Newsweek is reporting that President Donald Trump announced early Friday he was headed to the Situation Room to make a "final determination" on a deal with Tehran, stating that ships in the Strait of Hormuz could begin heading home as the blockade would be lifted. The Associated Press said the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium remains a key unresolved issue.
Newsweek is also reporting that a federal judge temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund." It said the judge sided with critics and Republican skeptics who argue the program lacks legal footing and accountability.
Newsweek editors are analyzing the 2022 midterms, noting that despite favorable conditions for Republicans, including then-President Joe Biden's low approval and high inflation, the predicted "red wave" did not materialize. Newsweek said Republicans gained only nine House seats and failed to retake the Senate, calling it one of the strongest midterm performances by a governing party in decades. It said this outcome should serve as a lesson for Democrats heading into 2026, suggesting that wave conditions do not reliably translate into wave results and that the infrastructure for blunting waves has changed.
Newsweek is reporting that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's victory over John Cornyn in the GOP primary runoff could be as consequential for the Republican Party as a November win. It said Paxton's success demonstrated that "MAGA grassroots efforts" can defeat the Republican establishment.
Newsweek is reporting that Americans are grappling with rising fuel costs and the threat of economy-wide price increases three months after U.S.-Israeli strikes triggered war with Iran. It said researchers estimate consumers have spent nearly $50 billion more on gas and diesel since February 28, with economists predicting a yearslong drain on personal finances.
Newsweek is reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to India, officially framed around the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, served as damage control following a period of strained India-U.S. relations. It said tensions included tariffs, renewed U.S. engagement with Pakistan, and doubts about the Quad's political urgency.
Newsweek is reporting that the Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll, who accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault.
Newsweek is reporting on a new AP-NORC poll indicating that only 27% of Americans believe the U.S. remains a great place for immigrants today. It also said the White House launched a new website mapping immigration arrests across the U.S., using imagery and language that it said echo science-fiction depictions of extraterrestrial invasions.