Trump

President Donald Trump has a surprising take on a new report that shows inflation spiking to its highest level in three years. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that “I love the inflation." Ahead of the November midterm elections, voters have ranked the economy as a top concern — and have given Trump low marks on that issue. The problem has intensified as the Iran war has pushed oil prices higher. Within minutes of his on-camera comment, Democrats quickly rushed to promote it on social media. On Capitol Hill, Representative Emilia Sykes — a Democrat from Ohio — asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright if he, too, loved inflation. Wright said he'd prefer lower inflation, but praised Trump's work on curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions.

A key surveillance tool that allows the United States to collect intelligence abroad appears certain to expire. That's because the House on Thursday failed to temporarily extend the program, in a protest of President Donald Trump’s temporary pick to head the nation’s intelligence agencies. The House vote collapsed in bipartisan fashion, with some 20 Republicans and nearly all Democrats rejecting the temporary measure. The Senate may try its own vote later Thursday, but hopes are dimming to prevent what could be rare lapse of spy powers. The law expires on Friday at midnight.

Hostilities between the U.S. and Iran have escalated, with Iran retaliating against U.S. air and cruise missile strikes. The exchange intensified Thursday, as air defenses fired in Kuwait and Bahrain after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran would "pay the price" for stalled negotiations. The U.S. launched a second round of airstrikes overnight, targeting Iranian military sites. Talks have stalled partly due to Israel's attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The U.S. Central Command said its latest strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities. Explosions were reported in Tehran and Bandar Abbas.