Germany to Trump: We won't help you reopen the Strait of Hormuz  —  Berlin says Iran is “not NATO's war.”  —  BERLIN — Germany's government rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that NATO allies help secure the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the alliance had no place in the war.

Behind the Curtain: Trump's escalation trap  —  For five years in office, President Trump has operated with intuition, impulse and improvisation.  — The Iran war, now entering Week 3, is the first time Trump's style has made it impossible for him to easily talk or improvise his way out.

Trump briefed that Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is probably gay — and president has priceless reaction  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump was stunned to learn last week that US intelligence indicates new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may be gay — and that his father …

Trump is losing one battle after another.  Cue the posts. … Trump's Sunday night outburst took on all of them, but it was most notable for how he cast the Supreme Court — one that has staved off the destruction of his agenda and even his own criminal prosecution — as “a weaponized, and unjust Political Organization.”

Exclusive: Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino to Retire After Leading Largest Interior Immigration Operations in U.S. History  —  Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent and CBP Operations Commander Gregory Bovino is set to retire at the end of March, bringing an end to a nearly 30-year career with the agency.

Gamblers trying to win a bet on Polymarket are vowing to kill me if I don't rewrite an Iran missile story  —  Bettors are using death threats to try to get The Times of Israel's military correspondent to change his report on a missile impact in central Israel.  This is his alarming account

Susie Wiles, Trump's White House Chief of Staff, Has Breast Cancer  —  Ms. Wiles said that the disease was caught in its early stages and that she would remain in her role.  —  Susie Wiles, President Trump's White House chief of staff and the first woman to ever hold that position …

No, America is Not Respected  —  Thanks to Trump, we're held in contempt even by our closest allies  —  There's a real Baghdad Bob feel to pronouncements from the Trump administration these days.  The war is going great!  We've been totally victorious!  Also, other countries …

Trump's Sunday night crashout  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco, Irie Sentner and Makayla Gray  —  Good Monday morning.  This is Jack Blanchard, loading up on bottled water and cans of beans and heading to the basement.  Good luck out there.  Get in touch.  —  Yes, we're still talking about the weather.

'We're going to have a problem': Republicans want Trump to move on from 2020 … “I'm always one to believe you should look forward, not backward,” said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based GOP strategist and Trump convention delegate who hosted a meeting of fake electors in 2020 at his Harrisburg-based public affairs firm.

Trump's cancellation of licenses for immigrant truckers takes effect  —  Around 200,000 people will start losing commercial licenses under a federal rule that takes effect Monday, a move that could mean higher prices for consumers.  —  Some 200,000 immigrant truck drivers will begin to lose …

The War Development(s) That Should Truly Scare Us  —  How Iran could speed up de-dollarization and how Trump could put boots on the ground in Iran—sort of.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Housekeeping: With travel and our Texas live shows this week I'm not sure what the Triad schedule will look like.

I Wrote Research Funding Announcements for NIH for 22 Years.  This Year They've Published 14  —  For decades, the National Institutes of Health published between 650 and 850 Notices of Funding Opportunities each year.  These announcements tell the research community which diseases need study …

Video proves Delta flew Liam Ramos and his dad to ICE detention center  —  Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were flown to a Texas detention center via Delta Air Lines the day after they were captured by federal agents who allegedly used the 5-year-old boy as bait, according …

What Democrats Should Relearn From Obama  —  Even with Donald Trump's approval rating in the toilet and Democrats ahead in generic ballot polling for the House of Representatives, Democrats are steep underdogs to capture a majority of Senate seats.  —  To regain majority control of the Senate …

Trump's FCC Chairman threatens broadcast licenses over war propaganda  —  In a series of social media posts, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr strongly implied that broadcasters could lose their licenses if they don't repeat conflict-related talking points. … The lead official in charge …

Poll: Israel's standing plummets among Democrats, fueling primaries on the left  —  More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively in the latest NBC News poll, driven by change among independents and especially Democrats.  —  American voters' feelings on Israel …

Cuban officials report an island-wide blackout as country struggles with energy crisis  —  Officials in Cuba reported an island-wide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen.  Cuba has blamed its woes on a U.S. energy blockade …

Slavery and Birthright Citizenship  —  The administration's rationale in the birthright citizenship case contradicts the central purpose of the 14th Amendment's Citizenship Clause.  —  Meet The Authors  —  Trump v. Barbara, the birthright citizenship case, is currently before the Supreme Court.

Behind Mamdani's Smile, a Politician Who Can Be a Ruthless Operator  —  Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while charming in public, has thrown sharp elbows in private as he pushes his political brand and agenda among fellow Democrats.  —  Zohran Mamdani was on the brink of completing his buoyant ascent …

Finland cannot send mine clearance vessels to Strait of Hormuz, Navy says  —  Finland's three mine clearance vessels are designed for Finnish conditions and cannot be deployed outside the Baltic Sea, according to the Finnish Navy.  —  Calls by Donald Trump for allied help to secure the Strait of Hormuz …

Afghan asylum-seeker dies after less than 24 hours in ICE custody  —  Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, a father of six who worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, had no known health issues when he was detained in Texas, his family said.  —  An Afghan immigrant who worked with the U.S. military …