People packed the Louisiana State Capitol on Friday evening as legislators mulled over four proposed congressional maps, each having varying boundaries for the Pelican state. The public hearing is the first after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a previous map for creating a second Black-majority district.

State Sen. Ed Price, D-Gonzales, submitted a map with two possible Democratic districts. State Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, submitted three maps that had either one Democratic leaning district or none. 

“We know one thing for sure: The current maps did not survive a challenge,” Morris said. “They have been declared unconstitutional, and we are here to pass what we hope will be a constitutional map in accordance with the law.”

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry suspended the state’s congressional primary on April 30, just two days before absentee voting began. It effectively halted the U.S. House primary, with the U.S. Senate being a statewide race. 

Debates over the maps became heated at times during the hearing, reflecting what’s happening across the nation in Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. In those states, legislators either erupted in screaming matches or led chants decrying redistricting attempts.

Several civil rights groups put out requests the day before for people to “pack” the hearing room to convince lawmakers to pass a map with two Democratic seats in Louisiana.

Senate and Government Affairs Committee chair Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Grosse Tete, often reminded speakers about decorum to prevent shouting matches seen in other legislatures. 

“The people of Louisiana have elected us to do a job, not to do the bidding of a party, not to do the bidding of an individual, but to do the bidding of the people,” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, said during the hearings. He’s the state’s fourth Black U.S. representative since 1877.

Senators propose maps to outlast legal challenges

The maps pulled out emotional testimonies from several faith leaders and people who lived during segregation, warning Morris’ maps would reverse the clock in Louisiana. Morris opined that his maps were fair and, by chance, had Republican majorities. 

Morris said he filed the three bills before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. 

Each of Morris’s three maps — introduced as Senate bills 116, 121 and 130 — evenly split the six districts, population-wise. The first map has no potential Democratic majorities in the second district, with about 49% of the vote share registered Democrats, while the others were firm Republican majorities. He noted the map was coined the “6-0” map for eliminating Democratic seats. 

“I asked the demographer to work with me, don't make race or party a consideration, consider the traditional boundaries, and this is what we came up with," Morris said.

His second map compacted Democratic voters — and Black voters — more intensely into the second district at 61% and 60%, respectively. It was used in the 2022 elections, he noted.

Morris’ third map shifted the Democratic majority to the 6th District, with 60% of registered voters being Democrats, and Republicans having a slight majority in the remaining five districts. This map also concentrated Black voters in the 6th District, with 60% of the district’s population being Black. 

“I believe this map would probably pass Constitution muster inasmuch as it is very similar to the bill, the map reflected in Senate Bill 121,” Morris said of Senate Bill 130.

Price’s map — introduced as Senate Bill 407 — splits all six districts roughly equally, by population, giving future representatives about 776,292 constituents. It still retains the party’s advantages, but shifts Democrats’ advantage to the 5th District. 

Districts were generally split among parish lines, with deviations in Lafayette, Orleans, Ouachita and Vernon parishes, to name a few. 

All four Black US representatives at hearing

The meeting hit a historic moment when the state’s first Black U.S. representative, former Rep. William Jefferson, 79, spoke at the meeting about redistricting as he was flanked by the state’s other Black U.S. representatives. 

They are current Reps. Carter and Cleo Fields, both Democrats, and former Reps.  Jefferson and Cedric Richmond. Carter, Jefferson and Richmond each represented the state’s 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses New Orleans. Fields represents the district the U.S. Supreme Court nullified, which included Shreveport, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. 

Fields spoke in favor of Price’s map, but said a better map would have an equal Democrat-to-Republican split based on population counts. 

“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves where we are in the state of Louisiana today,” State Sen. Sam Jenkins, D-Shreveport, said. “The Callais decision was dropped at a time that has created nothing but chaos and confusion."

The department’s notice states that current regulations allow the state to deny reissued passports and even revoke them for those who owe more than $2,500 in unpaid child support. Officials said they would begin with those who have $100,000 or more in child support debt, which is about 2,700 people, according to PBS. But they soon plan to "greatly" expand the revocations to include those who owe more than $2,500.

"Notices about passport revocations will be sent from the Department of State directly to the passport holder via email or to the mailing address provided on the most recent passport application," the State Department said in the notice.

Can the government revoke passports?

The rule allowing the government to revoke passports comes from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act. The law, which former President Bill Clinton signed in 1996, was a major part of the Republican Party’s “Contract with America” agenda. 

The State Department said it was working with the Department of Health and Human Services at an "unprecedented scale" to speed up revocation in support of children. 

“This action supports the welfare of American children by exacting real consequences for child support delinquency under existing federal law,” the State Department wrote. “The State Department is putting American families first through our passport process.”

The State Department told The Associated Press that it had observed that parents who owed money quickly resolved their debts after the department announced it was expanding the program in February. But there was a caution to the data. 

“While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law,” the department said.

The administration previously said that the child support program was already a “powerful tool” to get parents to repay their debts. Since it began in 1998, the department said the program has collected more than $650 million.

Who will this impact?

Despite passing with bipartisan support, the bill faced opposition from Democrats. Critics claimed that the program was racist and was designed to destroy the national safety net. 

Several top officials at the HHS resigned in protest over the law. Political analysts who reviewed the policy following its passage found that it negatively affected minority groups, poorer Americans and immigrants the most.

Data from California found that 80% of those who owed child support made less than $20,000, and 60% made less than $10,000. A large portion of unpaid support came from low-income fathers. Racial demographics also play into child support statistics, with Black fathers about three times more likely to be jailed for child support debt compared to fathers overall. 

But those with passports and those who owe child support aren’t typically in the same group. Passport holders are usually younger, college-educated and well-off. 

Some critics of the Trump administration have tried to connect the plan to voter suppression, saying it could disenfranchise some if Congress passes the SAVE America Act. The act would require Americans to show identification to register to vote, but a driver’s license wouldn’t work in most cases. Instead, Americans would have to use a passport or birth certificate to register, and married women would likely be required to show more documents. 

But the argument gets cold since the bill has stalled as Democrats control enough seats to block passage despite President Donald Trump’s insistence.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The ruling immediately restored the maps the court issued in 2021, which had six Democratic and five Republican seats. The majority of the court opined that because the state’s General Assembly passed the first version of the bill while Virginians were voting in the November election, the legislation’s later passing violated the legislature’s rules. 

The state requires constitutional amendments to pass the General Assembly twice, and in two separate legislative sessions, with an intervening House of Delegates election before they are sent to the governor for consideration.  

“This gives voters two opportunities — one indirect, the other direct — to voice their views on the proposed amendment,” Justice D. Arthur Kelsey wrote Friday. Chief Justice Cleo Powell, Justice Thomas Mann and Justice Junius Fulton III dissented. 

“The majority’s definition creates an infinite voting loop that appears to have no established beginning, only a definitive end: Election Day,” Powell wrote. “Further, the majority also makes no mention of the two-day gap that begins at ‘5:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately preceding the election,’ id., or its effect on the ‘election’ process.”

State Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, a Republican, wrote on X Friday that the court ruling affirms that “you cannot violate the Constitution to change the Constitution.” 

“The justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia after careful and thorough review of this matter affirmed that even the General Assembly must follow the law,” McDougle wrote. “This ruling is not a partisan one — it’s a constitutional one.” 

Democrats have yet to comment on the court opinion. 

The referendum, which narrowly passed, would have increased Democrats’ possible seats from six to 10, and reduced Republicans’ from five to one. The state’s Democratic party celebrated the passage on Facebook, writing, “10-1 here we come.”

“Under the proposed new map, approximately 47% of Virginians that voted for representatives of one of the major political parties in the last congressional election would now be represented by 9% of Virginia’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives — while the approximately 51% of Virginians that voted for the other major political party would now be represented by 91% of Virginia’s congressional delegation,” Kelsey wrote.

Where does the country stand on redistricting?

President Donald Trump thrust the country in a fight over congressional maps as he sought Texas politicians to solidify Republicans’ chances of winning the midterm elections. Typically, the sitting president’s party has lost seats in the midterms. 

Since then, a number of states have either joined or declined to join in the mid-decade map-drawing melee. 

For Louisiana, the legislature is holding public hearings on proposed maps that diluted a Black-majority district into nearby Republican districts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling killed the state’s map that had two Democratic seats and four Republican seats. 

As of late, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a new map into law that his party drew to give them a possible advantage heading into the November election. It eliminated the state’s lone Democratic seat — held by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis — to create nine Republican-friendly districts. 

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, a Republican, argued that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Louisiana’s maps paved the way for politicians to redistrict off of partisan lines. The new map splits Memphis, splintering the city into several nearby districts. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a map into law that his office proposed that gave Republicans a possible four-seat advantage in the state. The map dispersed districts around Tampa, Kissimmee and the Everglades.

Media Miss by the left: Trump reportedly offered Fetterman GOP support 

President Donald Trump reportedly offered Democratic Sen. John Fetterman his endorsement and financial backing if the Pennsylvania senator switches to the Republican party.

Trump first floated the idea publicly during a March interview with Fox's Sean Hannity.

Fetterman, who has drawn attention for breaking with Democrats on issues like immigration and Israel, rejected the idea at the time. In an interview with Politico last week, he reinforced that stance, saying, "I'm a Democrat, and I'm staying one."

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Media Miss by the right: Canadian Trump critic sues DHS over Google data request

An unidentified Canadian man is suing DHS after the agency allegedly sought his personal data from Google.

According to the lawsuit, DHS requested activity logs, location history, account information, and other data after the man made critical posts about the Trump administration following deadly immigration officer-involved shootings that killed two Americans.

DHS argues it had the authority to seek the records under the Tariff Act of 1930, which gives Customs and Border Patrol the jurisdiction to obtain records tied to the importation or transportation of goods.

For more stories missed or minimized by partisan media, visit Straight Arrow’s Media Miss archive.

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Straight Arrow News identifies Media Misses based on coverage data available at the time of publication. Some outlets may choose to cover a story after our analysis is published. Our methodology prioritizes timely, prominent coverage across a range of sources, but we continually review and refine our approach to ensure balance and accuracy.

“We should know something today,” Rubio said during a press gaggle in Rome, adding he hopes it’s a “serious offer.”

The administration sent the latest peace proposal over this week, which would formally end the fighting and open a 30-day window for talks on bigger issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

"The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation," Rubio said. 

Rubio also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. has seen reporting that Iran is trying to establish some control. 

“That would actually be unacceptable,” Rubio said.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak from the Rose Garden on Friday, though the White House has not said what his remarks will focus on.

What Iran is saying

Iran, meanwhile, says the country will “never bow to pressure.” It condemned the U.S. on Thursday after the U.S. said it stopped attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliated against Iranian military facilities.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X. “Whatever the causes, the outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure and diplomacy is always the victim.”

The U.S. minimized the strike, with Trump saying the ceasefire still holds. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry called it “aggressive and provocative.”

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Trump instituted the tariff after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his broader "Liberation Day" tariffs in February. In a two-to-one decision, the trade court said Trump overstepped his authority, calling the tariffs "invalid" and "unauthorized by law."

The new tariffs, which Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose, were set to expire July 24 unless Congress voted to extend them.

The panel's ruling only applies to the state of Washington and the two businesses that sued. The judges also ruled that the White House has to issue refunds plus interest for all tariffs paid by the state and two businesses.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the panel's decision and the case could ultimately head back to the Supreme Court.

Judge rules cancellations of humanities grants unconstitutional

Also on Thursday, a federal judge ruled Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) cancellation of more than $100 million in humanities grants was unconstitutional.

The judge said DOGE "blatantly used" race, gender and other protected characteristics to determine the largest termination of federal grants in the National Endowment for the Humanities' history. That judge permanently blocked the administration from terminating the grants. 

“There can be no serious dispute that the review process implemented by DOGE did not conform to, or even resemble, NEH’s ordinary grant-review process,” U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon wrote in her ruling.

McMahon said the Trump administration violated the First Amendment and the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection clause in terminating the grants.

Department of Justice lawyers had argued that the cuts of more than 1,400 congressionally-approved were legal. They said the cuts were in line with President Trump's directive to eliminate grants associated with diversity, equity and inclusion programs and to cut down on unnecessary government spending.

It's not yet clear whether the Trump administration will appeal that ruling.

The nonprofits that were part of the lawsuit against the grant cuts celebrated the judge's decision.

“The humanities are not a luxury. They are how a democracy understands itself. Today’s decision is a step toward honoring the will of Congress and our mission as a nation — to seek the truth, know ourselves, and build a better future on that knowledge,” Joy Connolly, president of the American Council of Learned Societies, said in a statement.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Plus, the cruise ship tied to a deadly hantavirus outbreak is finally heading to port, as health officials try to track down passengers who already left the vessel.

And the Trump administration wants to let Americans mail handguns through the U.S. Postal Service for the first time in nearly 100 years.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, May 8, 2026.

Fresh attacks in the Strait of Hormuz raise fears of escalation as Trump warns Iran to sign a deal fast

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire is looking increasingly fragile after the United Arab Emirates said it responded to a new missile and drone attack. The escalation comes just hours after the U.S. said it stopped attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and retaliated against Iranian military facilities.

President Donald Trump has insisted the ceasefire remains, but also warned Iran to sign a broader peace deal quickly or face a much stronger U.S. response.

"They trifled with us today. We blew them away. They trifled. I call that a trifle,” Trump said. “I'll let you know when there's no cease ... You won't have to know. If there's no ceasefire, you're not going to have to know. You're just going to look at one big glow coming out of Iran. And they better sign their agreement fast."

Iranian officials said they are still reviewing the latest U.S. proposal, which would formally end the fighting and open a 30-day window for talks on bigger issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the renewed tensions have pushed oil prices higher again. Brent crude topped $100 a barrel early Friday morning, though that’s still well below the extreme spikes we saw earlier this week.

The U.S. standard saw little movement.

Hantavirus cruise ship heads to Spain’s Canary Islands as countries plan to bring citizens home

The cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak is now heading for Spain’s Canary Islands, as health officials race to contain the spread.

Authorities in the Canary Islands have prepared a fully isolated evacuation zone for the roughly 140 passengers and crew still on board the MV Hondius.

The expedition cruise ship is expected to arrive in Tenerife by the end of the weekend. U.S. officials are sending a charter flight to bring 17 Americans home, while the U.K. is arranging a separate flight for about 20 British passengers.

The outbreak has killed at least three people. Several other cases have also been confirmed. The ship had been sailing near the remote South Atlantic island of Saint Helena when passengers first started reporting flu-like symptoms.

The World Health Organization said the risk to the general public remains low because hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings or urine. Human-to-human spread is considered rare.

But the biggest concern now is tracking down people who have already left the ship. About 30 passengers from more than a dozen countries disembarked two weeks ago, before the outbreak was confirmed.

Now, health officials around the world are working to identify those passengers and anyone they may have been in contact with.

Court blocks Trump’s 10% global tariffs, ruling he exceeded his authority

A federal court has struck down Trump's latest global tariffs push.

On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the Court of International Trade in New York ruled Trump's 10% global tariffs are illegal, after a group of small businesses sued. Trump put the new tariffs in place after the Supreme Court blocked his broader "Liberation Day" tariffs earlier this year.

In a two-to-one decision, the court said Trump overstepped his authority, calling the tariffs "Invalid" and "unauthorized by law."

The Trump administration is expected to appeal, and the case could ultimately head back to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also, on Thursday, a federal judge ruled Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts to humanities grants were unconstitutional.

The case centers on more than $100 million in canceled grants through the National Endowment for the Humanities. The judge said DOGE "blatantly used" race, gender and other protected characteristics in deciding which grants to terminate. The judge then issued a permanent block on the cuts.

It's not yet clear whether the Trump administration will appeal that ruling.

Florida may shutter Alligator Alcatraz

Florida could soon close its controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Everglades, less than a year after state leaders touted it as a model for the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

The New York Times reported the state is now in preliminary talks with the administration to shut down the facility after Homeland Security officials concluded it's too expensive and not working as intended. The state has spent $1 million a day to keep the site operating. The site sits on a swampy stretch of the Everglades between Miami and Naples.

The center opened last summer and became a political lightning rod, praised by Trump and Republicans as a tough deterrent, while immigration advocates described conditions inside as inhumane and unsanitary.

A senior official in Florida told Fox News that the facility was always intended to be temporary, saying it would "return to the Everglades" once larger federal detention sites open.

More than 21,000 migrants have been processed at the facility since it opened.

USPS may start mailing handguns

Americans may soon be able to mail a handgun via the U.S. Postal Service. The Trump administration is pushing to overturn a nearly 100-year-old federal restriction that bans most people from mailing concealable firearms.

The Justice Department said the rule violates the Second Amendment, which protects the right of law-abiding gun owners to mail handguns under the same safety requirements already used for rifles and shotguns.

The proposal has already drawn pushback from Democratic attorneys general in more than 20 states, including Nevada, where the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history occurred at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas in 2017.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said, "To suggest we make it easier for criminals and abusers to access firearms is a slap in the face to gun violence survivors and to law enforcement.” 

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has praised the change, while gun safety groups have warned that it could make illegal firearms more difficult to track.

Broadcast icon David Attenborough turns 100, marking a century of wildlife storytelling

The average life expectancy for men in the U.K. is about 79 years, but one of the world’s most famous voices has surpassed that milestone.

Broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough turned 100 years old Friday.

For decades, his voice has been synonymous with wildlife, nature and conservation, narrating some of the most iconic documentaries ever made. The BBC honored the occasion with a special tribute broadcast featuring stories and reflections on his life and legacy.

Attenborough said he’s received birthday wishes from everyone — from preschoolers to seniors in nursing homes — and that he’s been deeply touched by the response.

"I had rather thought that I would celebrate my 100th birthday quietly, but it seems that many of you have had other ideas," he said. "I simply can't reply to each of you all separately, but I would like to think you all most sincerely for your kind messages."

To mark the milestone, the Natural History Museum named a newly discovered parasitic wasp species after him: Attenboroughnculus tau.

More from Straight Arrow:

Is the US still at war with Iran — or not?

It’s no stretch to say Americans are confused and upset over the war in Iran. Polling throughout the war has shown broad dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict and a strong feeling that the administration never adequately explained why the U.S. was attacking Iran to begin with.

Now, as Trump awaits Iran’s response to a formal peace proposal, Americans are left to wonder whether the nation is actually at war.

Read the full story now>

Congress passed the law in 1927 in an effort to curb crime. However, in January, the Justice Department revisited the law and called it unconstitutional.

The Justice Department said the rule violates the Second Amendment, which protects the right of law-abiding gun owners to mail handguns under the same safety requirements already used for rifles and shotguns.

In April, the USPS proposed a new rule allowing anyone to mail a concealable firearm, such as a pistol or revolver. There would be protections in place, including ensuring the weapons are unloaded and securely packaged.

Weapons could be mailed within state lines, but rules would be much stricter if mailed outside the origin state. Specifically, the Associated Press reports people could only mail it to themselves or in the care of another person.

USPS is still seeking public comment on the proposal.

Response to the proposal

The proposal has already drawn pushback from Democratic attorneys general in more than 20 states, including Nevada, where the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history occurred at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas in 2017.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said, “To suggest we make it easier for criminals and abusers to access firearms is a slap in the face to gun violence survivors and to law enforcement.” 

The National Rifle Association (NRA) has praised the change, while gun safety groups have warned that it could make illegal firearms more difficult to track.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Now, as Trump awaits Iran’s response to a formal peace proposal, Americans are left to wonder whether the nation is actually at war.

Trump and other administration officials have said they have ended the war, that the war is ongoing but it’s almost over, and that the U.S. is actually not at war with Iran at all.

Moreover, the administration has given shifting reasons for why it struck Iran in the first place. First, it was because of an “imminent threat,” then it was regime change and now it’s about the country’s nuclear program, which the administration previously said it destroyed in 2025. 

This week alone, Trump announced that the U.S. military would escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz — only to discontinue the effort one day later. The Strait — which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and through which at least one-fifth of the global oil supply normally passes — is a particular source of uncertainty. The U.S. is blocking traffic from Iranian ports, Iran is allowing only a few ships to pass and Trump once even mused about a joint venture with Iran to charge tolls for traversing the waterway.

Iran said late Thursday it was working with the U.S. to reopen the Strait for 30 days, allowing for additional talks.

And Trump said the war will be over “very quickly” — echoing some of his earlier statements while at the same time contradicting his suggestions that the conflict had already ended.

If the war ends, or if it’s already over, how will Americans be able to tell?

What do experts say Trump is doing?

Experts and analysts said Trump is using a strategy similar to former President Richard Nixon’s “Madman Theory.” 

Nixon believed that if he publicly acted irrationally, adversaries would take him more seriously. People who knew him have said Nixon wanted to appear “somewhat crazy” and capable of the "bloodiest brutality.” 

On paper, this could work. But history shows it didn’t work for Nixon. And, as Slate reported, success would require playing the madman all the time. Making a threat and then backing out a few days later can make subsequent threats less credible. 

Benjamin Giltner, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, wrote that he didn’t believe Trump’s use of Nixon’s failed theory was working on Iran. He said that the U.S. couldn't carry out some of Trump’s more outlandish threats. In one example of this, Giltner wrote that the U.S. was on track to run out of Tomahawk missiles, an expensive and advanced weapon used heavily in Iranian strikes. 

“In just slightly over four weeks, the United States launched about 850 of these missiles against Iran out of the total 3,100 missiles in its inventory, and only produces around 90 missiles per year,” Giltner wrote. “These two facts already rendered Trump’s threats kaput.”

What’s the latest on the war?

One of the most important global factors regarding the war is the Strait of Hormuz. While the U.S. imposed a naval blockade, Iran has been boarding and attacking merchant ships and deploying sea mines. 

Experts told The Washington Post that even if the Strait were to reopen today, it could take up to six months before it's back to normal because of the mines. The Strait is a massive global trade bottleneck and the closure has led to increased gas prices globally. The average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. rose to nearly $4.60 Thursday. Axios reports these higher prices could remain for months, all the way up to the midterm elections in November. 

The latest peace proposal from Trump’s negotiators resembles the 2015 deal the president criticized and withdrew from during his first term. Some reports have suggested that Trump has even mulled over a deal that would be even friendlier to Iran than the deal he pulled out of in 2018. 

Iran remains defiant to the U.S. and continues to make demands. On Wednesday evening, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian Parliament speaker, mocked Trump in a post on X: "Operation Trust Me Bro failed.”

As negotiations continue, it’s unclear which side will blink first.

Robert Malley, a key U.S. negotiator on the 2015 Iranian deal, told The New York Times that neither side is predictable.

“Trump is impulsive and temperamental,” Malley said. “Iran’s leadership is stubborn and tenacious.”

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

It’s a rapid redistricting push launched just days after the Supreme Court weakened part of the Voting Rights Act. The new map splits Shelby County, which includes Memphis, into three congressional districts. It also eliminates the state’s only majority-Black district, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis.

Legal challenges likely

Cohen told the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Thursday that he will file a lawsuit seeking to keep the new districts from taking effect this year.

"We've been campaigning hard since the filing deadline in March, but since really October," Cohen told the newspaper. "And that's a First Amendment violation. There will be a lawsuit in state court. I will be a plaintiff, among others. If that's effective, Congress District 9, as it's been now, the majority-minority district, will continue to 2028."

The state's congressional primaries are scheduled for Aug. 6.

Republicans defend new map

State House Speaker Cameron Sexton was among the Republicans who defended the new maps.

“The Supreme Court has opined that redistricting, like the judicial system, should be color-blind," he wrote on X. "The decision indicated states can redistrict based off partisan politics.”

The bill also repealed a Tennessee law limiting congressional redistricting to once each decade after the census, allowing lawmakers to redraw maps whenever they choose.

Under the new lines, Memphis no longer sits inside a single congressional district. The map stretches the current Ninth District eastward while dividing large portions of Shelby County among neighboring Republican-leaning districts.

Republicans say the redraw aligns Tennessee with other states revisiting congressional maps after the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map last week.

Democrats accuse GOP of targeting Memphis voters

Democrats and voting-rights advocates say the map is designed to dismantle Black voting power in Memphis and lock in Republican control of the state’s congressional delegation.

Protesters gathered at the Tennessee Capitol throughout the week, with demonstrators interrupting hearings Wednesday before state troopers removed several people from committee rooms.

State Rep. Justin Pearson, a Memphis Democrat running for Congress, accused Republican leaders of conducting the process “completely in secrecy” and said the map was designed to benefit specific Republican candidates.

“What is deeply disturbing is that they have made a map to allow for one particular candidate that they want to win who has spewed racism and hate all across this state, particularly in Memphis,” Pearson said.

Cohen, the Democratic congressman whose Memphis-based district was redrawn, called the bill “a blatant, corrupt power grab” that would weaken Memphis’ voice in Washington.

The redistricting would also affect Middle Tennessee districts, benefiting Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, whose district would no longer include parts of Democratic-leaning Nashville.

More states weigh new congressional maps

Tennessee is among several Republican-led Southern states moving to revisit congressional maps after the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Louisiana has delayed House primaries while lawmakers draft a replacement map, and Republican officials in Alabama and South Carolina are weighing similar changes.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The inquiry involving Ogles’ campaign finances began in 2024 under the Biden administration. The Justice Department agreed this week to return Ogles’ personal phone, which the FBI seized two years ago.

The investigation concerned campaign finance questions that arose when Ogles reported making a $320,000 loan to his campaign committee during his first run for Congress in 2022. WTVF-TV of Nashville reported that Ogles lacked the financial resources to make such a significant loan. 

Ogles later amended a campaign finance filing to show he only loaned $20,000. 

When the discrepancy emerged, he told news outlets that he had originally intended to lend the full $320,000, but the pledge was mistakenly included in his campaign reports. 

In August, 2024, the FBI confiscated his phone to further investigate his finances. However, it agreed not to review material from it or his personal email while he fought to challenge the seizure in court. His challenge was still pending when the government announced it was returning his device.

Ogles’ lawyer, Alex Little, applauded the Justice Department’s decision.

“There’s a hard constitutional line around investigations of sitting members of Congress, and this case shows why that line exists,” Little said in a statement to WTVF. 

Ogles remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. In a report, the committee quoted Ogles’ campaign treasurer as saying the congressman may have overstated the amount of the loan to give the impression he would be able to “buy the primary.”

Ogles is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and has drawn criticism for some of his rhetoric. In March, he called for a ban on immigration from countries with large Muslim populations. “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” he said at the time.

DOJ continues other pursuits

While the Justice Department signaled an end to its Ogles investigation, it has launched numerous probes into politicians, many of whom Trump sees as adversaries.

On Wednesday, for instance, the FBI raided the district office of Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas in Portsmouth, Virginia. She was a leader of the state’s recent congressional redistricting initiative, an effort that proved successful in April when voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing a new congressional map. 

Since Trump’s return to office, the department has also targeted former FBI Director James Comey, Democratic New York state Attorney General Letitia James, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and others.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Rubio’s trip is the first meeting between the head of the Catholic Church and a Trump cabinet member in nearly a year. When asked whether he was visiting to "smooth things over" with the Vatican, Rubio said the trip was planned before tensions arose between the pope and Trump.

He said the two had "a lot to talk about," including humanitarian aid for Cuba and religious freedoms globally, but added, “obviously we had some stuff that happened.”

Tension between the pope, Trump

In the past few weeks, President Donald Trump has criticized the first American pontiff over comments he’s made about the war in Iran. 

It all began when the pope condemned Trump’s threat to “wipe out” an entire civilization in Iran. He urged Americans to contact members of Congress to object. 

Since then, the president has said Pope Leo is not “doing a very good job,” called him a “very liberal person” and accused him of “catering to the radical left.” 

Last month, he told NBC News he was "not a big fan" of the pope, adding, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess.”

His most recent comments came this week, as he spoke to right-wing radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

“The Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good," Trump said.

The rest of Rubio's trip

As Straight Arrow previously reported, in addition to meeting with the pope, the State Department told Straight Arrow Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere.

Italy’s Corriere della Sera reported Rubio hopes to meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and he is expected to hold talks with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Plus, a suicide note allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein before his death is now suddenly public years later. The newly unsealed document raises fresh questions about what investigators knew — and when.

And Mount Everest climbing season is finally underway after weeks of delays. But hundreds of climbers now have to pass beneath a massive new danger.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, May 7, 2026.

Iran reviews Trump’s peace proposal that would reopen Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic

Iran is expected to respond Thursday to the latest U.S. proposal to end the war. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned Tehran of even heavier military strikes if talks collapse.

The U.S. put forward a one-page agreement that would formally end the fighting and open a 30-day window to negotiate bigger issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said the plan would reopen the Strait to global shipping, including Iranian traffic, after weeks of disruption and U.S. enforcement operations in the region.

But even as talks continue, Iran has tightened its grip on the waterway. Tehran announced this week a new governing body that it said will oversee traffic through the strait.

Iran has also denied accusations that it attacked a South Korean cargo ship earlier this week after an explosion and fire broke out onboard in the Strait of Hormuz.

And on Wednesday, Tehran claimed it shot down an American reconnaissance drone over the Strait, even as the White House said the ceasefire remains.

Judge releases Jeffrey Epstein suicide note

Editor’s Note: This story contains descriptions of suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Visit the National Crisis Line website or call or text 988 for immediate support.

A federal judge has released a note allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein before his death inside a Manhattan jail. His former cellmate allegedly discovered the note after Epstein’s first suspected suicide attempt, less than two weeks before he died.

In the letter, Epstein claimed authorities had investigated him for months and “found nothing.” He also wrote, “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.”

The document was unsealed after The New York Times asked a federal judge to release records connected to Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione.

Tartaglione told investigators he found the note inside a book after Epstein was discovered on the floor of their cell in July 2019, with a strip of bedsheet around his neck.

Eleven days later, guards found Epstein dead in his cell in what authorities ruled a suicide. At the time, he was being housed alone despite the earlier incident.

The note had never been publicly released and was not included in prior government reports or in the Justice Department’s recent release of thousands of Epstein-related files.

Lutnick gave evasive and dishonest answers in Epstein questioning: Democrats

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces growing political pressure Thursday after a closed-door interview with House investigators about his ties to Epstein.

Lutnick spent hours with the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, answering questions about his past relationship with Epstein, including a 2012 visit to Epstein’s private island years after Lutnick said he had cut ties with him.

Democrats leaving the meeting blasted Lutnick’s testimony, accusing him of being evasive and dishonest.

“Howard Lutnick should resign,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said. “That was absolutely mind-boggling, what we just heard in the room. He was evasive, nervous. He was dishonest. He would not admit to lying, which he clearly did."

Lutnick has not been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Epstein’s crimes. But lawmakers pressed him over shifting public explanations about their relationship and why he visited the island with his family.

According to members inside the room, Lutnick called the decision “inexplicable” and struggled to explain why he went.

“He's lost all credibility,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. said. “And really, it's a shame that the American people don't get to see what he did there. Total lack of truth and lack of honesty."

Committee Chair James Comer defended the process and said a transcript of the interview will be released publicly.

The testimony is part of a broader congressional investigation into Epstein’s network and the handling of federal files connected to the case, with more high-profile interviews expected in the coming weeks.

Tennessee Republicans redraw districts, carving up Memphis and positioning GOP for nine-seat sweep

Tennessee Republicans have moved quickly to redraw the state’s congressional map after last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on voting rights. And the proposal has already triggered protests and accusations of voter suppression.

The new map would carve Shelby County, including Memphis, into three separate districts, likely giving Republicans a clean sweep of all nine congressional seats and eliminating one Democratic seat.

State House Speaker Cameron Sexton defended the move on X, writing: “The Supreme Court has opined that redistricting, like the judicial system, should be color-blind.”

He added Tennessee is joining other states in redrawing maps based on partisan politics.

Democrats and voting rights groups have condemned the effort as a political power grab targeting Black voters. Protesters flooded the state capitol this week, and police removed several demonstrators from hearings on Wednesday.

"They will eliminate our representative if this goes through. They're trying to push through a white nationalist agenda on our city, and we are not going to have it," protester Bryon Forester said.

The push comes after the Supreme Court weakened part of the Voting Rights Act in April, opening the door for Republican-led states across the South to redraw congressional lines ahead of the midterms.

Tennessee lawmakers are likely to vote on and pass the new map Thursday.

Fulton County loses ballot fight as judge refuses request to return seized 2020 election records

A federal judge has ruled the Justice Department can keep more than 600 boxes of 2020 election ballots seized from Fulton County, Georgia.

The decision is a setback for Fulton County officials, who argued the FBI’s seizure of the ballots earlier this year was illegal. They wanted the materials returned.

The judge did take issue with parts of the FBI’s search warrant, calling some of the government’s filings “defective” and “troubling.” But he also ruled the county failed to clear the high legal threshold needed to force the federal government to return the original ballots while the investigation continues.

The Justice Department said it is looking into possible irregularities in Fulton County’s 2020 election. Georgia’s results were counted three times — including a full hand recount — and each review confirmed Joe Biden’s win in the state.

Fulton County leaders said they strongly disagree with the ruling and are now considering their next legal steps.

Everest climbers face massive ice threat suspended above summit route

Climbing season is about to get underway on Mount Everest, and if hiking to about 29,000 is not daunting enough, there’s a major new danger hanging over part of the route to the summit.

An enormous, unstable block of ice hangs above a section of the trail that climbers and guides use to reach the top of the world.

About 400 climbers have been waiting at Everest Base Camp — more than 17,000 feet above sea level — as guides monitor the ice, which has developed multiple cracks and could collapse without warning.

The delay has now stretched close to two weeks, but officials said the climb will move forward.

Sherpa guides have already installed the fixed ropes and aluminum ladders needed to cross the Khumbu Icefall,  one of the most dangerous sections of the mountain.

Climbers have been told to move through the area as quickly and carefully as possible, with only one person allowed on each ladder at a time to limit vibrations around the massive ice block.

More from Straight Arrow:

Millennial dads lapping their fathers on diaper duty and doctor visits

Millennial fathers are becoming far more involved in childcare compared to older generations. Scholars told Straight Arrow that it’s all a product of society.

An analysis in macroeconomics publication Home Economics found that millennial dads are outpacing older generations in time spent on childcare, according to numbers sourced from the American Time Use Survey. The rise comes as groups like Pints and Ponytails become popularized and parents advocate for better subsidized childcare and parent-friendly leave policies. 

The analysis also comes at a time when parents report spending more money on childcare than on other necessities. 

“It’s no longer the norm that fathers are out of the household and mothers do the childcare, but it’s more balanced,” Aziz Sunderji, strategist at Home Economics, told Straight Arrow on Wednesday. “It’s a huge change from where it was 50 years ago.”

Read the full story now>

U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee ruled the county failed to meet the high legal bar required to force the return of the records. But the judge didn't spare the federal government, calling the FBI's search warrant paperwork "defective" and "troubling."

The DOJ investigation

The ruling allows the Justice Department to keep the materials as it investigates alleged "irregularities" in the county's 2020 election. This comes despite Georgia verifying the 2020 results three separate times, including a manual hand recount, with every tally confirming Joe Biden’s victory.

Federal authorities say they are probing possible violations of election laws, including rules on retaining records and submitting fraudulent ballots. However, a government lawyer admitted in court that an actual indictment "remains to be seen."

The next battleground

Fulton County leaders say they strongly disagree with the decision and are weighing their next legal steps. Their immediate focus now shifts to a separate fight. The Justice Department recently subpoenaed the names and contact information of thousands of local 2020 election workers and volunteers. Fulton County has filed a motion to throw that demand out, claiming it is nothing more than political harassment.

This legal clash feeds into a much wider push. The Trump administration is currently using federal law enforcement to target other key battlegrounds, recently demanding 2020 election files from Maricopa County, Arizona, and 2024 ballots from Wayne County, Michigan.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

No, that’s not the cast of a new Peacock show that gets suggested after you binge “Love Island” or the latest random cast of “Dancing with the Stars.” That’s some of the more-than-60 certified candidates to be the next governor of California.

While the candidate roster is deep, polling shows there are a few favorites, but it’s far from a runaway.

Fringe candidates

Nearly seven million Californians voted for former President Barack Obama in 2012. For the nearly 40 million potential voters in the Golden State this fall, Yes We Can make sure they understand the Obama in this governor’s race is not the same Obama who ran this country for eight years.

Barack D. Obama Shaw is a Black man affiliated with the Democratic Party. That’s about where the similarities end when it comes to running for a major office.

The former president was a sitting U.S. senator in Illinois, who wowed the country and party leaders with his famous eloquence at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 before winning in 2008.

Mr. Shaw was originally born Cecil L. Shaw III before legally changing his name to invoke the 44^th president in 2013. Shaw said the change was due to the hope Obama brought to the world.

If you’re wondering what the ‘D’ stands for in his new name, it’s un-D-fined.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shaw has a limited public profile and his answers to an OC Register questionnaire were kept relatively short. He also has 314 Instagram followers, which is 0.0007% of the followers former President Obama has and significantly less than even former President George H.W. Bush’s service dog.

While Shaw is the only candidate attempting to invoke a former world leader’s name in the race, he’s clearly far from the only candidate who has an incredibly long shot to Sacramento.

There are also people like Margaret Trowe, who’s officially listed as a hotel worker. She’s also a women’s rights activist and a former vice-presidential candidate of the 2000 presidential election with her running mate and presidential candidate James Harris.

The pair did manage to finish seventh in the state of Minnesota 26 years ago, four years before the launch of Facebook.

There are also several certified candidates who just listed “father” on that certification.

Being a dad doesn’t hurt in major politics. The last man to get elected president without being a father was Warren G. Harding in 1920. All but five presidents had kids, but being a dad may not be enough to get to a major political office.

But that didn’t stop Lukasz Adam Filinski, Dawit Kellel and others from putting that down.

Sam Sandak is also on the official list. Sandak is most known as a Hollywood writer/producer and was once an uncredited guitar player on an episode of “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.”

Another novelly named candidate deserves a mention. “LivingForGod AndCountry DeMott” successfully made it to the ballot. 

Real candidates

If you’re wondering how bonkers this race has been, two of the three candidates named in the opening sentences are still relatively serious candidates.

Former congressman Eric Swalwell has officially dropped out of the race after significant sexual assault allegations, but will still appear on the ballot and is likely to still get some votes.

The current leader in the latest polling is former Fox host Steve Hilton, who refuses to admit former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

Alongside Hilton is former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who received a significant bump after Swalwell dropped out.

Third in polling is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, which is why some Democratic leaders are concerned the very blue state could end up with a Republican governor after November because of the jungle primary. That means the two candidates who get the most votes in the primary move to the general, regardless of political party.

That could be Hilton and Bianco if Democratic voters get spread too thin. Bianco has had his own issues in recent months, including a questionable recount attempt of ballots in California’s redistricting.

Other high-polling Democrats include billionaire Tom Steyer, who’s using those deep pockets to run nonstop TV and radio ads but has come under fire from counterattack ads.

Then there’s San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who has the financial backing of Silicon Valley but, frankly, no one knows who he is.

He’s followed by former congresswoman Katie Porter, who’s had her own issues make headlines.

What happens next?

At this point, who knows?

The deadline for candidates to file has passed, so it’ll be one of the fathers, or former congresspeople, or Obama or any of these other folks who will win the election.

That’s unless Mickey Mouse somehow gets enough write-in votes. If you are going to vote in this election, experts recommend avoiding a write-in for Mickey or Harambe the dead gorilla or Kanye West.

All we know for sure is that voters will hit the polls on June 2 and the top two vote-getters will duke it out in November for control of America’s most populous state.

So, good luck.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

According to The Associated Press, FBI agents executed a court-authorized search at the district office of Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas in Portsmouth. Fox News reported that the investigation was also related to illegal cannabis sales, but authorities have not confirmed that detail. The outlet stated the FBI also raided a dispensary she co-owns located next to her office.

The AP notes that the investigation is just one of many Justice Department investigations that target perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump. In the past, the DOJ has launched multiple investigations into former FBI Director James Comey, with the most recent occurring last week. The Justice Department also targeted Democratic New York state Attorney General Letitia James, who led a major civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his organization. A court later dismissed James’ case and Comey’s first investigation. 

Fox News said that Lucas arrived at her office as FBI agents were searching the building. She said she didn't understand why they were there. Several outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and NBC News, report that the investigation began under the Biden administration. The Journal stated the authorities were examining possible bribery and corruption related to cannabis dispensaries.

Lucas was a vocal leader in the state’s recent push to redistrict, according to the AP. In April, voters approved the constitutional amendment authorizing a Democrat-drawn congressional map that gave Democrats the chance to pick up four additional seats previously held by Republicans.

The redistricting effort began after Trump pushed Republican states to redraw their districts to give them an advantage in the midterms, beginning with Texas. The state quickly redrew its map, giving Republicans up to five more reliably red districts. 

This kicked off a national gerrymandering fight with California reacting to Texas. Virginia’s redistricting remains uncertain as it continues to work its way through the courts. 

Dispensary raided

Photos from the scene showed about a dozen heavily armed FBI agents raiding a marijuana dispensary next door to Lucas’ office. Fox News reported that the lawmaker was the co-owner of the business. Authorities placed at least three men into custody, the Virginia Mercury reported. 

Lucas was a major proponent of Virginia’s marijuana legalization push that lawmakers passed in 2021. 

The dispensary the FBI raided has faced previous issues, Fox News reported. The store faced scrutiny after an investigation found it sold some products with wrong labels or exceeded the legal limit of THC. The publication did not say whether the store faced any legal penalties for the issue. 

Virginia state Democratic House Speaker Don Scott asked people to wait for the full details to come out, saying authorities have not charged her with a crime. 

“At this point we simply do not know what this ultimately means,” Scott said in a statement. “Right now, there is far more theatrics and speculation than actual information available to the public.”

He also questioned how Fox News knew about the raid so fast and was at the scene before anyone else. 

“How was Fox News, a national media outlet, first on the scene? Did they know about the raid beforehand? If so, who approved that?” Scott asked.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Iran has devastated at least 228 military assets and buildings spread across Middle Eastern bases, according to a Washington Post review. The 15 affected locations suffered hits to vital infrastructure, including troop housing, aircraft hangars, fuel reserves and highly sophisticated radar and missile-defense systems.

Why the damage count could change the war’s cost and meaning

The broader picture of damage could change how the public understands both the military cost of the Iran war and the vulnerability of U.S. forces in the region. CNN reported that some facilities are heavily damaged or, in some cases, effectively unusable, and that rebuilding and replacing damaged assets could add billions of dollars to the war’s cost.

The question is no longer just how much the United States spent on munitions and offensive operations. It is also how much it will cost to rebuild damaged bases, replace scarce systems and determine whether some locations are still worth restoring.

What the satellite imagery shows

According to The Post, the conflict has claimed the lives of seven U.S. service members at regional installations since late February, while the number of wounded troops surpassed 400 by the end of April. Military leaders categorized a dozen of those injuries as serious.

The Post tracked strikes across 15 locations, noting that the bulk of the wreckage occurred at four primary hubs: the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and Camp Buehring, Camp Arifjan and Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait. 

Wreckage was identified at fuel depots and satellite hubs, THAAD interceptors and Patriot defense systems.

A separate CNN investigation found physical fallout at a minimum of 16 American military footprints spanning eight nations. Its reporting highlighted losses that included radar systems, radome structures that protect radar antennae, command-and-control facilities and an E-3 Sentry aircraft. 

CNN said the plane alone is worth nearly half a billion dollars.

U.S. Central Command officials would not comment on the specific physical losses, The Post reported. Instead, a representative cautioned that evaluating battlefield destruction is a complicated process and said that a comprehensive debriefing will have to wait until the war is officially over.

Why the price tag is still rising

The financial toll is also under intense scrutiny. The Pentagon has said the war is expected to cost $25 billion — but that omits the cost of base repairs, according to three insiders who spoke with CNN.

One source told CNN the real total could be closer to $40 billion to $50 billion once reconstruction and replacement costs are included.

That gap matters because Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst told lawmakers that the department still does not "have a final number for what the damage is to our installations overseas." According to CNN, Hurst also said repair costs are not reflected in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget request because officials are still deciding what to rebuild and whether partner nations might share some of the burden.

Experts who reviewed the imagery said the strikes were precise and exposed weaknesses in U.S. force protection, especially against drones and missile attacks.

What the Pentagon still has to decide

What comes next depends on both military and budget decisions.

According to The Post, officials are weighing whether to permanently scale back the U.S. footprint at certain regional outposts, though a formal decision is still pending. Operations at the Naval Support Activity base in Bahrain have been heavily disrupted by "extensive" destruction, prompting the military to shift that headquarters back stateside to Florida’s MacDill Air Force Base.

CNN reported that Pentagon officials are still deciding whether damaged installations should be rebuilt as they were, rebuilt differently or potentially abandoned.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

During an interview on Monday on the Salem News Channel, Trump accused the first American pope of wanting Iran to have nuclear weapons.

“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics, and a lot of people, but I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

It’s not the first time Trump has made comments like that about the pontiff. Last month, Trump said Leo is not “doing a very good job” and that “he’s a very liberal person,” accusing him of “catering to the radical left.”

Those comments were in response to the pope condemning Trump’s threat to “wipe out” an entire civilization in Iran and urging Americans to contact their Congress members and object.

In a lengthy social media post on April 12, Trump said, “I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He’s a very liberal person and he’s a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime. He is a man that doesn’t think that we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world. I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”

Pope Leo responds

While Pope Leo did not directly respond to Trump’s latest comments, he did tactfully push back.

“If anyone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully,” the pope said in comments transcribed from Italian by Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes. “The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that.”

Rubio to meet with pope

The harsh exchanges come days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with the pope at the Vatican on Thursday. The meeting is an attempt for the U.S. and the Vatican to “better understand each other, and … if there are differences, certainly to talk through that,” according to Brian Burch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

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Unbiased. Straight Facts.^TM

White evangelical Protestants, the most pro-Trump religious bloc of Americans, viewed Trump’s posting a photo depicting himself as Jesus negatively by a 9:10 ratio, according to a Washington Post poll.

“I don’t accept the idea that somehow there’s some deep rift,” Burch told reporters on Tuesday.

Ahead of his visit, Rubio said he expected to have a “frank” meeting with Leo, but that the purpose of the trip is not about smoothing over relations between the Trump administration and the Vatican.

“The trip is really not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage, and other secretaries of state have done that in the past,” Rubio said at a press conference Tuesday.

Rubio said two areas he hopes to focus on are the distribution of humanitarian aid in Cuba and addressing “the challenges that are being faced by Christians in Africa.”

Americans are critical of Trump admin’s religion-related messages

A new poll shows that while Americans have a positive view of Pope Leo, they don’t of how the Trump administration has handled religion-related messaging.

Eighty-seven percent of Americans say they have a negative view of a now-deleted social media post Trump shared last month, appearing to depict himself as Jesus. That includes his own party – with 80% of those who voted for Trump in 2024 and 79% of Republicans viewing it negatively.

Americans also aren’t too keen on a recent prayer by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in which he prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy” at the Pentagon. Sixty-nine percent said they disliked that prayer.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

The funding is included in a broader $72 billion reconciliation bill focused largely on immigration enforcement, but Democrats are seizing on the ballroom money as a symbol of misplaced priorities. 

Why this matters politically

Democrats argue the proposal undercuts Republican messaging on costs and the middle class, and gives them a simple, tangible example to take to voters. 

"It's an outrageous betrayal of hardworking families who want lower costs, not a golden ballroom," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

Others accuse Republicans of funneling taxpayer money into a project that was initially described as privately funded.

From private promise to public funding 

When Trump first unveiled his ballroom, he repeatedly said it would be paid for by private donors, “not one penny” from taxpayers.

Now, the White House says the $1 billion request is tied to security upgrades following the attempted attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, framing the project as a safety measure, not a luxury addition.

“Due in part to the recent assassination attempt on President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the proposal would provide the United States Secret Service with the resources they need to fully and completely harden the White House complex,” the spokesperson said.

Republicans have echoed that argument, calling the ballroom necessary to better secure large events at the White House. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the structure would create a “safe environment” for events, with other Republicans calling the ballroom both “imperative” and “common sense.” 

Democrats call it a ‘bait and switch’

Democrats are leaning hard into that shift, saying they don’t have Americans’ best interests at heart. 

"Republicans are ignoring middle-class needs and funneling money into Trump's ballroom while throwing billions at two lawless agencies," Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said. 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., spoke to NBC News about the proposal, saying “This has been a bait and switch: promising it would be privately funded and now, apparently, taxpayers will be on the hook for it.”

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., also spoke up. 

“This is tragically another example of President Trump promising one thing and doing another,” he said. “Of saying he was going to do something great for the American people and instead demolishing the historic East Wing without any serious consultation or public input.” 

Democrats are expected to try to strip the funding from the bill when it reaches the Senate floor later this month.

But regardless of the outcome, the issue is quickly turning into a political football for both parties ahead of November.

Round out your reading

• First, it was the schools. Now they’re coming for your cellphone at work.
• Why one of America’s top economic forecasters is worried about a recession.
• AI companies may not be adhering to their own guidelines — with potentially deadly outcomes.
• Data centers are a thorny issue for Democrats. Maine shows us why.
• We’re building a new Straight Arrow. Help us shape our future by taking our survey.

Plus, primary results deliver a split signal ahead of November. Trump reshapes the GOP in Indiana while Democrats lock in key ground elsewhere.

And the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak takes another turn. Passengers remain stranded, as officials now clash over where the ship can even dock.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Trump pauses Project Freedom allowing time for broader peace negotiations

President Donald Trump has paused his plan to have the U.S. military escort cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media post, Trump said Pakistan and other mediators made the request, calling it a temporary step as negotiators work toward a broader peace deal. He said the escort plan, known as “Project Freedom,” will be “paused for a short period of time.”

And there may be a reason why.

White House officials told Axios that the U.S. is close to a one-page agreement with Iran — a memorandum of understanding that could end the war and set the stage for broader nuclear talks.

Sources said it would include a pause on Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief and a path to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, nothing is final.

For now, Trump said the U.S. will maintain a full blockade of Iranian ships and ports. While issuing a warning Tuesday at the White House, the president confirmed that “great progress” was being made toward a final agreement.

"They should do the smart thing, you know, they should do the smart thing,” Trump said. “Because we don't want to go in and kill people. No, I don't want to, I don't want to. It's too tough. Great people, I know the people, I have so many Iranian friends from New York and from other places over the years, they're great people. I don't want to, I don't want to kill those people."

Iran has framed the move very differently, with state media calling it a U.S. backdown after what it described as “firm warnings” from Tehran.

This all comes after Iran announced new restrictions for ships moving through the Strait, requiring permits and designated routes, and warning of “decisive action” for any violations.

Indiana primaries deliver wins for Trump as candidates defeat Republicans who broke from the president

Primary results in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan are highlighting a split political landscape:

Trump is flexing his power within the GOP, while Democrats gain key momentum heading into the midterms.

In Indiana, Trump-backed candidates ousted most of the Republican state senators who opposed his redistricting push.

Five of the seven targeted incumbents lost, with one holding on and another race still too close to call.

In Michigan, Democrat Chedrick Greene won a special election, locking in his party’s majority in the state senate.

It's a good sign for Democrats in the battleground states ahead of November's midterms.

And in Ohio, former Sen. Sherrod Brown won the Democratic nomination in a special election, setting up a November showdown with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to the seat last year.

Also in Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy won his party’s nomination for governor and will face democrat Amy Acton in the general election.

Spain agrees to accept stranded cruise ship, but regional president expresses skepticism

There's a new twist this morning in the cruise ship virus outbreak.

Spain says it will take the ship, but officials in the Canary Islands are now pushing back.

Nearly 150 passengers and crew, including 17 Americans, remain on that ship, the MV Hondius, after a hantavirus cluster killed three people and sickened others.

Health officials have identified seven cases so far, two confirmed and five suspected, including one person still in critical condition.

Spain's central government says the ship can head to the Canary Islands for treatment and a full investigation.

But the region's president is opposing that plan, saying there's not enough information to guarantee public safety.

The World Health Organization says some limited human-to-human transmission may have occurred, but emphasizes the risk to the broader public is low.

Three people are now being medically evacuated. Once that’s complete, the ship is expected to sail to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities will take over, conduct a full investigation, and begin disinfecting the vessel.

Officials believe the virus may have originated during excursions earlier in the trip, possibly through contact with infected rodents, but the exact source is still under investigation. The cruise originated in Argentina in March and has been at sea for about seven weeks. 

Earlier, Straight Arrow spoke with public health expert Professor Lawrence Gostin, an internationally recognized scholar at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University, who directs the World Health Organization Center on Global Health Law.

Straight Arrow asked him how passengers likely contracted hantavirus:

CRAIG NIGRELLI: Are we looking at person-to-person transfer of this virus? 

LAWRENCE GOSTIN: It's very unlikely there is one strain of Hantavirus that's found in southern South America, in this far southern tip of South America, that is person-to-person transmitted, but it's rare that ship did cruise in that area, but it's an unlikely possibility. The more likely possibility is that it's a rodent-borne disease — mice or rat droppings, urine. Sometimes it aerosolizes in the air, and you can breathe it in. And there are two forms of Hantavirus disease, both very, very serious and potentially lethal. One is a pulmonary form that basically affects your breathing and your lungs, and the other one is a hemorrhagic fever, which primarily affects your kidneys, and both of them are very dangerous, and unless you get very intensive care, can lead to death because there is no known treatment for either form of the disease.

NIGRELLI: Is there a risk for those 140 or so passengers who are still on board?

GOSTIN: Well, they're a considerable risk, but not for that reason. It's very unlikely that, being in close quarters, you'll contract the virus from another person. What's much more likely is, is that many of them have already been exposed to these contaminated rat or mice droppings, and they're going to get very, very sick… Before they get very sick, they're going to need to get strong, supportive care and then ultimately, intensive care. And the ship medics don't have the capacity to do that, so these individuals who are exposed need to be in a place where they can get good, supportive medical care, including intensive care. The ship itself can only provide basic medical care.

WHCD shooting: Suspect faces new charge for allegedly firing on federal officer

The man accused of trying to kill Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner now faces an additional federal charge as new court documents detail exactly what the suspect had with him.

A federal grand jury has indicted Cole Tomas Allen on four counts, including attempted assassination of the president and multiple weapons charges. Prosecutors have now added a new count, alleging that he assaulted a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

Court filings said Allen traveled from California to Washington, D.C., in the days before the April 25 attack, carrying a 12-gauge pump shotgun, a .38-caliber pistol and about 100 rounds of ammunition. Investigators said he used that shotgun to fire at a federal officer identified only by initials in the indictment.

The new charge makes clear prosecutors believe Allen pulled the trigger, but his defense team is challenging whether he intended to kill.

Allen has not entered a plea and is scheduled for arraignment on May 11.

Rolling Stones to release first new album in 18 years this summer

The Rolling Stones announced they will release a new album, “Foreign Tongues,” on July 10. It’s the group’s first new album in 18 years.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are all back with a 14-track record that also features an appearance by the late drummer Charlie Watts, using one of his final recordings.

The lead track “Rough and Twisted” was quietly released last month on limited white-label vinyl.

The album has been described as forward-leaning, blending new production and technology with the classic Stones sound.

More from Straight Arrow:

Have we reached the end of the DIY era?

New home subscription services aim to put your honey-do list on autopilot. By signing up for regularly scheduled services that monitor and maintain important systems, homeowners will save money, hassle and headaches, the reasoning goes, while steady cash flow helps contractors stay in business. Win-win, right?

Maybe, maybe not. Even as companies of all sizes, from national retailer Lowe’s to local contractors, are pitching subscriptions, some contractors who waded in early have tempered their enthusiasm, finding that consumers are wary of hidden costs and conflicts.

Read the full story now>