MIXED MESSAGES: The U.S. and Iran are giving conflicting signals as to the extent to which they may be negotiating after Trump called off planned attacks on the Middle East country's power plants.
The president said early Monday he ordered a five-day pause on strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure after "productive" conversations with leaders in Tehran. He had on Saturday threatened to destroy its power plants if Iran didn't agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Trump said the conversations covered a "complete and total resolution of hostilities" in the Middle East. He said the pause would be implemented on the basis of the "tenor and tone of these in depth, detailed and constructive conversations."
But Iran denied that any talks are taking place, with a top security official telling Iran's Fars News Agency that Trump "backed down."
"Financial market pressure and the threat of bonds within the U.S. and the West have increased, and this has been another important factor in this retreat," the official said.
But the president maintained after Iran's denial that discussions have been happening. He said the talks are not with the newly seated Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and that the U.S. is instead dealing with someone who he believes is "the most respected."
Trump said special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke with their Iranian counterparts Sunday. But he declined to say who they were, saying he didn't want them to be killed.
Sources told multiple outlets that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is leading the talks with Trump on Iran's behalf. But Ghalibaf denied that he's involved.
"No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped," he said in a post on the social platform X.
After Trump announced negotiations were happening and the attacks were being paused, stocks rose while the cost of oil dropped. But the talks, to whatever extent they are happening, will need to yield tangible results to turn reverse the economic turmoil of the past few weeks.
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▪ The Hill: Iran war's toll on U.S. military rises.
SECRETARY MULLIN: Mullin will be sworn in as the next DHS secretary today after the Senate voted to confirm the Oklahoma GOP senator mostly along party lines in a vote Monday.
The Senate voted 54-45, with Democratic Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.) and Martin Heinrich (N.M.) breaking party lines to vote in favor of Mullin's nomination.
Fetterman has said he views Mullin as an improvement to Noem and emphasized their "constructive working relationship" as justification for his yes vote, while Heinrich called Mullin a "friend" who would not be "bullied" by White House advisers into changing his views.
Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) was the only Republican to vote against the nomination, as he has said he doesn't believe Mullin has the right temperament to lead the department.
Trump previously said Noem would end her tenure as DHS secretary at the end of the month. But Mullin will start immediately now that he's been confirmed.
He will resign as senator, a position he's held since 2023, ahead of taking the new role. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is reportedly expected to choose oil executive Alan Armstrong as Mullin's replacement.
State law requires Armstrong to agree to not run in the special election to fill the remainder of Mullin's term, and Republicans have coalesced around Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) as their preferred successor to Mullin.
▪ The Hill: Dems release details on Noem's ad spending.
▪ The Oklahoman: Mullin takes on toughest job yet at DHS.
MAIL-IN SKEPTICISM: A majority of the Supreme Court appeared skeptical of allowing states to count mail-in ballots received after polls close on Election Day, potentially signaling a notable change ahead of the midterms.
The case centers on Mississippi's voting law that allows a five-day grace period for ballots received after polls close as long as they're postmarked by Election Day. The Republican National Committee led a challenge to the statute, arguing federal law permits only one Election Day.
Mississippi appealed a lower court ruling that found federal law preempts the statute, but several conservative justices expressed concern that counting ballots late could undermine faith in elections.
"If the apparent winner the morning after the election ends up losing due to late-arriving ballots, charges of a rigged election could explode," Justice Brett Kavanaugh said.
If the court strikes down Mississippi's law, it could also impact the more than a dozen other states, plus the District of Columbia, that allow for a grace period for receiving ballots. Nearly 30 states also accept military and overseas ballots received after Election Day.
▪ The Hill: Court backs officer seeking immunity from protester's claims.
▪ The Hill: New top prosecutor to lead U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey.
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