House Democrats have clamped down on internal divisions ahead of an expected vote to constrain President Trump's ability to wage war with Iran, Axios has learned from lawmakers familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: That apparent Democratic unity gives the measure a more realistic chance of passing the House, with a pair of isolationist Republicans having voted for it last time.
Army paratroopers are heading to the Middle East as President Trump weighs options to quickly end the Iran war, now entering its fourth week.
Why it matters: Putting U.S. boots on the ground in Iran would escalate the conflict, but the Trump administration has made no secret that it desires to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of oil.
The U.S. and a group of regional mediators are discussing the possibility of holding high-level peace talks with Iran as soon as Thursday, but they're still waiting for a response from Tehran, two sources with knowledge of the discussions tell Axios.
Why it matters: President Trump is interested in winding down the war, but Iran's chokehold on the Gulf of Hormuz complicates any potential exit strategy. The U.S. has shared with Israel its 15-point plan to end the war and claimed Iran had agreed to many of the key points. There's been no tangible evidence of any such agreement.
Iranian government-linked hackers hit a U.S. medical institution with ransomware in late February, right around when the war in Iran began, according to research released Tuesday.
Why it matters: This is the second known attack on an American health care organization since tensions between the U.S., Israel and Iran began this year.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to testify Tuesday in the federal trial of former U.S. Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.), a longtime political ally, friend and former housemate who's accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela's government.
Why it matters: The only-in-Miami trial sheds light on the unseemly world of shadowy, big-dollar foreign influence efforts in Latin America — and underscores how politically toxic Rivera has been to Rubio's career.
The Department of Defense announced a new media policy on Monday, three days after a federal judge ruled Trump administration restrictions on Pentagon journalists were a First Amendment violation.
The big picture: The Pentagon said in a memorandum announcing the changes that it's complying with the ruling in the New York Times lawsuit, but press groups accused the administration of placing fresh restrictions on journalists with the new policy.
HOUSTON — Former Defense Secretary James Mattis offered a sobering take Monday on the Strait of Hormuz, criticizing the Trump administration for what he saw as a failure to think strategically about Iran.
Why it matters: The CERAWeek conference here has been clouded by uncertainty over the future of a conflict that's bringing historic supply disruptions — and upending industry planning in the process.
The latest global fallout from the Iran war: skyrocketing borrowing costs in the U.K.
Why it matters: Yields on its benchmark government bond hit the highest level since 2008 — an uncomfortable surge for the nation that has seen a historic backlash from bond investors over its fiscal backdrop in recent years.
President Trump teased Monday that he's moving closer a deal with Iran to end the war — but he stopped short of saying who the U.S. is negotiating with.
Why it matters: Since Israel's assassinations of top Iranian leaders at the start of the war, there's been uncertainty about who is running the country day to day and which officials might actually be empowered to cut a deal with the U.S.
Things were on track for a rough start to the week amid the escalation of the Iran conflict that threatens global energy supplies. Then, soon after 7am ET Monday, President Trump dropped an all-caps social media post that suggested that all will be fine, sending markets ripping.
The big picture: That's good news for Monday's prices of risk assets, but it speaks to a more tumultuous backdrop for global commerce that decision-makers across the global economy are only starting to recognize.
In effect, an entity that has for generations been a source of stability in the world economy — the U.S. government — is now a source of chaos.
President Trump told reporters his envoys had been negotiating with a senior Iranian official and claimed the parties agreed on many points.
Why it matters: Regional leaders and global markets were bracing for major escalation on Monday, but Trump walked back his threat to strike Iran's power plants, citing productive negotiations.
Oil prices remained well north of $100 per barrel after markets opened Sunday, with the Iran war moving into its fourth week.
Why it matters: The price suggests that traders don't see a near-term end to the conflict, or risks to oil transit in the Strait of Hormuz that's throttling supplies on an unprecedented scale.
