Top Items:
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
It's Not a TACO. It's a Surrender. — Iran 1, Trump 0 — William Kristol, Andrew Egger, and Jim Swift — Well, that was all pretty dumb, wasn't it? Happy Wednesday. — Trump Surrenders — I'm old enough to remember when President Trump assured us, “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
MAGA Dolt Hegseth Accidentally Reveals Big Hole in Trump Victory Claim … Now that Donald Trump has backed off his threat to obliterate a nation of 93 million people, his propagandists are already retconning it into proof of his Solomon-like foresight and wisdom.
Discussion:
Off Message, Reuters and The Hill
Financial Times:
Iran demands fees for ships passing Hormuz during ceasefire — Country's oil exporters' union says toll to be paid in cryptocurrency and vessels monitored for weapons — Iran will demand that shipping companies pay tolls in cryptocurrency for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz …
Julian Borger / The Guardian:
Middle East ceasefire in serious doubt as Israel assaults Lebanon and Iran blocks oil tankers — Inclusion of Lebanon is significant difference in interpretation of truce agreed at 11th hour on Tuesday — The fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked uncertain on Wednesday …
Discussion:
Al Jazeera, Reuters, Bloomberg, New York Times, Washington Examiner, Straight Arrow News, The Hill, Politico, Foreign Policy, New York Sun, Los Angeles Times, Telegraph, One America News Network, NBC News, MercoPress, The Daily Caller, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Mercury News, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Council on Foreign Relations, Fox News, The Times of Israel, The American Conservative, Mondoweiss, Agence France-Presse and Blaze Media
Associated Press:
Live updates: US, Israel and Iran agree to a tentative ceasefire, even as the terms remain unclear — Israel's attacks came hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war with Iran. Israel has said the agreement does not extend to Lebanon, although mediator Pakistan said it does …
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, NBC News, RedState, Washington Examiner, NPR, The Guardian, Associated Press, France 24, Drop Site News, UPI, Bangor Daily News, Straight Arrow News, Military and Veteran …, WFAA-TV, Meidas+, Novara Media, 19FortyFive, Raw Story, New Republic, Blaze Media and The Portland Press Herald
Robby Soave / The Hill:
Megyn Kelly: I'd still back Trump even if he dropped a nuke — Dems are worse! — Crisis averted! The U.S. and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire, allowing the Strait of Hormuz to reopen and President Trump to back down from his threat to end the Iranian civilization.
Discussion:
France 24, Raw Story, Wonkette, Newsweek, twitchy.com and Media Matters for America
Yaroslav Trofimov / Wall Street Journal:
Gulf States Fear an Emboldened Iran after Trump's Cease-Fire — U.S. allies in the region are concerned that Tehran has emerged from the battle with control of the Strait of Hormuz — DUBAI—The Iranian government hailed the cease-fire with the U.S. by posting images on social media …
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump tells The Post in-person Iran talks will happen ‘very soon’ — but says JD Vance might stay away over security concerns — WASHINGTON — President Trump told The Post that he expects peace talks with Iran to happen in Pakistan “very soon” following the Tuesday cease-fire deal …
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, Politico, Bloomberg, IJR and NewsMax.com
Brian Beutler / Off Message:
25 Thoughts On The Humiliation Of Donald Trump
Discussion:
Axios, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, Reuters and Metro.co.uk
The Guardian:
Israel hits Lebanon with massive wave of airstrikes
Israel hits Lebanon with massive wave of airstrikes
Discussion:
Reuters, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Agence France-Presse, Breitbart, CNBC, NewsMax.com, Townhall, Raw Story, France 24, New Republic, Modern Diplomacy and Metro.co.uk
Phillips P. OBrien / Phillips's Newsletter:
Midweek Update #5; This Is No TACO: This Is Complete US Strategic Failure
Midweek Update #5; This Is No TACO: This Is Complete US Strategic Failure
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Hill and Mediaite
Politico:
‘Better TACO Tuesday than World War III’
‘Better TACO Tuesday than World War III’
Discussion:
The Hill, Townhall, NextDraft, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, MS NOW, The Spectator, Daily Mail, France 24 and Al Jazeera
Ellen Mitchell / The Hill:
Hegseth claims ‘historic and overwhelming victory’ after Iran ceasefire
Hegseth claims ‘historic and overwhelming victory’ after Iran ceasefire
Discussion:
Reuters, Straight Arrow News, Associated Press, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, Zeteo, The Intercept, Breitbart, The Japan Times, RedState, CBS News, WALV-TV, New York Post, France 24, The Independent, GB News, HotAir, NOTUS, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, The Guardian, Adam Kinzinger, Townhall, Washington Times, The Daily Wire, Bloomberg, Defense One and Fox News
Liz Dye / Public Notice:
TACO Tuesday's lasting hangover
TACO Tuesday's lasting hangover
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Guardian, Washington Post, The New World, The Hill and The American Spectator
Heather Cox Richardson / Letters from an American:
At 5:06 this morning, President Donald J. Trump posted on social media: “A whole civilization …
At 5:06 this morning, President Donald J. Trump posted on social media: “A whole civilization …
Discussion:
Forbes, Politico, Metro.co.uk, Newsbusters, The Federalist and Washington Blade
Fox News:
Iran revealed a 10-point plan for peace with the US—Here's what's in it
Iran revealed a 10-point plan for peace with the US—Here's what's in it
Discussion:
The Guardian, Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, New Republic, France 24, Associated Press, The Daily Signal and Metro.co.uk
Rebecca Feng / Wall Street Journal:
Iranian Navy Tells Ships They Still Need Permission to Transit Hormuz
Iranian Navy Tells Ships They Still Need Permission to Transit Hormuz
Discussion:
New York Post, New York Times, Forbes, Bangor Daily News, The Guardian, Politico, The US Sun, Reuters and Raw Story
Associated Press:
More than 100 killed as Israel strikes central Beirut after saying Iran truce doesn't apply there
More than 100 killed as Israel strikes central Beirut after saying Iran truce doesn't apply there
Discussion:
Drop Site News, The Hill, Axios, Associated Press, New York Times, ABC, Washington Examiner, The Times of Israel, Mediaite, MPR News, NewsMax.com, Metro.co.uk, France 24, Newsbusters, Al Jazeera and Truthout
Zeteo:
First Draft: 🇮🇷 🇺🇸 Did Iran Just Win This War?
First Draft: 🇮🇷 🇺🇸 Did Iran Just Win This War?
Discussion:
The American Conservative, Reuters, New York Post and Raw Story
David Strom / HotAir:
Then: Trump Is INSANE and Will Drop Nukes! Now: Trump Is a Coward for Not Nuking Iran!!
Then: Trump Is INSANE and Will Drop Nukes! Now: Trump Is a Coward for Not Nuking Iran!!
Discussion:
Ace of Spades HQ
HuffPost:
Pam Bondi Backs Out Of Deposition On Jeffrey Epstein — DOJ claims the former U.S. attorney general can just ignore a House committee's subpoena because she's not in the job anymore. — WASHINGTON — Former Attorney General Pam Bondi is backing out of a deposition scheduled for later …
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, CNN, New York Times, Above the Law, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, The Independent and Newsweek
RELATED:
Scripps News:
Pam Bondi to skip scheduled House Oversight deposition in Epstein probe
Pam Bondi to skip scheduled House Oversight deposition in Epstein probe
Discussion:
Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, Axios, New York Post, Associated Press, Washington Times, The Hill, The Guardian, UPI, Forbes, New York Sun, NewsMax.com, Mercury News, Raw Story, MS NOW, CNBC and ABC News
Hailey Fuchs / Politico:
Pam Bondi still on the hook for Epstein testimony, Oversight panel says
Pam Bondi still on the hook for Epstein testimony, Oversight panel says
Discussion:
Roll Call, Truthout and New Republic
Andrew Howard / Politico:
‘A wow moment’: Democrats' election hot streak goes scorching … “It's a wow moment in Wisconsin politics,” said former Republican strategist Brandon Scholz, who left the party in 2021. “Republicans ought to be sitting down tonight and going, 'Okay, we just screwed up another race.
Discussion:
NBC News, CNBC, CNN, New York Times, Raw Story, Axios, New York Magazine, USA Today, New Republic, Fox News, Mercury News, Digby's Hullabaloo, MS NOW and The Independent
RELATED:
Natalie Hausmann / Democracy Docket:
Liberal Chris Taylor clinches Wisconsin Supreme Court seat in a win for voting rights
Discussion:
NBC News
New York Times:
Democrats Pulled Off Their Biggest Shift Yet Among House Specials Since 2024
Democrats Pulled Off Their Biggest Shift Yet Among House Specials Since 2024
Discussion:
Newsweek, USA Today, Strength In Numbers, Washington Times and Fox News
Kate Zernike / New York Times:
Stung by Voters, Republican Legislators Move to Curb Citizen Initiatives — After citizens in Republican states used ballot measures to protect abortion, expand Medicaid and raise the minimum wage, statehouses are moving to make such initiatives much harder.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Catherine Belton / Washington Post:
After pager attack on Hezbollah, Hungary offered help to Iran — Revelations about a 2024 call offering aid raise questions about Hungary's ties to Iran as the Trump administration is supporting Prime Minister Viktor Orban for reelection. — Soon after the deadly Israeli attack …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Politico, Reuters and New York Sun
Paul Krugman:
Ignorance and Ignominy — So the world's greatest military power went to war with a poor, medievalist theocracy. It was an incredibly uneven match. Here's are the GDPs of Iran and the United States in 2024: — Yet Iran won. The Iranian regime has emerged far stronger than it was before …
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
Trump Just Fed America a Sh*t Sandwich — Understanding Trump's ceasefire/surrender—and what comes next. — ∙ Paid — 1. Told You So — We have a bunch of contradictions to keep in our heads today and it's not going to be fun. But first I want to underline the value proposition …
Jacob Knutson / Democracy Docket:
Trump appointee Ed Martin claims executive privilege in bid to evade misconduct charges — Ed Martin, the hardline MAGA Republican serving as President Donald Trump's pardon attorney, is attempting to claim executive privilege in a bid to evade misconduct charges from attorney ethics regulators in Washington, D.C.
Discussion:
New York City Bar Association
Michael R. Sisak / Associated Press:
Long Island architect Rex Heuermann pleads guilty to murdering 7 women and admits he killed another — A Long Island architect who led a secret life as a serial killer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to murdering seven women and admitted he killed an eighth in a string of long-unsolved crimes known as the Gilgo Beach killings.
Wall Street Journal:
Iran Tightens Its Grip on Hormuz Despite Cease-Fire — Trump demanded opening the strait. Tehran's Revolutionary Guard is limiting ship traffic and charging tolls — Iran told mediators it would limit the number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz to around a dozen a day and charge tolls under …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, NewsMax.com and The Independent

