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Today's top stories
President Trump has been referring to the war in Iran in the past tense, despite the fact that peace talks in Pakistan stalled out over the weekend. Pakistan sent its interior minister and military chief to Tehran yesterday. Trump has made bold claims about the war nearing its end since just a couple of weeks after it started. Despite his claims that the U.S. has decimated Iran and that the war is almost over, 13 swing voters who participated in two online focus groups on Tuesday said they wouldn't describe the military action as going well.
- 🎧 Trump often uses vague language, which makes him and his objectives hard to pin down, NPR's Tamara Keith tells Up First. The president's attempts to declare victory are a sign that he wants the conflict to end. Tevi Troy, a presidential historian who served in the George W. Bush administration, told Keith that as wars evolve, U.S. presidents often explain to the American people why their missions change. Troy says that Trump's style allows him more flexibility than others have had, but that only goes so far.
- 🎧 The bulk of oil and gas exports from the Gulf remain stuck amid the U.S. forces' blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's closing of the crucial waterway. Oil prices have surged by about 40% since the war began, according to NPR's Aya Batrawy. Ellen Wald, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center, says there is a severe supply chain crisis affecting fertilizers, aluminum, liquefied natural gas, polymers, plastics and diesel for construction and agriculture. While Americans are currently seeing higher gas prices and haven't felt it in other areas, Wald says that the longer the conflict continues, the more prices across the economy will increase.
- ➡️ Airlines are facing rising costs, and Airports Council International Europe, a group representing airport operators, has warned of a potential "systemic jet fuel shortage" if traffic through the Strait doesn't normalize by month's end.
- ➡️ Key questions remain unanswered about the sustainability of the U.S.' blockade. History suggests that naval blockades are difficult to enforce and the results can often be unpredictable.
High-profile Trump supporters, including Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, are defending the president in his dispute with Pope Leo XIV. A recent NPR/Ipsos survey found just 39% of Americans said America is a moral authority, down from 60% in 2017. Many Christians were offended by the AI-generated image the president posted on social media depicting him as a Jesus-like figure. Trump deleted the image amid backlash.
- 🎧 Pope Leo's criticism of Trump's actions came around the time the survey was released, highlighting a vulnerable moment for the president, according to NPR's Domenico Montanaro. Trump and Leo hold two of the highest-profile positions in the world. The American president represents a superpower and the pope represents a moral power, Montanaro says. He adds that American presidents also want to be seen as moral authorities, as it can help them sell their worldview. Trump has experienced some declines in support among white evangelicals and Latinos. The latter group was critical in helping Trump win Catholic votes in 2024. The shifts in support likely stem from negative views of the economy and war rather than religion, Montanaro says.
- ➡️ Popes have historically addressed political issues, historians of religion say. But Trump's insults towards the pope are unprecedented. Here's a brief overview of how modern popes have spoken out on politics and how Pope Leo is different.
A federal jury in Manhattan ruled yesterday that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly that harmed consumers and overcharged ticket buyers. The decision came after four days of deliberation and is a victory for the 33 states and the District of Columbia that accused Live Nation of unfairly dominating many aspects of the live entertainment industry at the expense of venues, artists and fans. The company has previously settled an earlier antitrust lawsuit with the Justice Department. This latest verdict could change the U.S. live music industry.
In the latest effort to rewrite the narrative surrounding the violent Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department has filed papers aiming to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions against members of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Trump previously gave these members of extremist groups commutations instead of full pardons. About a dozen defendants, who had been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences for their roles in planning and executing the riot, were released when Trump returned to office. Their felony convictions remained on their records. If the federal courts approve this move, it would eliminate those convictions and restore the defendants' right to possess guns.
Deep dive
The White House had declared that this tax season would be the "largest tax refund season in U.S. history." The administration is on track to achieve that goal, thanks to the Republicans' signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The White House projected that the average refund would rise by $1,000 or more this year. So far, the average refund is about $350 higher than last year, falling short of that estimate. By early this month, taxpayers received an average refund of $3,462, which is 11.1% higher compared to the same point last year, according to the IRS. A recent survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank that advises on federal policy, found that 62% of respondents believed the tax changes either harmed them or made no difference.
- 💵 The benefits of the tax law changes may be more evident to Americans who owe taxes than to those who receive refunds. The IRS data on tax refunds this season doesn't account for how much less Americans owed compared to the previous year.
- 💵 Wealthier filers have received larger benefits from tax changes so far, because the president's bill raised the cap on state and local tax deductions. Filers can now deduct up to $40,000 for property, sales and income taxes. The deduction primarily aids wealthier Americans with large mortgage payments on their homes.
- 💵 Filiers' lukewarm response to refunds may partly stem from the extra cash Americans are spending at the pump. This tax season comes as the war with Iran has pushed the average price for a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. well above $4.
From our hosts
by Michel Martin, Morning Edition and Up First host
Why did I want to talk with Dave Chappelle?
It's true that Chappelle's Show, his sketch comedy show that ran on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2006, was one of those shows that you had to watch if you wanted to know what the culture was up to. And it's also true that his standup specials are the kind of shows that almost feel like samizdat —-underground literature passed hand to hand in defiance of the state — even though his shows are advertised at bus stops, held in arenas and draw thousands of people.
But that's not why.
I wanted to ask him why he spent $15 million of his own money to give the tiny WYSO public radio station a new home. And I wanted to know whether he saw it as a contradiction when, as a person known for his uncompromising, take-no-prisoners style, he's chosen to perform in places that are decidedly unfree when it comes to speech about certain subjects.
And I really wanted to know why a person who travels everywhere and could afford to live anywhere decided to move his family to tiny Yellow Springs, Ohio.
So I asked him all of those questions in the latest interview for NPR's Newsmakers video podcast – which we recorded at WYSO's brand new station in Yellow Springs. You can listen to the interview to hear what he has to say yourself. I'll just say this, though. If you expect to hear Dave Chappelle "performing" Dave Chappelle, I think you're going to be disappointed. But if you are open to hearing a seriously funny man seriously engage with issues like free speech, the purpose of comedy, the weaponization of jokes and the search for oneself — then I think you will be as intrigued as I was.
Also, when it comes to Yellow Springs, he might be on to something. It's … great. But I don't think he wants us all to know that — just yet.
3 things to know before you go
- The Whiting Foundation last night announced the 10 winners of the 2026 Whiting Award for emerging writers. The honor recognizes writers for "their outstanding accomplishments and promise" and comes with a $50,000 prize.
- In this week's Far-Flung Postcard, NPR's Emmanuel Igunza takes readers to Nairobi, Kenya, where you can board a privately owned, brightly painted minibus. The vehicles are moving canvases and mobile sound systems.
- Former NPR President and CEO Kevin Klose, a transformative leader who helped propel the public broadcaster into the top ranks of major U.S. networks, died yesterday morning at 85 from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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