for everyone, you can become a paid subscriber.  Thank you.  —  A combat-unit commander told non-commissioned officers at a briefing Monday that the Iran war is part of God's plan …

Trump Administration to Drop Defense of Law Firm Sanctions  —  Justice Department plans to withdraw appeals defending punitive executive orders issued by the president, people familiar with the matter said  —  The Trump administration plans to abandon its defense of the president's executive …

The bruising, messy House primary battles to watch today … Here's what POLITICO is watching today.  —  The vulnerable incumbents  —  Republican and Democratic incumbents alike are facing challenges in mostly safe House seats, and it's worrying leaders of both parties.

Kash Patel's latest firings ousted agents with expertise in Iran  —  The FBI director gutted a specialized, global espionage unit of counterintelligence agents, just days before Operation Epic Fury.  —  When FBI Director Kash Patel fired a dozen FBI agents and staff last week for their role …

CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples' Movements  —  Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bought data from the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples' precise movements over time, in a process that often involves siphoning data from ordinary apps like video games …

Capitol agenda: Marco Rubio works to stave off a revolt on Iran  —  The White House is trying to stave off a revolt on Capitol Hill against its military actions in Iran, as both chambers are set to vote on resolutions this week that would put guardrails on President Donald Trump's unilateral use of military force.

The casino-fication of war  —  On February 28, the United States and Israel began major combat operations in Iran.  For some, the consequences of this action were fatal.  By Monday, the war had claimed the lives of at least six U.S. soldiers, hundreds of people in Iran, and dozens more in neighboring Gulf states.

Exclusive: U.S. Marines fired on protesters storming consulate in Karachi, officials say  —  U.S. Marines opened fire on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend, two U.S. officials said on Monday—a rare use of force at a diplomatic post …

Doctors Sound Alarm on White House ‘Secrecy’ Over Trump's Neck Rash  —  CONCERNING CONDITION  —  Medical experts aren't buying the White House's explanation for the president's bright-red rash.  —  Doctors are voicing skepticism over the White House's handling of Donald Trump's troubling new skin condition.

Ties to Israel plague Democrats in top primaries post-Gaza … Despite that record, Illinois Senate primary opponent Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) said that Stratton's 2019 meeting with Livni raises questions about her leadership.  —  “Illinois voters believe that judgement matters,” …

Law School Tells Students, ‘You MUST Be Aligned Politically With President Trump,’ For Summer Job  —  In The Hunt for Red October, we learn that Soviet submarine carried a “political officer,” a Communist Party appointee whose job wasn't navigating or torpedoing things, but making sure everyone …

She'd Never Changed Her Gender Marker.  Kansas Invalidated Her License Anyway.  —  A trans Kansas resident recently changed her name but not her gender marker on her license, fearing what Kansas may do if she did.  The Kansas DMV still flagged her ID.  —  Andrea Ellis of Wellington …

Oil prices surge as Trump team readies to “mitigate” costs  —  Crude oil prices are at their highest levels since the military campaign against Iran after climbing again overnight and Tuesday morning. … - “We anticipated this could be an issue,” he told reporters in the Capitol.