Episode Details

Today’s Headlines: With about an hour to spare before his self-imposed deadline to bomb Iran "back to the stone ages," Trump TACO'd — again. A last-minute ceasefire was announced, with Iran declaring victory and agreeing to allow U.S. ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks in exchange for peace negotiations starting in Pakistan on Friday. Iran's 10-point demand list includes a permanent end to the war, lifting all sanctions, and a $2 million per-ship toll through the Strait to fund reconstruction. Before the TACO, Trump posted that "a whole civilization will die tonight," Israel hit 8 bridges across Iran, the U.S. struck Kharg Island, oil hit $117 a barrel, and gas hit $4.14 nationally — up 40% since the war started. Iranian civilians formed human chains around power plants and bridges to deter strikes. The markets tanked. Then Trump backed down. Oil futures immediately dropped after the ceasefire announcement. The DOJ — now run by Trump's personal criminal defense attorney Todd Blanche — has directed its civil rights division to open an investigation into Cassidy Hutchinson for allegedly lying to Congress during her January 6th testimony. Blanche said Trump has "the right, even the duty" to call for investigations into anyone he wants. JD Vance flew to Hungary to campaign for Viktor Orbán, put Trump on speakerphone mid-rally, and complained about EU election interference — while actively interfering in Hungary's election. A Democratic congresswoman introduced articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth for war crimes and reckless endangerment of U.S. service members, while Congress sits on recess. Health insurance stocks surged while everything else tanked after the Trump administration announced a 2.48% boost to Medicare Advantage payments — a gift to the industry everyone agrees is the worst. Trump's endorsed candidate Clay Fuller won Marjorie Taylor Greene's old seat by less than he should have in one of the most Republican districts in Georgia. Kanye West was banned from entering the UK, and the Wireless Festival was cancelled entirely — after losing Pepsi, Diageo, PayPal, and Rockstar Energy as sponsors. Their statement called antisemitism "abhorrent," but booked him anyway.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Axios: US, Iran to pause war, agree to 2-week ceasefire

NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Trump Announces Two-Week Cease-Fire, Subject to Strait of Hormuz Reopening

Axios: Pope issues stiffest rebuke yet to Trump over war threats

NBC News: Oil jumps above $117 as Trump's Strait of Hormuz deadline approaches

Axios: Oil prices plunge following U.S.-Iran ceasefire

WSJ: Health-Insurance Stocks Rally on Boost to Medicare Payments

Axios: House Democrat announces impeachment push against Hegseth over Iran war

Politico: Republican Clay Fuller wins special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

WaPo: