Key Events (10)
Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah following what he described as "excellent conversations." The ceasefire is set to be followed by the first Israeli-Lebanese summit in decades, with Trump claiming to have ended a 10th war.
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open," leading oil prices to tumble below $90 per barrel and stock markets to rally. Both Iranian and US officials expressed optimism for a peace deal, though statements from Trump and Iranian leaders about negotiations contained conflicting claims.
Congress passed a 10-day extension of the FISA warrantless surveillance law amid Republican infighting, despite Trump's repeated demands for a longer extension. The surveillance law allows the government to spy on emails, texts, and phone calls outside the US.
Maria Medetis Long, the lead prosecutor investigating former CIA director John Brennan, was removed from the case after expressing doubts about whether the evidence justified pursuing charges against Brennan, whose agency had assessed that Russia boosted Trump in 2016.
The Trump administration and Vice President JD Vance engaged in a public dispute with Pope Leo over the use of theology to justify the Iran war, with Vance accused of "popesplaining" the Catholic church's just war doctrine. The conflict deepened divisions on the right, with commentators including Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson taking opposing positions.
Acting ICE director Todd Lyons announced he will step down at the end of May after leading the agency since March 2025. Lyons' tenure was marked by implementing Trump's immigration agenda during a turbulent period for the agency.
Current and former CDC officials warned that Americans' health security is in danger due to a leadership vacuum at the agency, with 80% of top posts remaining vacant under RFK Jr.'s direction and work described as at a "standstill."
The US Senate voted 50-49 to repeal a Biden-era 20-year ban on mining near the Boundary Waters canoe area wilderness in Minnesota, allowing mineral extraction to resume in the renowned protected area.
Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia won a special election for a New Jersey House seat in a landslide, flipping the seat in a strong showing for Democrats during Trump's second term.
Trump downplayed rising fuel prices at an economic event in Las Vegas, describing them as "fake inflation" caused by energy prices, despite widespread financial hardship following his war with Iran.