Good morning. Here’s what to know today.
Top stories
Ceasefires in the Middle East face growing strain. Iran has not officially accepted a ceasefire that President Trump unilaterally extended this week. Iranian forces attacked at least three commercial ships and seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz — moves that cloud prospects for U.S.–Iran talks after an Iranian official called Trump’s ceasefire extension ‘means nothing.’
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least five people, including Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are scheduled to meet in Washington for a second round of talks aimed at extending a truce and paving the way for future negotiations.
The Navy’s top civilian leader, Secretary John Phelan, has left his post ‘effective immediately,’ the Pentagon said. Phelan, who managed the Navy’s budget, personnel and shipbuilding efforts, departs amid a series of senior Pentagon dismissals overseen by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. NPR reporting cites personal tensions and disagreements over shipbuilding between Phelan and Hegseth. The dismissals reflect Hegseth’s rapid remaking of Pentagon leadership at a moment when the Navy figures prominently in the U.S. response to Iran; Hegseth appears to have President Trump’s backing for these moves.
Senate Republicans unveiled a budget resolution intended to fund immigration enforcement agencies — a first step toward ending a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have refused to approve funding for ICE and CBP following the killing of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis and are demanding broad reforms first. Republicans plan to use the reconciliation process to fund the remainder of DHS without Democratic votes, a complicated path that could take time.
On campaign fundraising, Democratic candidates lead Republicans in midterm fundraising for several key House and Senate contests despite low approval ratings for the party. Still, Republican-aligned committees and super PACs hold large war chests: Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC is reported to have nearly $350 million, a major advantage that could shape the next two years if spent.
Deep dive
The Trump administration is challenging the nearly 50-year-old Presidential Records Act (PRA), arguing the law requiring preservation of presidential records is unconstitutional. Historians and watchdog groups have filed lawsuits asking courts to block any destruction of presidential materials, warning that millions of documents and electronic messages could be at risk. The PRA dates to Congress’s response to the Nixon era; the Justice Department argues the statute violates separation of powers. The American Historical Association has petitioned a federal judge to bar government employees from destroying presidential records. The White House says staff will receive training on document preservation, though historians say top officials may be excluded. Scholars warn that weakening the PRA could result in the loss of records vital to understanding major decisions and events.
Picture show
World Press Photo named an image from the series ‘Ice Arrests at New York Court’ its Photo of the Year. Taken by four-time Pulitzer Prize winner Carol Guzy, the photograph captures children clinging to their father as ICE detains him after an immigration hearing, illustrating the trauma of courthouse detentions and family separation. World Press Photo’s executive director said the image ‘shows the inconsolable grief of children losing their father in a place built for justice.’ Guzy discussed the broader project and its importance on Morning Edition.
3 things to know before you go
1. Bigfoot has a cultural moment, appearing in low-budget horror films, festivals and a new musical, with recent alleged sightings in northeast Ohio.
2. New research finds an experimental gene therapy appears safe and highly effective at restoring hearing for people born with a rare form of deafness.
3. In this week’s Far-Flung Postcard, reporter Betsy Joles visits Haunted Hill Park in Islamabad, a short walk from where inconclusive Iran–U.S. peace talks took place this month.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.