Politics today is defined by uncertainty, symbolism and escalation. Washington and Tehran have reportedly drafted a 60-day ceasefire extension meant to preserve a fragile truce and buy time for wider nuclear talks, but the deal still hinges on Donald Trump’s approval. In Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered Israeli forces to expand their control to roughly 70 percent of the territory, a move supporters frame as pressure on Hamas and critics warn could further imperil any ceasefire while deepening the humanitarian crisis. Back in the United States, Trump is also at the center of a striking domestic debate: a proposal, backed by his administration, to create a $250 bill bearing his portrait for America’s 250th anniversary, despite clear legal and political obstacles. Meanwhile, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has taken herself out of the 2028 presidential conversation, narrowing one lane in what already looks set to be a crowded Democratic field.