Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Iran Conflict: President Trump Says US Will Leave Iran In "Two Or Three Weeks," Will Address Nation Tonight
The Iran war appears to be entering a new phase, as President Trump told reporters yesterday that he expects U.S. military operations against Iran to wrap up in about two to three weeks. Trump said negotiations between the two countries are underway, though he said a formal deal is not required to end the conflict. On the topic of rising gas prices, which hit $4 a gallon nationally yesterday for the first time since 2022, Trump said prices would fall once the U.S. exits Iran. Trump also distanced the U.S. from responsibility for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping chokepoint that has been effectively closed to tanker traffic throughout the conflict. In a Truth Social post yesterday, he wrote, "Go get your own oil!" directed at U.S. allies who have relied on the strait for energy imports. Trump will address the nation tonight at 9 p.m. ET to provide what the White House described as an important update on Iran.
2 Artemis II Set To Launch At 5:24 PM Tonight
NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years, was on track last night for a launch tonight as engineers completed final preparations. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39B were set to be fueled beginning around 7:34 a.m. this morning, with liftoff scheduled for 5:24 p.m. during a two-hour window. The four-person crew, Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, spent yesterday reviewing flight plans and getting ready. Engineers said they were not dealing with any significant technical problems and reported 80-percent favorable weather odds for the launch window.
3 President Trump Signs Executive Order On Mail-In Ballots And Federal Voting Lists
President Trump signed an executive order yesterday tightening rules around mail-in voting and directing the federal government to create lists of eligible U.S. citizen voters in each state. The order instructs the U.S. Postal Service to only send mail-in ballots to people on those federally prepared lists, and ties state compliance to federal funding. Critics immediately vowed to challenge the order in court, arguing the Constitution gives states, not the president, authority over election rules. Democratic election attorney Marc Elias pledged to sue if the order was signed; Trump signed the order despite having voted by mail himself in Florida's special election earlier this month.