Rubio steers Israel-Lebanon talks as Iran tensions persist

It’s Tuesday. Happy Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s!! 🍦 This is another great excuse for me to reference The Atlantic reporting on how eating ice cream may actually be good for you. I’ve heard all I need to hear. 😉

Rubio hosts Israel-Lebanon talks in DC

Rubio hosts Israel-Lebanon talks in DC

Trump orders McDonald’s delivery to the Oval Office

Trump orders McDonald’s delivery to the Oval Office

2 Swalwell accusers feel ‘vindicated’ after his resignation

2 Swalwell accusers feel ‘vindicated’ after his resignation

TMZ opens DC bureau to track lawmakers

TMZ opens DC bureau to track lawmakers

Atlantic investigation: The best free restaurant bread

🪖 NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH IRAN

Rubio will take a stab at negotiations:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is hosting Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington today to solidify a ceasefire in Iran.

Why Israel and Lebanon?: Israel, which teamed up with the U.S. to ignite the war with Iran, also launched a military attack inside Lebanon, killing at least 2,000 people, including women and children.

In fact, Israel’s Lebanon attack was a major point of contention in the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

This is a big deal: Today’s talks will be the first between Israel and Lebanon since 1993 (!), an official told The Associated Press. And they were authorized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Keep in mind about the conflict: The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran could push more than 30 million people across the world into poverty, according to new projections from the United Nations.

💬 Follow today’s live blog

➤ THE LATEST WITH THE BLOCKADE:

A Chinese tanker tested the U.S.’s new blockade by traveling through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. This tanker has been sanctioned by the U.S.

For what it’s worth: An ex-national security adviser for former President Biden argues the U.S. military blockade in the Strait of Hormuz “might be helpful” in getting Iran to negotiate.

Retired Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said on MS NOW: “I think as a potential diplomatic tactic it might be helpful. What this could do . . . is encourage the Chinese to be more helpful with Iran and get them back to the negotiating table because China certainly is dependent upon oil coming in and out of the Gulf.”

➤ GOP SENATORS GROW UNCOMFORTABLE WITH TRUMP’S RHETORIC AND IRAN ENDGAME:

“Senate Republicans facing worsening polls want President Trump to rein in his extreme rhetoric, which included an attack on Pope Leo XIV for being “WEAK on crime” and a threat to wipe out Iran’s civilization, and find a quick end to the conflict with Tehran,” reports The Hill’s Alexander Bolton.

Why now?: “GOP lawmakers are used to Trump’s hyperbolic style but want to distance themselves from his most incendiary comments as polls show Democrats have improving chances of picking up Republican-held seats in North Carolina, Ohio and Nebraska.”

Read more: ‘GOP senators grow uncomfortable with Trump rhetoric, endgame for Iran’

President Trump had McDonald’s delivered to the Oval Office on Monday for a photographed moment to promote his “no tax on tips” law. It was quite the publicity shtick.

A delivery person wearing a “DoorDash Grandma” shirt knocked on the Oval Office door and handed two bags of food to the president.

Trump then touted the new law while standing in front of the White House press corps. And in classic Trump fashion, the moment turned into an open Q&A touching on a wide variety of news topics.

Like: At one point, Trump asked the delivery person, who identified herself as Sharon Simmons, if she thinks “men should play in women’s sports.” “I really don’t have an opinion on that,” she responded. 🎥 Watch the clip

And Trump turned to Simmons and asked her to weigh in on the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.  

This made me cringe: Trump asked the woman, “I think you voted for me?” She paused and said, “Uhhh, maybe,” and then laughed.  🎥 Watch the clip (around the 1:40 mark)

➤ ANOTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT?:

President Trump says a 4,500 seat arena will be built on the White House grounds for a UFC fight in June.

Maybe they should make this arena permanent and this is how Washington leaders could duke it out over policy disagreements? WELCOME TO DC FIGHT NIGHT. 💪

The House loses two lawmakers:

House lawmakers return from recess today to a big shake-up in the chamber. Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) announced their plans to resign within minutes of each other on Monday evening over sexual misconduct allegations, avoiding growing bipartisan efforts to expel both of them from Congress.

This was a stunning fall for Swalwell, who had been the leading Democratic candidate to be the next California governor and is in his seventh term in the House. Meanwhile, the furor surrounding Gonzales’s misconduct had simmered after he ended his reelection campaign in March, but it intensified again when the Swalwell controversy swelled.

The gist of Swalwell’s allegations: The San Francisco Chronicle published accusations on Friday, alleging that Swalwell sexually assaulted a former aide on two occasions. Shortly after, CNN published its own report, alleging sexual misconduct with three other women. Swalwell denied the allegations.

The gist of Gonzales’s allegations: Gonzales admitted he had an affair with a former congressional staffer who later died after setting herself on fire. He has also been accused of sending sexually explicit messages to a former campaign aide.

Is this saga over?: Not likely. The two pending resignations have shifted the spotlight to two other House lawmakers, Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who are embroiled in their own ethical controversies. Read more

➤ NEW REACTION FROM TWO OF SWALWELL’S ACCUSERS:

Two of the women who accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct told CBS News they feel “vindicated” after hearing he will resign from Congress and that he ended his gubernatorial campaign.

This could get chaotic … quickly:

The celebrity tabloid outlet TMZ has set up shop in Washington to cover Congress.

The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo reports that TMZ producers arrived on Capitol Hill this week and have already confronted two senators.

First, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.): The outlet posted a video of Graham putting his hand over TMZ’s camera when he was asked about being spotted at Disney World during Congress’s recess. “Can I just ask you about the bubble wand, sir?” the TMZ staffer asked. 🎥 Watch the clip

Second, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas): TMZ posted a clip of a producer asking Cruz to weigh in on the fight between President Trump and the pope. He wouldn’t take a side. 🎥 Watch the clip

— A new pancreatic cancer drug nearly doubles the survival rate for patients, according to a new trial.

The New York Times: ‘I Don’t Know if We Can Come Back From This’: The View From Inside Trump’s D.H.S.

The Washington Post: What happened when Trump told a city to forget DEI or lose federal money

The Wall Street Journal: Bernie Sanders Is Back as a Left-Wing Kingmaker

The Hill: Anthropic’s Mythos puts DC, Wall Street on high alert — this is one of The Hill’s most-read stories today.

The House and Senate are in. President Trump is at the White House.

12:30 p.m. Senators meet for weekly caucus luncheons. 📆 Today’s agenda

1:30 p.m. Trump meets with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.).

2:15 p.m. A Senate confirmation vote for a judge.

3 p.m. Trump meets with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien.

4:15 p.m. Trump tapes an interview with Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo.

5:30 p.m. Trump meets with U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue.

6:30 p.m. First and last House votes for the day. 📆 Today’s agenda

Wednesday morning The White House’s budget director, Russell Vought, testifies on Trump’s 2027 budget request. 💻 Livestream

April 22 The Hill and NewsNation will carry the California gubernatorial primary debate.

🥜 Celebrate: Today is National Pecan Day.

🥖 Now this is some boots-on-the-ground journalism: The Atlantic dropped a new cover story, where writer Caity Weaver found “the best free restaurant bread in America.” Her investigation was unbelievably thorough. 👏

🍹 Find me a prettier drink. I’ll wait: Starbucks is dropping new drinks for the summer, including a Tropical Butterfly Refresher, which looks like a colorful sunset.

If there’s a cat in your life, have you ever considered getting them an empty fishbowl? Because I *need* to know if this is true for all cats.

📺 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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