The fragile Middle East ceasefire is unraveling fast. Iran says it retaliated against new U.S. strikes, with Trump claiming Tehran is negotiating on "fumes" [CBS News]. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Bessent is warning Oman about consequences following Trump's inflammatory "blow 'em up" rhetoric over the Strait of Hormuz [The Hill]—signaling the administration is escalating pressure even as diplomatic channels appear to be closing.

On the home front, a federal judge refused to block Trump's executive order creating a federal voter list and restricting mail voting [PBS], removing a legal hurdle for one of the administration's most controversial voting initiatives.

International trouble is mounting elsewhere too. South Korea's unification minister faces a probe over alleged leaks of North Korean nuclear information [UPI], adding to tensions on the peninsula.

Economically, headwinds are building. Fed Vice Chair Jefferson warned that inflation risks are "tilted to the upside" [Bloomberg Markets] even as U.S. consumer spending accelerates, suggesting stagflation pressures may be intensifying. The mixed signals—rising inflation alongside continued consumer activity—complicate the Fed's policy outlook.

On trade, the legal blowback continues: Australia launched a $1.4 billion lawsuit against 3M over PFAS "forever chemicals" [UPI], marking escalating corporate accountability efforts globally.

Back home, Trump's economic coalition shows cracks. Iowa farmers—traditionally GOP-friendly—are struggling and ambivalent about their continued support [NBC News], while a Pennsylvania state legislator is running for Senate on an economic populism message: "We're all getting screwed. None of us can afford anything" [CBS News].