It was a spectacle, with a presidential birthday and an Iran peace deal as context and background. “UFC Freedom 250,” a primetime fight night that played out just steps from the White House on Sunday night, combined sports and the office of the president in a way never seen before. Reactions to the event fell sharply along partisan lines, but the event…
President Donald Trump’s demand that Congress attach a voter identification bill to an extension of a government spy program will complicate efforts to pass reauthorization of the intelligence authority. Over the weekend, the president urged Congress to tie the SAVE America Act to a renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, warning […]
The U.S.-Iran deal was signed electronically on Sunday by President Trump, Vice President Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, senior administration officials told reporters on Monday. Why it matters: The deal is already testing whether Washington and Tehran can turn a battlefield pause into a broader settlement — starting with the Strait of Hormuz, and then moving to the far thornier question of Iran's nuclear program.State of play: A 60-day ceasefire extension is in effect, U.S. officials say, including in Lebanon. But the Strait of Hormuz is not expected to begin reopening until after a formal signing ceremony Friday in Geneva.Vance, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet Friday with Pakistani and Qatari mediators to discuss the next phase.U.S. officials say the full text of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be released in the next 24-48 hours, though Trump said it might not be published until after it's signed.The big picture: Washington and Tehran are racing to shape the narrative around a deal that few people have actually read, but which markets, world leaders and ordinary citizens are already reacting to.The U.S. says relief for Iran will be tied to performance. Iranian state media has described a more generous package.Shipping companies say they're waiting for clearer guarantees from Tehran before sending cargo through the Strait of Hormuz.Hawks in Washington and Israel are pressing the White House to explain exactly what Iran is getting — and what happens if nuclear talks fail.Breaking it down: Here are eight key questions that are still swirling around the deal.The White House did not respond to the questions when asked by Axios.1. Is the deal actually in effect?The MOU was signed electronically on Sunday, with a more formal signing ceremony to be held on Friday in Switzerland.The 60-day extension of the ceasefire took immediate effect, but the strait is not yet fully open.While Trump announced the "immediate" lifting of the U.S. blockade and opening of the strait on Sunday, he later said it would open on Friday once the ceremony takes place.A U.S. defense official said the military was ordered to prepare to lift the blockade Friday.Trump claimed Monday that ships were already moving, though Iranian state media said the status of the strait was unchanged.2. Will the strait be truly "open"?The U.S. side has consistently said the deal would open the strait without "tolls" or any other restrictions. A regional diplomat involved in the mediation told Axios last week that the deal called for shipping volumes through the strait to return to prewar levels within 30 days. But Iranian officials have told state media the strait won't simply return to "pre-war status," and that Iran will retain some level of control.The Fars news agency reported that Iran had agreed not to impose tolls during the 60 days, but would begin charging safety and environmental fees after that.The intrigue: A senior administration official said there would be a "regional dialogue" on the future of the strait and how to ensure it will never be closed again.State of play: Shipping companies are moving cautiously. Maersk and others have said they're waiting for more clarity and guarantees of safety, and some analysts doubt volumes will actually return to the pre-war norm any time soon.A senior administration official told reporters the U.S. expects volumes to increase significantly over the next two weeks, though probably not to return to normal."Some crews want to see a little bit more stability for the next couple of days, maybe the next couple of weeks," the official said.3. What does Iran get?Both sides agree that Iran gets two big things: an end to the fighting, and sanctions waivers to allow oil exports. That alone would generate much-needed revenue for Tehran, but Iranian state media has claimed the government is also getting billions of dollars in frozen funds just for signing.A senior U.S. official adamantly denied that, saying Iran would only get access to those funds based on a "pay for performance model." The full economic benefits of the deal, the U.S. side says, depend on signing a more detailed nuclear accord.Some skeptics of the deal have raised concerns there might be side agreements that give Iran access to cash immediately, though the White House calls that "misinformation."Yes, but: The senior administration official said the U.S. was prepared to make some "small gestures" early in the process on frozen funds and sanctions relief if Iran made similar "gestures" reflecting their willingness to comply with the deal.4. Do they agree about what's been agreed?The U.S.
Celebrities including Bette Midler and Robert De Niro faced widespread online mockery for their anti-Trump concert meant to counter-program his UFC event.
President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron avoided any public tussles over foreign policy at the opening events of the G7 summit in Evian, France, on Monday. The two leaders have had a complicated relationship during Trump’s second term as the United States imposed “Liberation Day” tariffs on most trade partners, pressured the NATO […]
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) called on the Trump administration Monday to brief Congress immediately on the “understanding” with Iran that President Trump says would reopen the Strait of Hormuz but leaves the future of Iran’s nuclear program for later talks. “The American people deserve details and full transparency – what exactly is in…
Washington Examiner White House reporter Christian Datoc described the various political, military, and diplomatic pressures on President Donald Trump as the United States nears a peace deal with Iran. “Ultimately, President Trump has a mountain to climb, not only because of ending the war itself, but kind of countering growing public dissatisfaction with the way […]
On Monday, a new Supreme Court announcement complicated the fate of a settlement paid by the Department of Justice to an ally of President Donald Trump, turning down a request by Trump 2016 advisor Carter Page to revive a lawsuit filed against former FBI director James Comey and others. The Trump administration had previously paid Page a $1.25 million settlement tied to the lawsuit, but now the top court’s decision means that the case prompting the payout had no legal merit. The matter dates back to the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election, during which Page was targeted with a FISA wiretap due to allegations surrounding his travel to Russia, which fueled rumors about Trump’s ties to the Kremlin. While Page was never charged with a crime, a DOJ investigation during Trump’s first term turned up errors and omissions that made Page appear more suspicious than he was in order to justify the surveillance. As the New York Times notes, “Although the wiretapping was just a part of a much larger investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump and his allies used it to try to broadly discredit the inquiry.”Page filed suit against Comey and seven others in 2020, claiming that the public revelations of his surveillance had harmed his reputation and business. While lower courts dismissed his claims, saying that he had taken too long to file them, he appealed to the Supreme Court. Then in April, while waiting on the Court’s decision, the Trump administration abruptly agreed to the $1.25 million settlement, paying Page even though an inspector general — and appointee of George H.W. Bush — said he could find no evidence that the case against Page had been motivated by political bias. Though the settlement was reached, his appeal to the Supreme Court continued. Now the Court has declined to revive the suit, including the decision among a list of others it has elected to decline or accept without further explanation. While this ends the lawsuit, it also likely raises new questions about the legality of the settlement, as the case it was based upon has essentially been deemed invalid. The settlement is among several similar recent payments or efforts that have raised controversy. The Trump administration also paid $1.2 million to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who faced allegations of misconduct in the Russia investigation. More recently, the Trump administration drew bipartisan outrage by announcing the creation of a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” for the benefit of those “harmed” by the Biden administration. The fund, which was widely decried as a “slush fund” for Trump’s allies, has been stymied by the courts as well as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, though the president has persisted in pursuing it.
Shane Gillis made it clear that he wasn't a fan of UFC fighter Josh Hokit insulting former First lady Michelle Obama while President Donald Trump had a different reaction.The right-leaning comedian was leaving the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House Sunday night when TMZ asked him what he thought about the false and offensive remark from the 28-year-old mixed martial arts athlete. "Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” Hokit said inside the Octogon during an interview with Joe Rogan. The crowd booed and cheered — Trump apparently smiled while he sat ringside, CNN reported. Gillis told TMZ he didn't agree."I didn't love that," Gillis said. Charlie Cotton, co-managing editor of TMZ DC, asked him in response: "How come?" "Why do you think?" Gillis responded.Trump reportedly praised Hokit on Air Force One on Monday, reported David Gardner for The Swamp, The Daily Beast's Substack."As he flew off to meet world leaders in France today for the G-7 summit, Donald Trump made a point of congratulating by name the UFC fighters who starred in his tawdry cage fight on the White House lawn on Sunday night," Gardner wrote."Among them was Josh Hokit, the repugnant thug who made a vile slur against former First Lady Michelle Obama in an interview with Joe Rogan after he won his bout," Gardner explained.Trump has said in the past that Hokit was his favorite UFC fighter and that he had specifically requested for him to be on the bill for his 80th birthday bash."And it’s not the first time the fighter has tried to spread the baseless conspiracy theory that Obama is a man. He has said it in previous ring interviews," Gardner added.Shane Gillis tells @hicharliecotton he didn't love Josh Hokit calling Michelle Obama a "man" pic.twitter.com/ehiFuQY3wP— TMZ (@TMZ) June 15, 2026