President Trump questioned US spending on NATO and criticized Italy's suspension of a defense pact with Israel, while also rebuking the UK for not joining the war and Mexico for its stance on Iran's proxies. Russia's Lavrov, meanwhile, defended Iran's right to enrich uranium.
The US military has turned back six ships, effectively halting trade from Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran's armed forces threaten to expand their influence over sea lanes beyond the strait if the blockade continues. A top Democrat is probing the administration's preparations.
Rep. Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress following multiple sexual misconduct allegations, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom to set an August 2026 special election to fill his vacant seat, as Democrats distance themselves from the former rising star.
Pauls Valley High School principal Kirk Moore tackled a 20-year-old gunman, Victor Lee Hawkins, armed with two semiautomatic handguns, who admitted he wanted to conduct a school shooting like Columbine, with video capturing the dramatic intervention.
President Trump announced the Strait of Hormuz is "permanently open" despite a US naval blockade, claiming China's approval and a halt to its weapons transfers to Iran. Beijing, however, criticized the blockade, which risks escalating tensions before a planned Trump-Xi summit.
Mediators report progress toward extending the US-Iran ceasefire and restarting peace negotiations, leading to stable US Treasury yields, a $90 WTI oil price, and back-to-back gains in global stocks on hopes for a resolution. Trump also stated the war is "very close to over.
The conflict in Iran has caused a 16% jump in gas spending for Bank of America customers, soaring tomato prices, and a $180 billion drop in European luxury stock values, with Hermes sinking 14%. The IMF warns of a global oil shortfall and potential recession, while the EU considers fuel subsidies.