Fears mount as US, Iran ceasefire appears to crumble

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Happy Thursday. Master’s weekend has begun! Pull out your green outfits and get ready to make those classic pimento and egg salad sandwiches! ⛳And hey, let’s all put away our phones for the authentic experience.

U.S., Iran express skepticism over ceasefire

U.S., Iran express skepticism over ceasefire

Trump holds troops on standby in Middle East

Trump holds troops on standby in Middle East

U.S. to automatically register young men for military draft

U.S. to automatically register young men for military draft

Brewing turf war at the Pentagon

Brewing turf war at the Pentagon

Former Sen. Sasse details cancer battle

Former Sen. Sasse details cancer battle

DeChambeau plays with his DIY 3D-printed club

DeChambeau plays with his DIY 3D-printed club

⏯️ IN THE WHITE HOUSE

The ceasefire is wobbling:

It’s been roughly 40 hours since President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, and the shaky agreement is starting to crumble as both sides express distrust.

Trump says he will hold U.S. troops “in, and around, Iran” until a “REAL AGREEMENT” is reached between the two countries.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” Trump posted shortly before midnight.

And Iran has matched his skepticism, accusing the U.S. of not upholding its end of the deal as Israel continues to attack Lebanon.

Those fears are reverberating throughout the world.

The Strait of Hormuz is technically open, but The New York Times reports that only five ships passed through on Wednesday. That’s half of the daily traffic over the past five days, per the Times and less than 10 percent of normal traffic, per Reuters. That’s because vessels are wary of the wobbly ceasefire.

Oil prices rose again this morning as fears set in of the ceasefire falling apart.

And NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says he is worried the conflict could lead to a “North Korea moment” that could put other countries at risk.

Vice President Vance is set to travel to Pakistan this weekend with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to negotiate a deal to smooth things over.

Keep in mind — we haven’t seen Trump in public: Trump has not spoken in public since he made the announcement on Tuesday, and his schedule currently shows no public events again today. Meanwhile, as The Hill’s Jared Gans points out, Vice President Vance has become the central figure in maintaining the peace.

The bulk of the president’s communication with the American people has been through Truth Social posts.

💬 Follow today’s live blog

➤ TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE FURIOUS ABOUT THE IRAN SITUATION:

The New York Times noticed that thousands of Trump’s supporters on Truth Social are rattling off angry posts about the war in Iran.  

For example: “They have written that they feel betrayed by the expanding war in Iran and ashamed when Mr. Trump used an expletive on Easter to make demands of the Iranian government. Some were so perplexed by his military interventions that one declared they ‘make zero sense.’” Read more: ‘Once ‘Ultra MAGA’, Trump Supporters Fume About Iran on Truth Social’

➤ NEW — MEN WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED FOR THE MILITARY DRAFT:

Most men between the ages of 18 and 25 will automatically be registered into the military draft pool in an effort to streamline the process.

Keep in mind: The U.S. has not had a draft since the Vietnam War. Military service has been voluntary since 1973.

Drama at the Pentagon:

The Hill’s Filip Timotija reports on the simmering battle for influence between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.

How so?: “Tensions flared when Driscoll was picked last year by President Trump to negotiate with Ukrainian officials in hopes of ending the Russia-Ukraine war, according to two former U.S.  officials familiar with the dynamics. A current U.S. official said Hegseth’s ‘paranoia’ has been heightened in recent weeks as the president has fired two Cabinet officials.

“‘He’s just really uncomfortable with anyone who could potentially be outshining him,’ the current official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal dynamics, told The Hill about Hegseth. The Pentagon pushed back, saying The Hill’s ‘sources are serving up fake news to anyone gullible enough to write about it.’”

A working theory among Hegseth’s team: “A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the dynamics, said Hegseth’s team ‘believes they’ve uncovered proof that Driscoll has become a resistance figure within the Pentagon not only against Hegseth, but against President Trump as well.’”

This is worth your time: ‘Pentagon turf war ramps up between Hegseth and Driscoll’

Living vicariously through the photos at the Masters:

🏌️The 2026 Masters golf tournament has begun!

➤ SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM AUGUSTA: 

No way!: Golf star Bryson DeChambeau is playing with a 5-iron that he made himself with a 3D printer.

No one is above the no-phone policy: Former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was kicked out of the Masters for violating the no-phone policy.

There were four (!) holes-in-one: Four golfers made holes-in-one on Wednesday during the Par 3 Contest. 🎥 Video to prove it

If comedy doesn’t work out, Kevin Hart has a solid backup: The comedian and actor caddied for DeChambeau on Wednesday. The video clips are pretty funny.

Hart joked he is “the best caddie that’s ever caddie’d. Guys, I am not Kevin Hart, the global superstar today. Please, get that out of your mental. Not the movie star, the stand-up comedian that everybody knows around the world. Throw it in the bag. Today, I am Bryson’s caddie.”

Luckily, Kevin Hart already has his talents lol: 🎥 Watch Hart hit a shot

— Former Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) detailed his battle with cancer in a new interview with The New York Times’s Ross Douthat. “They told me over the course of the next couple of days that I already have five forms of cancer: lymphoma, vascular, lung cancer, bad liver cancer and pancreatic, where it originated,” Sasse said. “So, it was pretty clear that we’re dealing with a short number of months left to live.” Sending you all the good vibes, senator. 🎥 Watch the interview

— Used car prices have hit the highest level since summer 2023.

— Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a podcast, where he says he will “tell the truth, especially when it’s uncomfortable.” *This episode is brought to you by raw milk* 🎥 Watch his announcement video

The New York Times: Markets Have Faced a Year of Chaos and Still Done Awfully Well

Politico: Inside the battle to be Trump’s next attorney general

The Hill: Johnson faces rocky weeks of lassoing frustrated House Republicans for major bills

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Team Explores Punishment for NATO Countries That Didn’t Support Iran War

The New York Times: How Trump Purged Immigration Judges to Speed Up Deportations

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is at the White House with no public events scheduled. (All times EDT)

1:30 p.m. Trump participates in policy meetings.

2:30 p.m. First lady Melania Trump delivers a statement. 💻 Livestream

4 p.m. Trump participates in a “Make America Healthy Again” roundtable.

5 p.m. Trump participates in more policy meetings.

6:10 p.m. NASA officials provide an update on the Artemis II mission. 💻 Livestream

🍪 Celebrate: Today is National Chinese Almond Cookie Day.

🐟 New fear unlocked: Flying fish have been attacking boaters in the Mississippi River. Apparently, Asian carp can jump as high as 10 feet out of the water when scared by boats. Some boaters even wear helmets now. The photos in this story are *wild.* Read more: ‘Humans Are Losing the Fight Against Flying Fish’

🪒 Girls are hitting puberty much earlier now: NBC News reports that girls are starting puberty much earlier over the past several decades, and scientists don’t know why. Now, researchers are wondering if it’s a common chemical used in personal care products. Read NBC’s reporting

This made me smile, and I’m hoping it will make you smile, too. Watch this horse pick out a doughnut.

📺 Miss the previous issue of this newsletter? Catch up with a 1-minute video.

I love hearing from you — send your feedback, tips and favorite cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Check out more newsletters here. See you next time!

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