In today’s newsletter: Trump officials warn Iran will be hit with “overwhelming” firepower in the coming days. Democrats seek to put the traditionally Republican state of Texas in play for the midterms amid a heated primary race. And Live Nation’s attorney argues the ticket giant is artist-centered and not an “unlawful monopoly.”
Here’s what to know today.
Trump officials tell Congress Iran will be hit with 'overwhelming' firepower in the coming days
Top administration officials told lawmakers in classified briefings yesterday to expect a huge wave of military strikes on Iran in the coming days.
“The amount of firepower coming in the next day or two from us is going to be overwhelming,” said GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, a defense hawk who has long-supported military strikes against Iran.
Briefers for the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told members to expect “a very long operation,” said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., a former State Department official.
GOP lawmakers said they didn’t get the impression that the administration was preparing to put American boots on the ground — but reiterated that Trump is ruling nothing out.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance’s role in selling a war in Iran is clashing with both his experience as an Iraq War veteran and anti-interventionist views.
He has consistently held a more hawkish position on Iran — particularly wanting to curb the country’s nuclear capabilities — but made his reservations about combat action in Iran known before last week’s military strikes.
More on the administration’s briefing here.
More Iran news:
- What we know about the six U.S. service members killed in the Iran war.
- Iranians are demanding answers and accountability after a deadly strike on an elementary school killed at least 168 people.
- Trump’s MAGA base is wrestling with strikes launched by an “America First” president who pledged to focus on domestic issues and end foreign wars during his election campaign.
- Republicans have sought to use the Iran War to pressure Democrats to relent on DHS funding demands during their ongoing negotiations — but they’re rejecting that push.
- The Trump administration could order U.S. manufacturers to boost munitions production through the Defense Production Act.
- Oil prices have soared and stocks are tumbling as fears of prolonged war hit markets. Trump is also risking more voter frustration on the economy.
Sen. John Cornyn forced into a Republican primary runoff against Texas AG Ken Paxton
The heated Senate Republican primary in Texas will continue for several more weeks, with NBC News projecting that Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton will advance to a runoff.
The pair will face off on May 26 in a race that has already drawn nearly $100 million in advertising, largely from Cornyn and his allies.
GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt’s draw of 13% of the vote means none of the three major candidates was able to win a majority of the primary vote.
On the Democratic side, State Rep. James Talarico won the Senate nomination over Rep. Jasmine Crockett, NBC News projects, as the party seeks to put the traditionally Republican state in play this fall.
Voters in two Texas counties also faced confusion after new laws limited them to party-specific precinct polling sites. People who joined the line at polling sites after 7 p.m. local time cast provisional ballots, which the Texas Supreme Court has ordered to be kept separate. It’s unclear whether those ballots will be counted.
Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley will face off in North Carolina’s Senate race.
More about the upcoming runoff here.
More key takeaways from the primary races here.
More politics news:
- In a quick reversal, the Justice Department will try to continue its appeals court battle with law firms over the president’s previous executive orders.
- Appearing before Congress, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem did not apologize for or retract statements falsely calling two U.S. citizens killed by ICE agents “domestic terrorists” earlier this year.
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will testify in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein probe.
- California’s Democratic Party chair called for gubernatorial candidates without a “viable path” to drop out of a crowded field.
- Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s top two aides have resigned amid an investigation into alleged department misconduct.
Live Nation argues it’s not a monopoly at DOJ antitrust trial
Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s parent company, is pushing back against the government’s claim that it is an “unlawful monopoly.” The business has been the target of increased scrutiny by music fans who report frustrations with buying tickets through the platform.
The Department of Justice’s 2024 lawsuit alleges that Live Nation has illegally dominated the live concert industry by monopolizing ticketing, concert booking, venues and promotions. DOJ attorney David Dahlquist pointed to a botched presale process for Taylor Swift’s “The Eras” tour as evidence of one company controlling the market, describing the ticketing technology as “held together by duct tape.”
Live Nation’s attorney pushed back on the claim, saying it was the result of a cyber attack, and categorized the company as artist-centered.
More about the trial’s opening days here.
Read All About It
- A third person has died from injuries sustained in a Texas bar shooting early Sunday.
- OpenAI’s new health-focused chatbot “under-triaged” half of medical emergencies, according to a new study.
- In a rare jury decision, a Georgia father was found guilty in connection with a school shooting his son is accused of committing.
Staff Pick: The fishy beauty hack once again taking over TikTok
For beauty and fashion influencer Toni Bravo, the secret to glowing skin isn’t a K-beauty serum or a triple-digit skin care device — it’s a tin of sardines.
“Everyone wants a skin care routine until I bring up sardines. Do you want it or not?” Bravo told her 930,700 TikTok followers. “I’ve eaten sardines my entire life … so I’ve known the power, the beauty that is fish.”
The concept of “eating your skin care”— specifically fatty fish like tinned sardines, salmon and mackerel — isn’t new. Long embraced in wellness circles as a kind of “nature’s Botox,” sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, calcium, vitamins, selenium and iron. They have been linked to improving skin barrier function and reducing inflammatory responses, both of which can contribute to healthier-looking skin over time.
But the trend has once again taken hold on TikTok, where users are experimenting with “sardine diets” for everything from weight loss to clearer skin, while others are simply adding the salty snack to their routines after seeing the results — or at least the promise of them — on Bravo and other influencers.
—By Pilar Melendez, breaking news editor.
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Everyone’s talking about exosomes in skin care — here’s why. Plus, as CD players make a comeback, one Select editor discusses why she’s kept hers for over 20 years.
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