“President Trump suggested on Sunday that elevated gasoline prices in the United States might not fall before the November midterm elections, a prediction that continued his mixed messaging and underscored potential political headwinds facing Republicans in the fall,” the New York Times reports.
U.S. Threat to Blockade Sets Up Risky New Showdown
“President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. military would blockade the Strait of Hormuz sets up a risky new showdown that could draw American forces into a prolonged struggle to control the strategic chokepoint while compounding the global economic damage caused by the conflict,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The blockade is set to begin Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.”
Swalwell Suspends His Campaign for California Governor
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is “suspending” his campaign for governor, he announced Sunday night.
Washington Post: “Swalwell’s abrupt exit from the California governor’s race marks a remarkable downfall for the longtime congressman, who was considered a leading candidate. The fallout from reports of sexual assault and misconduct continued Sunday, as pressure mounted for Swalwell to also vacate his congressional seat.”
The Biggest Mistake by a President
Tucker Carlson told the BBC that President Trump’s Iran war “the single biggest mistake” by an American president in his lifetime.
Quote of the Day
“We want a full house cleaning. Get the garbage out of here. These jerks are destroying Congress, for the American people and for all of us who came here to do good work.”
— A House Democrat, quoted by Axios, exasperated with recent ethics and sex scandals by lawmakers of both parties.
Eric Swalwell Faces Growing Calls to Resign
“Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) is facing growing pressure to vacate his congressional seat — on top of calls to drop out of the California gubernatorial race — over reports that a former staffer accused him of sexual assault and multiple others alleged sexual misconduct,” the Washington Post reports.
Axios: Swalwell loses all 21 of his endorsements from Democratic colleagues.
U.K. Will Not Help in Blockade of Strait of Hormuz
“The UK will not take part in the proposed US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, setting up yet another point of contention between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the conflict in Iran,” Bloomberg reports.
Venezuela Opposition Lines Up Behind Machado
“Venezuela’s main opposition coalition said on Sunday it is unified behind María Corina Machado as a candidate for the next presidential election and outlined conditions for a political transition in the country,” Bloomberg reports.
“The bloc, made up of all opposition parties and known as the Democratic Unitary Platform, presented a road map that includes the need for a negotiated process to enable free and competitive elections for a transfer of power.”
Hungary’s Orban Concedes Election Landslide Defeat
“Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, a lodestar for MAGA culture warriors and right-wing populists in Europe, conceded defeat on Sunday in a general election, breaking the momentum of a global nationalist revival promoted by President Trump,” the New York Times reports.
Orban said the “election results, although not complete, are understandable and clear. They are painful for us but unequivocal.”
He congratulated the opposition, saying: “The responsibility and opportunity to govern were not given to us.”
Washington Post: “Orban conceded defeat in a short speech at his campaign headquarters, calling the election result ‘clear.’ With more than 60 percent of the vote counted, Peter Magyar looked set to win 137 seats in the 199-seat parliament. Orban’s party was on track to win 55.”
Wall Street Journal: “The result is a stunning turn for a politician who has ruled as prime minister for 16 years and been an ally of President Trump.”
Politico: Orbán’s 16-year rule over Hungary ends in crushing election defeat.
Push to Expel Swalwell Could Touch Off Chain Reaction
“The sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Representative Eric Swalwell, Democrat of California, that have upended his gubernatorial campaign and prompted a criminal investigation have also supercharged a push in Congress to expel a group of lawmakers in both parties facing serious accusations of wrongdoing,” the New York Times reports.
“The House could move within days on a motion by Representative Anna Paulina Luna, Republican of Florida, to expel Mr. Swalwell. That could touch off a chain reaction of similar moves to purge accused offenders in both parties in a series of votes that, if successful, would not change the balance of power.”
“Mr. Swalwell brings to four the number of House members — two Democrats and two Republicans — who face possible expulsion in the coming weeks, a potentially major uptick in a very rare practice that could dominate action on the House floor at a time when the country is embroiled in a military conflict with Iran and a partial government shutdown.”
Gulf Allies Turn Away From U.S. for Fresh Ammo
Wall Street Journal: “With a fragile cease-fire in place between the U.S. and Iran, America’s closest allies in the region—and some of the best customers for U.S. weapons systems—are scanning the world for alternative missile defenses, getting creative about ways to bolster defenses quickly.”
“Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are turning to South Korean missile-defense systems, Ukrainian drones that smash into targets midair and traditional American Gatling guns.”
Trump Orders Blockade of Strait of Hormuz
President Trump said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, the AP reports.
Iran has demanded the right to collect tolls from vessels traveling through the strait, but Trump said no one who paid them would “have safe passage on the high seas.”
Two Supertankers Make a U-Turn in Strait of Hormuz
“Two empty supertankers attempted to make their way through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf on Sunday, only to make a last-minute U-turn just as peace negotiations between the US and Iran broke down, threatening a fragile ceasefire,” Bloomberg reports.
Iran’s Nuclear Program Has Survived
“Iran has emerged from five weeks of punishing U.S. and Israeli bombing with most of the tools it needs to make a nuclear bomb intact, officials and experts say, giving its negotiators another lever for pressing Washington to make concessions,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“While Iran has gained a powerful new point of economic leverage through its control of the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. and Israel have long been focused on preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Sunday in Islamabad that talks between the two sides broke down after Iran refused to commit to not seeking nuclear weapons in the future.”
“Thwarting Iran’s nuclear ambitions was one of Washington’s top reasons for going to war.”
Hungarian Election Tests Trump’s Global Reach
“In an election that has President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin rooting for the same outcome, Hungarians on Sunday will decide the fate of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the self-proclaimed champion of illiberal Christian democracy who is a darling of MAGA-aligned American conservatives, an ally of the Kremlin and a proud antagonist of European Union leaders in Brussels,” the Washington Post reports.
Bloomberg: “A defeat for Orban would have an impact far beyond his country of almost 10 million. The European Union’s longest serving leader has been a persistent obstacle to the bloc’s efforts to project geopolitical power beyond its borders and promote democratic values, most recently by vetoing a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan to Ukraine.”
What Happens Now in Iran?
“Vice President JD Vance’s failure to win the concessions the United States sought from Iran in a single, marathon negotiating session over its nuclear program was no surprise,” the New York Times reports.
“But what now?”
“The failure leaves the Trump administration facing several unpalatable options: A lengthy negotiation with Tehran over the future of its nuclear program, or a resumption of a war that has already created the largest energy disruption in modern times, and the prospect of a long struggle over who controls the Strait of Hormuz.”
Netanyahu Says Iran War Is ‘Not Yet Over’
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel sought to mollify criticism at home that the war with Iran failed to achieve its goals in a televised address on Saturday, even as he pointedly avoided discussing the weekend negotiations between the U.S. and Iran,” the New York Times reports.
Pope Leo Denounces the ‘Delusion of Omnipotence’
“In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the ‘delusion of omnipotence’ that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace,” Politico reports.
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