Strike escalation, AI access, and CBS shakeup roil U.S.

From a widening U.S.-Iran strike exchange to a new Trump executive order asking frontier AI companies for early access, Washington’s latest moves are colliding with fresh turmoil at CBS News—while several major election races in California head into runoff or

By Wednesday morning, the United States seemed pulled in three directions at once: toward a more dangerous rhythm in the Middle East, toward a tighter grip on the nation’s next AI frontier, and through fresh upheaval inside one of the country’s best-known newsrooms.

Overnight, the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran came under new strain. The escalation began after the U.S. said it used a Hellfire missile to disable an oil tanker headed for Iran. Iran then launched missiles toward Kuwait and Bahrain. accusing both countries of bearing what it called “direct and clear responsibility” for U.S. attacks by allowing American forces to operate from their territory.

The fallout was immediately visible in the region. Kuwait said its international airport suffered significant damage in the strike. Bahrain said it intercepted multiple missiles and drones before they could reach their targets.

The U.S. response did not stop there. Officials said the administration carried out additional strikes on Qeshm island, targeting a drone command site and communications infrastructure that Iran uses to coordinate unmanned aircraft operations.

Back in Washington. the White House announced a new approach to the next wave of AI power—one that asks the biggest players to hand over visibility before the public sees what they’re building. Trump signed an executive order Tuesday directing companies developing the most advanced AI systems to voluntarily provide the government access to those models up to 30 days before they’re released.

The order frames the trade as a security bargain: advanced AI. the White House said. makes the country stronger but also creates new national security risks. The stated goal is to spot cybersecurity threats before powerful systems reach the public—particularly as officials have raised concerns that next-generation AI could help bad actors find software vulnerabilities or launch more sophisticated cyberattacks.

Trump’s move follows a prior version of the order that the administration scrapped last month. In that earlier draft, the review period was longer—90 days. The final version shortens the window to 30 days and makes participation voluntary. The order also creates a new AI “cybersecurity clearinghouse” designed to help identify digital threats before they spread.

This week’s domestic policy turbulence has also extended into television news. CBS has fired veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after a clash tied to leadership of the long-running newsmagazine “60 Minutes.” The rupture came after what the newsroom itself has been wrestling with: a rapid series of changes that began after Paramount’s Skydance leadership hired Bari Weiss and acquired her media company. The Free Press. as part of an effort to remake CBS News.

CBS fired Pelley after an apparent confrontation with the show’s new boss. According to multiple reports, Pelley used a staff meeting Monday to blast CBS News leadership, including editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. He reportedly accused her of “murdering ’60 Minutes’” and questioned the qualifications of new executive producer Nick Bilton.

Less than 24 hours later, Bilton responded. In a termination letter, he accused Pelley of hijacking his first staff meeting and publicly disparaging him with what he called “remarkable incivility and contempt.”

Pelley answered with his own statement, taking aim at Weiss and the network’s management. “The leadership of 60 Minutes is no longer recognizable,” Pelley said. “The principles I hold dear are gone, and so I must leave as well.”

The timing landed in the middle of another wave of upheaval. CBS had removed correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. along with several senior producers. as part of a broader overhaul of the network’s flagship newsmagazine less than a week earlier. Anchor Anderson Cooper had also announced in February that he too is leaving the show. The series of changes has intensified internal debate about what “60 Minutes” will become under new ownership.

Even as Washington and New York competed for attention, election news moved forward elsewhere. In California, the gubernatorial race remains too close to call. Republican Steve Hilton holds a narrow lead in early returns. with former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra close behind. Billionaire Tom Steyer remains in contention as counting continues.

The California governor’s contest sits under the state’s top-two primary system. If the current standings hold, both Hilton and Becerra would advance to November.

Hilton told voters, “Change is coming to California, and it’s long overdue,” adding, “I want to just say something from my heart to every single person who’s voted for me. We’re not — we’re not there yet, but it’s looking good.”

Becerra also acknowledged ballots were still being counted, while saying he’s confident he’ll advance. “While I take nothing for granted, there are lots of ballots left to be counted,” he said. He added: “It appears that we are on track to advance to November. One step closer. one step closer to the son of those hard-working immigrants. Maria and Manuel Becerra. becoming the next governor of the great state of California.”.

Steyer said his campaign would wait until every ballot is counted: “We’re going to wait until every ballot is counted,” he said. “We’re going to give democracy time to work. And we know we finished really strong.”

Los Angeles is also headed for a major runoff. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is on track to advance to November after falling short of the 50% threshold needed to win outright. As ballots continued to be counted. former reality TV star Spencer Pratt appeared to have the inside track for the second spot. leading city council member Nithya Raman.

Bass campaigned on experience and on her efforts to rebuild Los Angeles after last year’s wildfires. “Los Angeles is the creative capital of the world. where we dream and we make our dreams come true. ” she said Tuesday. “Where our industry was leaving, but we are bringing it back. We’re bringing it back.”.

Pratt positioned himself as a political outsider promising change at City Hall. saying. “Now I feel very confident that I am going to continue to work hard and learn everything I need to learn how to build my teams. show all the experience I’m going to surround myself with.” He added. “We have five months to build the best team the city could ever dream of around me.”.

Across the country in Iowa, one of the night’s biggest surprises unfolded in the Republican race for governor. Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra lost to farmer and businessman Zach Lahn by about one percentage point—an outcome driven by a margin of roughly 2. 000 votes. Feenstra conceded, and Lahn will now face Democratic state auditor Rob Sand in November.

Iowa’s open U.S. Senate race produced another definitive shift. Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson won the GOP nomination and will face Democrat Josh Turek in November.

Taken together, the week’s headlines show a government still moving quickly—and sometimes in ways that collide. The same day Washington is asking major AI developers to provide early access to frontier models for cybersecurity scrutiny. the U.S. is also trading strikes with Iran and preparing for what comes next if the ceasefire continues to fray.

And at the national level, the question of who controls information—on the battlefield, in the codebase, or on television—feels less theoretical than it did a week ago.

The U.S. and Iran ceasefire is under fresh pressure as strikes continue, Trump’s executive order sets new expectations for AI companies, and CBS’s “60 Minutes” reels again after Scott Pelley’s firing—each decision unfolding fast, each likely shaping what people see next.

United States politics U.S.-Iran strikes Hellfire missile Kuwait airport damage Bahrain intercepted missiles Qeshm island drone command site Trump AI executive order AI cybersecurity clearinghouse frontier AI companies CBS News 60 Minutes Scott Pelley fired Bari Weiss Nick Bilton Karen Bass Spencer Pratt Nithya Raman Steve Hilton Xavier Becerra Tom Steyer Zach Lahn Randy Feenstra Ashley Hinson Josh Turek