Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: Whose strait is it anyway?

Whose strait is it anyway?

May 05, 2026

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THE CATCH-UP

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon on May 5. | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

STRAIT TALK: The U.S. and Iran today clashed — rhetorically — over control of the Strait of Hormuz, while trying to keep the lid on the ceasefire and prevent a return to outright war.

At a briefing this morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that a “red, white and blue dome,” so to speak, would temporarily continue to escort ships through the effectively shuttered waterway, like yesterday’s two successful transits. Roughly 1,550 ships — with tens of thousands of people aboard — remain there, stranded. “Iran is grasping at straws,” said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine. The past day’s efforts, part of the U.S.’ “Project Freedom” to reopen the strait, prove that the Iranians “don’t control the strait,” Hegseth said.

But Iran isn’t about to concede the point, or the strait, which remains a crucial chokepoint for much of the world’s oil and broader economic fortunes. “The new equation of the Strait of Hormuz is in the process of being solidified,” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X early this morning. “We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.” And Iranian state media claimed that the country’s control of the strait had actually “intensified,” per the NYT.

Speaking of intolerability: Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. won’t continue its “direct gift” to the rest of the world for very long — and that Washington expects other countries to “step up at the appropriate time” to help reopen the strait. That could be a tall order: U.S. allies around the world desperately want ships to pass, but they may also resent being handed responsibility in a war they didn’t start. But South Korea said today it was reviewing a U.S. proposal and considering whether to join in, per Reuters. And the U.S. and Bahrain are leading an effort at the U.N. to punish Iran unless it frees up Hormuz, per Reuters.

The truce: Reported Iranian attacks aimed at U.S. boats yesterday, and continuing against the UAE today, have tested the fragile ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran. But despite escalating tensions, the Pentagon’s message today was clear: War is not back on. “Project Freedom” is “separate and distinct” from the war, Hegseth said, and fire from Tehran hasn’t risen to the level that would trigger renewed strikes from Washington. (Fresh fighting today between Israel and Hezbollah, meanwhile, placed that ceasefire in even greater jeopardy.)

“We’re not looking for a fight,” Hegseth added. Indeed, the strait has been quieter today than yesterday, Caine said.

Nonetheless, Hegseth’s separation of the strait-reopening mission from the overall war amounts to the administration’s “most concrete public admission yet that the conflict has evolved far beyond its original scope,” POLITICO’s Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch report.

From the White House, President Donald Trump this morning continued to downplay the war (“I call it a skirmish”) and project confidence in American success. “They know what to do,” he said vaguely when asked about Iran testing the ceasefire. “They know what not to do, more importantly.” He declined to get specific about what would constitute a violation.

Higher gas prices for Americans, Trump added, are “a very small price to pay for getting rid of a nuclear weapon.” That runs counter to recent U.S. intelligence conclusions, reported by Reuters, that the war hasn’t actually set back Iran’s nuclear program very far.

Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop us a line at eokun@politico.com and mgray@politico.com.

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7 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. VOTER FRAUD FILES: A major new investigation by ProPublica’s Raquel Rutledge reveals that prosecutors discovered Puerto Rican prisoners selling drugs in exchange for votes for now-Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón, a Republican and Trump backer. “Investigators had gathered solid evidence of election fraud implicating both inmates and staff, and they were working toward determining whether González-Colón or her campaign was involved.”

But as prosecutors prepared to deliver an indictment in November 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico told them to “exclude the voting-related counts against the inmates and all charges against the prison staff.” After Trump returned to office, the lead investigator was told to drop the election fraud probe. González-Colón hasn’t been charged with any crime and declined an interview with ProPublica. The Justice Department called this a “Biden administration prosecution” and said they had no involvement in circumscribing the investigation.

2. TRAIL MIX: A third lawsuit has been filed today challenging Florida Republicans’ new congressional map, Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles reports. The plaintiffs claim the district lines give the GOP an “unfair partisan advantage.”

Election Day reading: One of the other big races to watch tonight is a special Michigan state Senate election, which will determine the balance of power in the chamber as Democrats hope to maintain their slim majority, AP’s Joey Cappelletti reports. The outcome could be a bellwether for the midterms in the state.

Big money: Senate Majority PAC, Democrats’ main money machine, announced that it’s reserving $40 million in TV advertising to bolster Sherrod Brown’s comeback bid in Ohio, as Brown is expected to sail through today’s primary. Brown’s early moves in the race have gone hard at GOP Sen. Jon Husted over Jeffrey Epstein, NYT’s Reid Epstein reports.

Don’t mess: In the Texas GOP Senate runoff, a new poll from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston shows a very tight race. AG Ken Paxton leads incumbent John Cornyn 48 percent to 45 percent. But Paxton is corralling less campaign fundraising this go-around, NYT’s Lauren McGaughy reports. “Several businessmen who spent millions on Mr. Paxton’s campaigns for state attorney general have not given to either his Senate campaign or a political action committee backing his run … Perhaps most strikingly, the billionaire West Texas oilmen and far-right kingmakers who have long supported Mr. Paxton have spent little on his Senate run.”

Campaign fuel: “A Climate Activist Wants to Run California. Coal Helped Fuel His Wealth,” by NYT’s Danny Hakim and colleagues: “[Tom] Steyer did step down as the chief executive of Farallon Capital … But his financial records show that he never fully cut ties with the investment firm he founded even as it solidified its role in recent years as a major lender to the coal industry.”

3. BILL OF HEALTH: An analysis by White House economists estimates that due to Trump’s deals with pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, U.S. costs could drop to levels comparable to other countries, potentially saving $529 billion over the next decade, AP’s Josh Boak reports. These are the administration’s first economy-wide projections, while Democratic lawmakers raise doubts about the level of savings.

Look what’s back: The Presidential Fitness Test Award was revived today with a stroke of Trump’s pen, as Fox News’ Ashley DiMella scooped earlier. Surrounded by professional athletes and MAHA leaders like HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump signed a memorandum meant to reestablish a benchmark for students’ athletic prowess, which was phased out in the Obama administration. On the South Lawn afterward, the Washington Nationals’ racing presidents watched over kids engaged in various fitness activities. Trump previously reestablished the test itself last year.

Speaking of young people’s health … FDA Commissioner Marty Makary is now on “thin ice” with top administration officials, and he got a tongue-lashing from Trump this weekend for not green-lighting flavored vapes, WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte and Natalie Andrews scooped. Makary was concerned about health risks for children. But Trump talked to his advisers about the political benefits of going pro-vaping for young MAGA voters, the Journal reports. The White House responds that “Gold Standard Science” is the only thing guiding decision-making.

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4. IMMIGRATION FILES: “US prepared for visa sanctions on China over migrants issue, official says,” by Reuters’ Michael Martina: “China is slowing its efforts to repatriate Chinese nationals who are in the U.S. illegally, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters, warning that Washington was prepared to increase travel restrictions on the country if Beijing didn’t reverse course.” This comes just days before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting.

Behind the scenes: “Inside the heated clash over the DHS 'master plan' for deportations,” by NBC’s Julia Ainsley: “Homeland Security immigration leaders disagreed so vehemently over how to accomplish President Donald Trump’s goal of deporting 1 million people during his first year back in office that during a meeting over the issue, handlers had to ‘clear the room’ to defuse tensions.”

5. THE VA’S INTERNAL PROBE: The VA investigated employees who attended vigils and spoke to press regarding fellow VA worker Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, CNN’s Brian Todd reports. The probe mainly targeted those who gave media interviews for potentially violating agency rules, with a threat of disciplinary action. VA press secretary Quinn Slaven said he could not comment.

6. WHAT COULD COME FROM A BLUE WAVE: “A decades-long plan to abolish the Electoral College may finally pay off,” by Vox’s Andrew Prokop: “The decisive batch would be the core swing states where partisan control is up for grabs this fall. If Democrats win governing trifectas … in enough of them, they could very well cobble together the remaining 48 electoral votes, and actually put [the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact] into place for 2028. Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and New Hampshire are the top targets. … [But] would the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact avert an election crisis — or will it pave the way for one?”

7. KNOWING JOHN KENNEDY: “‘I don’t completely fit in’: John Kennedy keeps Republicans guessing,” by Semafor’s Burgess Everett and Eleanor Mueller: “He’s been the Senate’s one-man joke machine for nearly a decade, but he’s getting more serious these days: On the same day as his quip-filled speeches, he threatened to derail Republicans’ agenda in a bid to get his party to address the rising cost of living. … Trump’s second term has seen Kennedy transforming into a folksy force who’s willing to maximize his leverage and platform as a member of some of the Hill’s most powerful committees.”

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TALK OF THE TOWN

STRICTLY BALLROOM — Senate Republicans’ party-line reconciliation bill for immigration enforcement funding will pump $1 billion into the Secret Service for security changes that include President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom, per POLITICO’s Jordain Carney. But the money is strictly focused on security upgrades, not broader construction. The White House applauded the inclusion of the funding, while Democrats are thrilled to be able to force a vote on what they’ll frame as Trump’s ballroom.

MEDIAWATCH — James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems firm is now in “advanced talks” to acquire N.Y. mag and the podcast network from Vox Media, a move that would add to the younger Murdoch’s growing media portfolio, WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel scooped.

MEDIA MOVE — Rachel Umansky-Castro is now a Capitol Hill policy reporter covering agriculture for Bloomberg Government. She previously was at Punchbowl and is a Playbook alum.

TRANSITIONS — Joe Buccino will be comms director for the House Republican Conference. He previously worked for Spirit AeroSystems and is a U.S. Central Command alum and retired Army colonel. … Ngoc Nguyen is now VP at Ridge Path Strategies. She previously worked for Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.). … Matt Naugle is now a director at Narrative Strategies. He previously worked at Stand Together. …

… John Russell has been named executive director of the American Association of Career Schools. He previously led ValuSight Consulting and is an American Society of Appraisers alum. … Kristin Flukey Fritsch is joining Kimbell & Associates as senior director of government affairs. She previously worked for the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. … Alexis Gurganious is now VP of government affairs and PAC at the Structured Finance Association. She most recently worked at Cox Enterprises and is an Alzheimer’s Association alum.

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