U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, signed a historic cease-fire agreement alongside Middle East leaders. The day marked scenes of reunion as all 20 living Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were released, and the bodies of four deceased hostages were returned to Israel. Trump says phase two of the 20-point cease-fire plan has already begun, as he hails what he calls the “historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
As the government shutdown enters its third week, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is warning that it may become the longest in U.S. history. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance said waste and fraud plague the health care program Democrats want to extend—making future negotiations more difficult. …