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Virginia just gave Republicans one more reason to regret starting a redistricting fight. Voters in Virginia approved a new Congressional map that could give Democrats up to four more seats in Congress. Trump called the results “rigged,” his standard description for any vote that goes against him. In the same Truth Social post he referred to himself as a “very brilliant person.” Not to be outdone, RFK Jr. told a Senate committee that AI could make the FDA “irrelevant,” insisted that his anti-vax positions had “nothing to do” with the current measles outbreak, and maintained that Trump has “a different way of calculating percentages” when assessing drug discounts. In Trump’s Washington, math is apparently negotiable.
But the big news is the lack of news out of Iran. Trump didn’t get new talks; he extended a ceasefire with no deadline and announced there is “no time frame” for ending the war. Washington’s conventional read is that Iranian leadership is too fragmented to agree on a path forward. But some analysts push back: This is strategy. They say Iran is engaged in “strategic silence.” Draw out negotiations. Pressure the West. Confuse the US. It’s working. Iran seized two ships today – a first for them in this war. No consequence followed. Speaking on CNN, former NATO commander Admiral James Stavridis puts the odds of a deal from here at 50-50.
In today’s newsletter: Virginia voters dealt Republicans a redistricting blow. We look at the full gerrymander map of America. Iran stalls; Washington spins it as a win. A sudden Pentagon exit. Lebanon and Israel attempt diplomacy, again. The Supreme Court weighs LGBTQ parenting rights. Kash Patel denies being drunk at work — so that’s where we are. And why your bad vacation photos might actually pay off. Plus News That Doesn’t Suck for your teeth and brain.
**Breaking News:**The Pentagon announced that the Secretary of the Navyis leaving his job, “effective immediately.” Secretary John Phelan had given no indication he had plans to depart. The abrupt exit comes while the US is enforcing a maritime blockade on Iran and trying to contain a conflict that is still not clearly headed toward either peace or a broader war.Up In the Air: Trumpextended the ceasefire with Iranjust hours before it was set to expire. The move bought more time but not more clarity. He said thepause would lastuntil “discussions are concluded, one way or another.” But there’s no sign diplomacy is on track. JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan for scheduled peace talks has beenpostponed indefinitelyafter Iran refused to attend. One Iranian officialsaid the extension“means nothing.”Ceasefire, Technically: Iran on Wednesday fired at three ships in the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them,leaving the third stranded. This is the first time Iran has captured vessels during this war. Both sidesaccusetheotherof𝕏violating the ceasefireby blocking the Strait. The shooting and shipping disruptions have not stopped. Trump and US officials insist they have the military advantage and arethreatening to resume strikes. “I expect to be bombing,”Trump said on Tuesday. Iran’s parliament speaker on Tuesday had a threat of his own, warningthe regimeis “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”Timeline: The Trump administration is trying to force Iran into submission by cutting off its economic lifeline — oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday𝕏claimed that Iran’s main oil hub, Kharg Island, “will be full” in “a matter of days,” after which “the fragile Iranian oil wells will be shut.” Oil exports are Iran’ssingle largest source of revenue. Cutting them off wouldfurther damagethe country’salready struggling economy. But thetimeline is far from certainand so are the consequences. Some experts believe this will be thefinal push necessary to force senior officialsto accept a deal. Othersthink it will just deepen the sufferingof regular Iranians.More Talks: Lebanon and Israel are set to meet again Thursday for a new round of peace talks. Lebanon willreportedly ask to extend the current ceasefireby another month and for Israel to stopdemolitions in occupied Lebanese territory. Israel and Hezbollah havecontinued to trade strikesthroughout the ceasefire, which both sides accuse the other of violating.There Will Not Be Oil: Oil pricescontinued to riseWednesday. The world has lost over 500 millions barrels of oil since the war began,according to a Reuters analysis. That’s worth $50 billion, and is the equivalent to cutting global flights for 10 weeks. The International Energy Agency on Tuesdaywarned that the war with Iranis causing the “biggest” energy crisis “in history.” Experts fear it will take years to bring production back to pre-war levels. Despite this, Trumpsaid he was“surprised” and “very happy” prices had only risen this much, and claimed he’d expected them to hit $200 a barrel.Another Try: The UK and France on Wednesday launched their latestmultilateral conferenceto address the Strait of Hormuz. Dozens of countries are meeting to discuss apledge made last weekto launch “an independent and strictly defensive multinational mission” to protect shipping through the Strait, “following a sustainable ceasefire agreement.”
**Feelin’ Blue:**A Virginia judge on Wednesdayblocked the certificationof the state’s redistricting referendum, claiming it was unconstitutional. Virginia’s attorney general on Wednesday said he would appeal the ruling. The courttried multiple timesto kill the referendum; the state Supreme Court rejected both attempts. In that referendum, Virginia votersnarrowly approved a planto temporarily redraw electoral maps in a way thatshould hand Democrats up to four additional seatsin the US House. Under thestate’s constitution, neutral maps had given Democrats six seats and Republicans five. The new maps, which will last until 2030, would position Democrats to win up to 10 of the state’s 11 seats.These potential gains put the Democrats ahead in the nationwide redistricting battle. “Republicans are trying to tilt the midterm elections in their favor,”Trump started last year𝕏wrote former President Barack Obama, whoappeared in ads backing the new Virginiamaps. “But they haven’t done it yet.”No Expense Spared: Nearly $100 million poured into the Virginia map battle — and at least 96% was from undisclosed donors,according to a New York Times analysis. Groups supporting the redistrictingoutspent those opposedby more than two-to-one.
**Not Over Yet:**Virginia’s new maps may give the Democrats an edge nationwide, but the battle is far from over. The US Supreme Courtmay soon undo a provision of the Voting Rights Actthat blocks racial gerrymandering, opening the door forred states to carve out more Republican districtsbefore the midterms. And Florida is next. Republicans there areexpected to draw their own gerrymandered maps, whichcould give the GOP up to fiveadditional seats. On the other hand,some analysts sayTrump’s unpopularity could lift Democrats in close districts — even gerrymandered ones — limiting Republican gains.**Redistricting Battle:**Here’s how things stand nationwide:**Texas:**The new mapaims to handthe GOPfive extra seats. Butthree of those targeted seatscould go blue if Latino voters keepmoving away from Trump.**Missouri:**The new map willlikely hand the GOPone extra seat. Alegal challengeisheaded to the state Supreme Court.**North Carolina:**The new mapdilutes Black votesto give the GOP an extra seat. It alreadysurvived one lawsuit.**Ohio:**Thenew mapmay give Republicansup to two extra seats. Democratsagreed to the map, saying they were in an “impossible” situation, but insisting it gives them a chance to retain their seats.**Utah:The new mapcreates a likely Democrat seatin an otherwise deep-red state.**A state judgethrew out the GOP’s mapfor being too partisan.Virginia: The new (temporary) mapshould give Democratsup to four additional seats, if itsurvives the multiple lawsuitsagainst it. Over 51% of voters approved the plan.**California:**The new map should give Democratsup to five additional seatsand thin out the competition in others. Votersconfirmed the plan, called Proposition 50, by almost two-thirds. The US Supreme Courtrejected a legal challengeagainst the new map.**Florida:**Gov. Ron DeSantiscalled a special legislative sessionto address redistricting,among other things. Republicans[haven’t released a specific plan](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-state-by-state-loo…
