Today in One Sentence. Trump ordered the Navy to “shoot and kill” any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz Senate Republicans voted 50-48 to advance a budget plan for about $70 billion in ICE and Border Patrol funding for the rest of Trump’s term a Virginia judge blocked state officials from certifying the new congressional map a day after voters approved it Republicans are urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to redraw the state’s congressional map before the midterms the Justice Department’s internal watchdog opened an audit into whether the agency complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act the Justice Department reclassified FDA-approved and state-licensed medical marijuana as a Schedule III drug while leaving recreational marijuana illegal under federal law the Trump administration has approved only 1 “Gold Card” visa so far and 58% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job performance.

1/ Trump ordered the Navy to “shoot and kill” any boat laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S. officials said Iran had deployed new mines despite the ceasefire agreement. Trump said there should be “no hesitation,” but claimed the strait was under “total control” and “Sealed up Tight” until Iran is able to “make a DEAL.” The order came as the USS George H.W. Bush arrived near Iran, putting a third U.S. aircraft carrier in the region. The blockade has turned back 33 vessels and left shipping through the strait remains sharply reduced. Trump, however, said he had no “time pressure” to reach a deal, telling reporters “Don’t rush me,” and that Americans should expect higher gas prices “for a little while.” (CNBC / Washington Post / New York Times / Axios / Associated Press / CNN / NBC News / ABC News)

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Navy Secretary John Phelan. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Phelan was leaving “effective immediately,” and Navy Undersecretary Hung Cao will serve as acting secretary. Officials said Phelan moved too slowly on shipbuilding reforms and angered Hegseth by going directly to Trump. (CNN / Reuters / Politico / Axios / New York Times / Washington Post)

2/ Senate Republicans voted 50-48 to advance a budget plan for about $70 billion in ICE and Border Patrol funding for the rest of Trump’s term, starting a reconciliation process to bypass Democrats. The measure now goes to the House, where GOP leaders want Republicans to adopt the Senate plan unchanged next week. “It has to be clean because it has to be quick,” Speaker Mike Johnson said, but conservatives are threatening to oppose the bill unless it includes other priorities, including tax changes, defense money, Iran war funding, spending cuts, or Planned Parenthood restrictions. Democrats have refused to fund ICE and Border Patrol without new enforcement limits, including a ban on masked raids, warrant requirements for entering homes, body cameras, and limits on raids at schools and hospitals. (Politico / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / ABC News / NBC News)

3/ A Virginia judge blocked state officials from certifying the new congressional map a day after voters approved it, pausing a plan that could shift as many as four House seats to Democrats. Judge Jack Hurley said the referendum violated the state constitution and called the ballot question “flagrantly misleading.” Attorney General Jay Jones said he’d appeal. Meanwhile, Republicans are urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to redraw the state’s congressional map before the midterms, seeing Florida as their last chance to regain an edge. Some Republicans, however, say Trump’s Texas-led redistricting push triggered a Democratic response that may leave the party worse off. (CBS News / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Semafor / New York Times)

4/ The Justice Department’s internal watchdog opened an audit into whether the agency complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The review will cover how the department identified, withheld, redacted, and published records tied to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell that lawmakers and survivors said was incomplete and careless with victim information. The law required nearly all records to be released, with exceptions for victims, child sexual abuse material, and active investigations. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche denied a cover-up, saying the department “did not protect President Trump” or anyone else. (New York Times / Politico / Reuters / ABC News / Associated Press / CNN / Washington Post / CBS News / CNBC)

5/ The Justice Department reclassified FDA-approved and state-licensed medical marijuana as a Schedule III drug while leaving recreational marijuana illegal under federal law. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the order would expand research and treatment options, while creating a faster DEA registration process for state medical marijuana licensees. The move came days after Trump signed a separate order expanding federal research into psychedelics such as MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, and ibogaine. (Washington Post / CBS News / NBC News / Associated Press)

6/ The Trump administration has approved only 1 “Gold Card” visa so far. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the program, which opened in December, offers U.S. residency to foreigners who pay $1 million to the government for “the betterment” of the country, plus a $15,000 processing fee. Lutnick said there are “hundreds” of applications and described the vetting as “the most serious” in government history. (Bloomberg / CBS News)

poll/ 58% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 39% approve. It’s Trump’s highest disapproval rating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. (New York Times)

The 2026 midterms are in 194 days; the 2028 presidential election is in 929 days.