Vance was ‘skeptical’ voice in White House on Iran strikes … A second senior Trump official said “his role is to provide the president and the administration, you know, all points of views of what could happen from many different angles and, you know, he does that.  But once the decision has been made, he's fully on board.”

France and Italy open talks with Iran in hope of securing safe Hormuz passage  —  Europeans look for ways to restart energy shipments as Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep strait shut  —  European countries including France have opened talks with Tehran seeking to negotiate a deal …

Pentagon Is Moving Additional Marines, Warships to the Middle East  —  The Pentagon is moving additional Marines and warships to the Middle East as Iran steps up its attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to three U.S. officials.  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request …

Judge blocks subpoenas against Fed Chair Jerome Powell, citing ‘essentially zero evidence’  —  Powell said the subpoenas were related to his testimony before the Senate in June about the renovation of Federal Reserve office buildings.  —  A federal judge on Friday said he was blocking subpoenas …

Dark money group offers influencers $1,500 for posts attacking Chicago Democratic primary candidate  —  Progressive House candidate Kat Abughazaleh told MS NOW the secretive campaign is “filled with false and defamatory claims.”  —  A week out from a crowded and contentious Democratic primary …

All 6 U.S. crew members killed after refueling plane crashes in Iraq  —  The crash brings the number of U.S. service personnel killed since the Iran war began Feb. 28 to 12.  A 13th died of a medical issue.  — ADD NBC NEWS TO GOOGLE  —  All six U.S. crew members have been confirmed dead …

Hegseth: Strait of Hormuz Is Open  —  The Strait of Hormuz is open for transit, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.  “The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping,” he said.  “It is open for transit should Iran not do that.”

Cuban President Acknowledges Talks with the Trump Administration  —  Facing a massive energy crisis and increasing protests on the streets, the Cuban government acknowledged that it had entered into negotiations with the Trump administration.  —  With oil running out and the nation increasingly plunging …

How a Catch-a-Predator Sting Nabbed a Right-Wing Hatemonger  —  Was Jake Lang evaluating a teenage girl for a bikinis-and-burkas protest?  Or was something more lecherous at play?  —  ∙ Paid  —  Welcome back to False Flag! … ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS HATEMONGERS on the far right appears …

I graphed every president's approval rating during “rally around the flag” events  —  Donald Trump launched airstrikes against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.  In the two weeks since, I've already written about how the public opposed the strikes from the start and how nearly every poll on the war so far confirms this trend.

E.P.A. Moves to Weaken Limits on a Cancer-Causing Gas  —  The gas, ethylene oxide, plays a crucial role in sterilizing medical devices.  But long-term exposure is linked to several types of cancer and other ailments.  —  The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday proposed to weaken limits …

Sinema admits to affair with bodyguard in motion to dismiss lawsuit from his ex-wife  —  Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) admitted to having a sexual affair with her past bodyguard in a new motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the guard's ex-wife last year.

Can Florida save Trump's plan to keep GOP in power?  —  Republicans in Florida say they may not be able to deliver the type of redistricting bonanza that would give the party breathing room in the midterms.  —  Democrats are on the verge of neutralizing President Donald Trump's push to redraw …

How This Oil Supply Shock Compares With the Embargo of 1973  —  Governments have stockpiled oil, and cars are more efficient but the supply shock is global, and there's no sense of when it'll end.  —  In October 1973, oil-producing countries in the Middle East imposed an oil embargo …

Wall Street Bankers Offered Lucrative Access to Join the Pentagon  —  A presentation from a headhunting firm aimed to recruit Wall Street investors to the Pentagon by offering “unmatched access” to government officials and fund-raising opportunities among foreign sovereigns.

Consumer Prices Rose in January, Before Iran War Added Price Pressures  —  The economy also grew more slowly at the end of 2025 than first thought, revised data showed.  —  Economic growth was slower at the end of 2025 than data first showed and inflationary pressures persisted at the start of this year …

The Secret Police Playbook  —  Since the Pendleton Act of 1883, the U.S. federal government has rested on a simple promise: professionalism, merit-based recruitment, independent oversight.  Over time, U.S. federal law enforcement became a global reference point—effective, technically sophisticated …

Exclusive: Trump is preparing to replace Ric Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center  —  President Donald Trump is expected to remove Richard Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center, according to three sources familiar with the matter.  —  The move comes as the arts and culture institution …

Hegseth ignored military officials when he slashed offices that limit risk to civilians … The high level of opposition to the cuts, which has not been previously reported, hints at the tension between top military officials and their civilian leader over the rules of engagement in combat, which the Pentagon chief has called “stupid.”