Crude oil prices dropped about $5 per barrel Sunday evening in the first major trading since the emergence of rough and tentative outlines of a deal to end the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Why it matters: The throttling of the Strait of Hormuz is raising energy costs and weighing down economies worldwide — including the U.S., where average pump prices are about $1.50-per-gallon above pre-war levels.
Many Democrats hate Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker told Axios he "absolutely" supports some of the controversial HHS secretary's policies — particularly when it comes to food.
Booker likes Kennedy's increased testing of infant formula for micro plastics and other materials, pushing for less ultra-processed food, and his pilot program to have schools serve more-healthful meals, an aide to the senator told Axios.
Why it matters: Booker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, wants to appeal to some of the health-conscious voters Kennedy rallied during his 2024 presidential bid — first as a Democrat, then as an independent who eventually endorsed Donald Trump.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of most influential leaders in the progressive movement, is being publicly and privately courted by Democrats eyeing presidential bids in 2028 — a sign they're trying to build up their lefty credentials.
Why it matters: Progressives are on the rise in the party, and Warren is a key ally to have. She lost her bid for the White House in 2020 but played a major role in shaping Joe Biden's presidency by installing her allies in his administration.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she hasn't decided whether to run for president, but the New York congresswoman is making new moves toward a possible White House bid.
Ocasio-Cortez launched a national tour in recent weeks — without calling it one.
Why it matters: Whether AOC jumps into the race is one of the biggest X factors in the 2028 Democratic primary.
President Trump told leaders of several Arab and other Muslim countries during a Saturday conference call that if a deal to end the Iran war is achieved, then he wants their nations to sign peace agreements with Israel, per two U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the call.
Why it matters: Trump's remarks on Israel during the call signal the next big step he wants to take in the Middle East after the war.
Trump is aiming mostly at a historic Saudi-Israeli peace agreement, but the current political climate in the region and the upcoming Israeli election make any near-term breakthrough extremely difficult.
The White House doesn't expect an agreement to end the war with Iran Sunday and thinks it could take several days for the deal's approval by Iran's leadership, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a senior U.S. official said in a briefing with reporters.
Why it matters: While U.S. officials are optimistic that a deal will be signed within days, they also acknowledge it has not been finalized and could still fall apart. "We are in a very good place — but there are ways in which the deal can be undermined," a senior U.S. official said.
A gunman who opened fire nearthe White House Saturday night died after Secret Service officers shot him.
The big picture: The incident, which happened while President Trump was at the White House, comes four weeks after another gunman allegedly attempted to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Several top Democratic candidates in the midterms are airing scathing ads linking their Republican foes to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal — betting that theTrump administration's reluctance to release the Epstein files still resonates with voters.
Why it matters: Democrats are mostly focusing on high prices, health care and Trump's war against Iran, but some also are trying to tie Republicans to the late sex offender as part of a broader message accusing the GOP of protecting the corrupt elite.
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) has told allies this weekend that she plans to retire, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter. She flatly denies it:
"It's a crazy rumor. A crazy crazy rumor. I'm almost distraught. It's not true. I am still planning on running," she told Axios.
Why it matters: Wilson, 83, would be the latest in a string of House Democrats in their 70s and 80s yielding to pressure from some corners of the party to pass the torch to the next generation.
